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Year 3 > CNS Pathology > Flashcards

CNS Pathology Flashcards

1
Q

Swayback is caused by a deficiency in what?

Which animals are affected?

A

Copper

Lambs

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2
Q

What are the two types of invertebral disc herniation?

A

Hansen type 1: extrusion of degenerated disc material

Hansen type 2: protrusion without rupture of the annulus fibrosus

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3
Q

What does the notochord becomes in most tetrapods?

A

The nucleus pulposus of the intervertebral disc

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4
Q

What does the rhombencephalon become?

A

Cerebellum

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5
Q

What lines the 4 ventricles of the brain?

A

Ependyma

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6
Q

What is cerebrospinal fluid?

A

Blood ultra infiltrate produced by choroid plexuses

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7
Q

Where is CSF produced?

Where is it drained?

A

Produced continuously within ventricles, drained by dorsal saggital sinus

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8
Q

How is the neural tube formed?

A

Lateral margins of the neural plays fold and bend inward

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9
Q

What is neurulation?

A

Formation and closure of the neural tube

It drives the sagittal closure of overlying structures (skin, ectoderm, muscle etc)

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10
Q

What is the posterior fossa made of?

A

Cerebellum and brainstem

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11
Q

What are the 5 divisions of the brain?

A 
Telencephalon (cerebrum)
Diencephalon 
Metencephalon (cerebellum and pons)
Mesencephalon (midbrain)
Myelencephalon (medulla oblongata)
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12
Q

What is the principle cell type in nervous tissue?

A

Neurons

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13
Q

What makes neurons basophilic?

A

RER (ie lysosomes)

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14
Q

What is the function of astrocytes?

A

Creation and maintenance of the integrity of the BBB
Uptake and recycling of neurotransmitters
Maintenance of extracellular pH and osmotic pressure (via uptake of K+)
Supporting migration of neurons during neuronogenesis

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15
Q

What is the function of oligodendrocytes?

A

Production of myelin within the CNS

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16
Q

Give the 3 layers of meninges surrounding the CNS

A

Dura mater: closest to bone, thicker, rich in collagen
Arachnoid: fine trabecules gently surrounding and supporting the vasculature
Pia mater: thin layer in contact with neuroparenchyma (eg brain)

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17
Q

What is the neuropil?

A

Dense mesh of dendrites and axons inter-connecting

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18
Q

How does calcium deficiency affect neurons?

A

Red hypoxic neurons

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19
Q

What happens to neurons during chromatolysis?

A

Nissl bodies disintigrate, nucleus migrates to periphery, increase in cell body and nuclear size

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20
Q

How do neurons react to damage?

A 
'Red dead neurons' (hypoxic)
Chromatolysis 
Apoptosis
Intracytoplasmic accumulation 
Vacuolation (BSE)
Intranuclear and intracytoplasmic inclusions
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21
Q

How do astrocytes react to damage?

A

Astrogliosis (increase in number)
Astrocytosis (increase in cell volume)
Cell swelling
Scar tissue formation

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22
Q

How do oligodendrocytes react to damage?

A

Damage to oligodendrocytes alters cell membrane and causes:

  • Impaired or defective myelin formation (primary demyelination)
  • Myelin destruction and phagocytosis (secondary demyelination)
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23
Q

What are microglia?

A

Macrophage-like cells in the CNS
Active immune surveillance
When resting: ramified morphology (long branching processes and a small cellular body)
They are then activated: activated non-phagocytic: rod shaped. Activated phagocytic: ameboid shape

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24
Q

What are gitter cells?

A

The eventual result of microglial cell’s phagocytosis of infectious material or cellular debris. After engulfing a certain amount of material, microglia are unable to phagocytose any further materials -> granular corpuscle, named for its ‘grainy’ appearance.
By looking at tissues stained to reveal gitter cells, pathologists can see post-infection areas that have healed

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25
What is meant by infarction?
Obstruction of the blood supply to an organ or region of tissue, typically by a thrombus or embolus, causing local death of the tissue
26
Why are neurons so susceptible to damage?
Lack of proliferating activity High metabolic demands Low capacity of 'metabolic adaptation' Majority of neurons extend their processes far from the cell body (perikarion)
27
Microglia make up what % of the cells in the CNS?
12%
28
What makes the CNS susceptible to ischaemia?
High metabolic request (one third of total glucose) Impossibility for local storage Ischaemia starts after 60% decrease in blood flow A few minuets of hypoxia -> neuronal cell death (red neurons)
29
Give some causes of ischaemia in the CNS
Blockage Reduced 02 content in erythrocytes - hypoxia Reduced flow of normally oxygenated blood
30
What would be seen histologically when looking at acute and chronic brain infarction?
Acute: pale area with red neurons and spheroids, surrounded by hyperaemia and astrocytosis Chronic: area of liquefactive necrosis and astrogliosis surrounded by glial scar formation
31
What is siderocalcinosis?
Deposition of iron salts with calcium in tissues, principally blood vessels (mineralisation)
32
How do infectious agents reach the brain?
Local accumulation of bacteria within vessels and consequent suppuration Retrograde axonal transport (eg rabies, listeria monocytogenes) 'Trojan horse' mechanism (eg toxoplasma) Direct infection of endothelial cells (eg classical swine fever) Deposition of immune complexes (eg FIP)
33
What is polioencephalitis?
Inflammation of grey matter of the brain
34
What is myelitis?
Inflammation of spinal cord
35
What is polioencephalomyelitis?
Inflammation of grey matter of brain and spinal cord
36
What is leukoencephalitis?
Inflammation of white matter of brain
37
What is leukoencephalomyelitis?
Inflammation of white matter of brain and spinal cord
38
What is meningoencephalitis?
Inflammation of leptomeninges and brain
39
What is pachimeningitis?
Inflammation of the dura mater
40
What is choroiditis?
Inflammation of the choroid plexuses
41
What is a perivascular cuff?
Accumulation of extravasated inflammatory cells within the perivascular space
42
Histologically, are viral infections suppurative?
No
43
Describe rabies virus
RNA virus, family Rhabdoviridae, genus Lyssavirus Inflammation pattern: mild, non-suppurative polioencephalomyelitis (inflammation of grey matter of brain and spinal cord) Inoculum site -> muscle -> axons -> CNS Presence of inclusion bodies (Negri's bodies) in cytoplasm of pyramidal neurons of hippocampus (carnivores) and purkinje cells of cerebellum (ruminants)
44
Describe pseudorabies
DNA virus, suid herpes virus 1, pseudorabies virus (PRV) Nuclear inclusion bodies Inflammatory pattern: non-suppurative meningo-polioencephalomyelitis (inflammation of grey matter of brain and spinal cord) with glial nodules and neuronal necrosis with neuronophagia (phagocytosis of nerve cells) Pigs, dogs Horses resistant Pruritus causes violent scratching and automutilation of head Occasional intranuclear eosinophilic inclusion bodies
45
What are glial cells?
Surround neurons and provide support for and insulation between them Types include astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, microglia
46
What is satellitosis?
Histology: accumulation of neuroglial cells around a damaged neuron
47
Pigs of what age are affected by swine polioencephalomyelitis?
Piglets within 10 weeks of age
48
Describe canine distemper virus
Family Paramixoviridae Inflammatory pattern: demyelinating leukoencephalitis (inflammation of white matter of brain); primary- defective myelin Histology: Acute: pale demyelinated areas (gliosis and macrophages) Chronic: non-suppurative inflammation with evident cavitation
49
What is louping ill transmitted by?
Ticks (Ixodes ricinus)
50
What causes malignant catarrhal fever?
Ovine herpes virus 2, caprine herpes virus 2
51
Which species get louping ill?
Sheep, pigs, horses
52
Describe herpetic encephalomyelitis
Horses Equine herpes virus type 1 Petechial or ecchymotic haemorrhages in white and grey matter of spine Inflammatory pattern: vasculitis with thrombosis, suppurative myelitis and haemorrhages
53
Describe the general inflammatory pattern of bacterial infections
Suppuration (due to recruitment of neutrophils), tissue lysis, gliotic reaction
54
Describe the general inflammatory pattern of viral infections
Non-suppurative with frequent formation of neuronophagic nodules
55
Describe listeriosis
Listeria monocytogenes, gram + Retrograde transport along axons and trans-synaptic spreading Oral cavity -> cranial nerves-> brainstem Inflammatory pattern: Multifocal to coalescing micro abscesses Can be more marked on one side Small leukomalacic areas Cows, sheep, pigs
56
What are the intermediate hosts of toxoplasma? | What is the definitive host?
All warm-blooded animals | Definitive: cats
57
What are the intermediate hosts of neospora? | What is the definitive host?
Intermediate: primarily Cattle, also deer Definitive: dogs
58
Describe the inflammatory pattern for toxoplasmosis in young and adult animals
Young: non-suppurative polioencephalitis with gliosis Adult: necrotising and granulomatous encephalitis
59
What causes cerebral coeneurosis in sheep? What is a characteristic symptom? What is seen in the brain?
Infection by the metacestode larval stage (coeneurus) of Taenia multiceps; migrates around body but frequently within brain Characteristic symptom: walking in circles Single or multiple (rare) soft fluid-filled cysts in brain
60
What is the difference between a gyrus and a sulcus?
``` Sulcus= depression Gyrus= fold ```
61
What is spina bifida?
Failure of development of the vertebral arch of the lumbar spine
62
What is hydrocephalus?
Increase in volume of CSF in ventricles of brain -> increased intracranial pressure
63
Corticocerebral necrosis is thought to be caused by what?
Sulfur intoxication or thiamin deficiency (imbalance between thiamin-producing and thiamin-destroying ruminal bacteria) Small animals: hypoglycaemia, organic mercury poisoning
64
Describe a brain affected by corticocerebral necrosis
Swollen brain due to oedema and laminar necrosis (red hypoxic neurons) Cavitation of the affected cortex, gitter cell proliferation, glial scar formation
65
What is thiamin?
Vitamin b1
66
How can you identify a lamb with swayback?
Blind and ataxic -> severe incoordination -> immobility -> death Hollowed back Neurological symptoms present at birth
67
The presence of which cell type indicates hepatic encephalopathy?
``` Alzheimer type II astrocytes Astrocytes' ammonia-removing capacity is overwhelmed by increased blood ammonia due to hepatic dysfunction Astrocytes swell (cytotoxic oedema) ```
68
Describe the two types of tumours found in the CNS
Primary: arising from CNS cell types (eg astrocytoma), single masses, rarely metastasising Secondary or metastatic: colonising the CNS from distant areas of primary growth (eg melanoma), often multifocal distribution
69
Describe an astrocytoma
Some dog breeds (brachycephalic) have higher incidence Generally arise in white matter of cerebral hemispheres On cut surface, appear firmer than normal parenchyma, whitishand poorly to undemarcated Increasing malignancy (cell atypia, infiltration, mitoses) -> neoangiogenesis (red colour) -> necrosis (malacia)
70
Describe an oligodendroglioma
Brachycephalic breeds more susceptible Frontal, temporal, parietal cortex Pronounced neoangiogenesis and intra-tumoral haemorrhages Grossly: well circumscribed, sharply demarcated, gelatinous Areas of necrosis, haemorrhage and cystic degeneration are associated with increased malignancy Histo: honeycomb appearance, small nuclei surrounded by empty halo
71
What is a Psammoma body?
Round collection of calcium, seen histologically and associated with meningiomas and other tumours
72
Describe a meningioma
Tumour arising from meninges Grossly: lobulated, often granular, white to tan with a broad based attachment to the meninges Histologically: consists of uniform spindloid cells with elongated oval nuclei, cells are arranged in whorls often centred around mineralised Psammoma bodies
73
What is considered a causative condition of motor neuron diseases?
Vitamin E and selenium deficiency
74
What is the main and most common hallmark of motor neurone diseases?
Neuronal chromatolysis
75
What are Purkinje cells?
Large neurons in the cerebellum, constitute the sole output of all motor coordination in Cerebellar cortex
76
What are storage disorders?
Specific enzymatic defects result in intracytoplasmic storage of non-degradable catabolites that accumulate in neurons -> impair cell functions -> degeneration -> premature death
77
Small amounts of lipofucsin pigment in neurons are usual and are associated with what?
Age-related changes of the brain
78
Give the clinical signs of scrapie in sheep
``` Pruritus, ataxia, paralysis, emaciation Histology: -Neuronal vacuolation -Neuropil vacuolation -Astrogliosis -No inflammation ```
79
Give the clinical signs of BSE
``` Aggression, nervousness, hypermetria, ataxia Histology: -Neuronal vacuolation -Neuropil vacuolation -Astrogliosis -No inflammation ```
80
What is the myenteric plexus?
Major nerve supply to the GI tract, controls GI tract motility
81
What is Wallerian degeneration?
Process that results when a nerve fibre is cut or crushed, and part of the axon is separated from the neuronal cell body distal to the injury. Influx of macrophages. Disintegration of the axon. Not the consequence of focal trauma (ischaemia) Causes enervation atrophy of effector organ (eg muscle) and chromatolysis of neurons (degeneration)
82
Describe ileo-aortic thromboembolism
Thrombosis of distal abdominal aorta at junction with internal and external iliac arteries -> acute ischaemic infarction of peroneal and tibial nerves and muscles Associated with valvular endocarditis Sudden paraparesis or paraplegia with painful hard muscle and no femoral pulse Cats
83
Horses with cauda equina neuritis develop paralysis where?
Sphincter and tail
84
What is neuropraxia?
Occurs after trauma Nerve is structurally intact but transmission of impulses is impaired Full recovery will follow
85
What is axonotmesis?
Axon is structurally damaged and interrupted (trauma) Basal lamina is intact Axon can regenerate but time depends on distance to effector organ
86
What are dysautonomias?
Neuronal degeneration followed by reactive gliosis/satellitosis Eg equine grass sickness

Year 3 (28 decks)

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