CNS II Flashcards
signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis (5)
- headache
- photaphobia
- fever
- meningismus (stiff neck)
- obtundation (reduced level of alertness)
How is bacterial meningitis diagnosed?
- suspicious clinical signs and symptoms
- lumbar puncture
- cultures of CSF and blood
What does a lumbar puncture test for to diagnosis bacterial meningitis?
- neutrophils (pus)
- elevated protein
- reduced glucose
- increased pressure
Bacterial meningitis: microorganism that affects dorsal vs basal surface
Dorsal = Streptococcus Basal = M. tuberculosis
CNS infections seen commonly in immunocompromised patients
fungal infections
method of action of fungal infections of the CNS and what it causes
microorganisms often invade/clog small vessels and result in hemorrhagic infarcts
fungal infection characteristically seen in patients with uncontrolled diabetes
Mucormycosis
most common CNS fungal infection
Cryptococcosis
structure seen in cells that indicate a viral infection (give examples)
inclusion bodies
- Cowdry bodies for HSV1
- Negri bodies for rabies
infections by these organisms can cause a rapidly fatal necrotizing encephalitis
Naegleria fowleri (amoeba)
method of action of Naegleria fowleri
- Free living in soil and fresh warm water
- Inhaled into olfactory epithelium and migrate up olfactory nerve
- Spread via subarachnoid space
most common cause of brain hemorrhage
hypertension
Tumors of astrocytes in increasing malignancy (grade II-IV):
II –> astrocytoma
III –> anaplastic glioma
IV –> glioblastoma
Name the astrocyte tumor: location is cerebral hemispheres
astrocytoma and anaplastic glioma
Name the astrocyte tumor: 60% p53 mutation
astrocytoma
Name the astrocyte tumor: >90% p53 mutation
anaplastic glioma
Name the astrocyte tumor: histology = well differentiated fibrillary or gemistocytic astrocytes
astrocytoma
Name the astrocyte tumor: histology = increased cellularity (nucelar atypia, mitotic activity)
anaplastic glioma
Name the astrocyte tumor: most common
glioblastoma
Name the astrocyte tumor: separates itself by the presence of necrosis
glioblastoma
peak incidence of glioblastoma
45-70 yo (mean = 53 yo)
location = posterior fossa, 75% vermis
medulloblastoma
histology = classily presents as densely packed cells (round/oval to “carrot-shaped” nuceli)
medulloblastoma
pediatric brain tumor
medulloblastoma
malignant, but responds well to chemo and radiation
medulloblastoma
benign neoplasms that affect peripheral nerves of the head and neck
schwannoma
Where do schwannomas occur in the skull?
8th cranial nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve)
histology = spindle-shaped interdigitating cells
schwannoma
