Corrections - Neurology pt2 Flashcards
What is amaurosis fugax?
A form of stroke that affects the retinal/ophthalmic artery.
It means a ‘transient darkening’ –> a temporary loss of vision through one eye that returns to normal afterwards.
When should statins be started after stroke?
48 hours after stroke onset in patients not already taking a statin.
Management of AF post stroke?
1) following a stroke or TIA, exclude a haemorrhage before starting any anticoagulation or antiplatelet therapy
2) short-term: antiplatelet (i.e. aspirin 300mg) for 2 weeks
3) long-term: anticoagulation e.g. warfarin or a direct thrombin or factor Xa inhibitor
What artery is affected in lateral medullary syndrome (aka Wallenberg’s syndrome)?
PICA
Features of lateral medullary syndrome?
ipsilateral: ataxia, nystagmus, dysphagia, facial numbness, cranial nerve palsy e.g. Horner’s
contralateral: limb sensory loss
What does a lacunar infarct involve?
involves perforating arteries around the internal capsule, thalamus and basal ganglia
How does a lacunar infarct present?
Presents with 1 of the following:
- unilateral weakness (and/or sensory deficit) of face and arm, arm and leg or all three.
- pure sensory stroke.
- ataxic hemiparesis
How can MS be conclusively diagnosed?
‘MRI shows demyelinating lesions that are separated in space and time’.
MRI shows lesions at various stages, indicated by differing degrees of contrast enhancement and diffusion restriction, representing both old and active demyelination. To conclusively diagnose MS, it is necessary for these lesions to be present in multiple anatomical locations and to have occurred at different points in time.
Does the absence of oligoclonal bands in the CSF exclude a diagnosis of MS?
No
What test can be used to distinguish vestibular neuronitis from posterior circulation stroke?
The Head Impulse, Nystagmus, Test of Skew (HINTS) Examination.
What is the HINTS exam comprised of?
1) head impulse
2) evaluation nystagmus
3) test of skew
What is vestibular neuronitis?
Vestibular neuronitis is a cause of vertigo that often develops following a viral infection.
Features of vestibular neuronitis?
- recurrent vertigo attacks lasting hours or days
- nausea and vomiting may be present
- horizontal nystagmus is usually present
- no hearing loss or tinnitus
1st line medication for myoclonic seizures in males?
Sodium valproate
What type of nerve fibres transmit signals slowly and produce dull and diffuse pain sensations?
C fibres
What term describes an isolated patch of white hair on the head, eyebrows, eyelashes or beard, sometimes associated with tuberous sclerosis?
Poliosis
What surgical procedure may be used to treat myasthenia gravis?
Thymectomy
What is a thymectomy?
Surgical removal of the thymus gland, which has been shown to play a role in the development of myasthenia gravis.
What is the thymus gland?
A small organ that lies in the upper chest under the breastbone. It makes T lymphocytes.
What medication may be used to slow the progression of the disease and extend survival by several months in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)?
Riluzole
What is the long-term antiplatelet treatment for secondary prevention after an ischaemic stroke?
What other secondary prevention medication will also be started?
Clopidogrel 75mg daily
Atorvastatin 20-80mg daily
What is the usual first-line prophylactic treatment for chronic or frequent tension headaches?
Amitriptyline
What cholinesterase inhibitor prolongs the action of acetylcholine and improves symptoms in myasthenia gravis?
Pyridostigmine
What type of cell are acoustic neuromas formed from?
Schwann cells
What type of medication blocks the action of enzymes that break down neurotransmitters, helping to increase the circulating dopamine in patients with Parkinson’s disease?
Monoamine oxidase B inhibitors
What type of seizure, usually seen in children, causes the patient to become blank, stare into space, and then abruptly return to normal?
What is the first-line medication for this type of seizure?
Absence seizure
Ethosuximide
What condition, typically starting at around six months of age, causes clusters of full-body spasms?
What is the characteristic EEG finding?
What treatments are used? (2)
Infantile spasms (West syndrome)
Hyperarrhythmia
ACTH & vigabatrin
What term describes increased resistance to the passive movement of a joint?
Rigidity
What type of receptor do triptans stimulate?
5-HT receptors (serotonin receptors)
What is Lhermitte’ sign?
The electric shock sensation that travels down the spine and into the limbs when flexing the neck, indicating demyelination in the dorsal column of the cervical spinal cord of a patient with multiple sclerosis.
What does Lhermitte’s sign indicate?
Demyelination in the dorsal column of the cervical spinal cord of a patient with MS.
What type of nerve fibres transmit signals fast and produce sharp and localised sensations?
A delta fibres
What is the most common idiopathic cause of lower motor neurone facial nerve palsy? (1)
What is the short-term treatment? (1)
Bell’s palsy
Prednisolone
What skin findings (other than neurofibromas) may be seen in neurofibromatosis type 1? (2)
Cafe au lait spots
Axillary or inguinal freckling
What medication may be used to prevent vasospasm in subarachnoid haemorrhage?
What is the mechanism of action of this drug?
Nimodipine
CCB
What may be seen in a cerebrospinal fluid sample from a patient with multiple sclerosis?
Oligoclonal bands
What type of migraine causes unilateral limb weakness?
Hemiplegic migraine
What tool gives a score based on the clinical features and duration to identify a stroke in A&E?
ROSIER tool (recognition of stroke in the emergency room)