Degenerative Brain Disease Flashcards
What are examples of conditions that are a result of degenerative brain disease?
- multiple sclerosis
- motor neuron disease
- parkinson’s disease
what is the most common CNS disorder of the young?
Multiple Sclerosis
What is multiple sclerosis?
DEMYELINATION of axons in the CNS only
What is the aetiology of multiple sclerosis?
- susceptibility acquired during childhood
- background genetic/immune factors
- altered host reaction to an infective agent
who is multiple sclerosis more common in?
identical twins
what are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?
- muscle weakness
- visual disturbances
- paraesthesia
- autonomic dysfunction
- dysarthria
- pain
- balance/hearing loss
what are the signs of multiple sclerosis?
- muscle weakness
- spasticity
- altered reflexes
- tremor
- optic atrophy
- proprioceptive loss
- loss of touch
what investigations are used if a patient is thought to have multiple sclerosis?
- history & exam
- magnetic resonance imagine (MRI)
- CSF analysis
- visual evoked potentials
In the CSF of an MS patient, how would it look?
- reduced lymphocytes
- increased IgG protein
how is the symptomatic management of MS patients carried out?
- antibiotics
- antispasmodics
- analgesia
- steroids
- physiotherapy
- occupational therapy
what are the dental aspects of patients that suffer with MS?
- limited mobility & psychological disorders
- treat under LA
- orofacial motor & sensory disturbance
- chronic orofacial pain possible
- enhanced trigeminal neuralgia risk
what is motor neurone disease?
degeneration in the spinal cord
- progressive loss of motor function
what age are motor neuron disease patients typically?
30-60 yrs
what sex is more likely to suffer from motor neurone disease?
Males
- 2.5:1
what causes death in motor neurone disease patients?
- ventilation failure
- aspiration pneumonia
what might MND patients notice occurring to their body?
- weakness in ankle or leg
- slurred speech & difficulty swallowing
- a weak grip
- muscle cramps & twitches
- weight loss
- emotional lability
how are motor neuron disease patients treated?
- physiotherapy & occupational therapy
- riluzole
- aspiration prevention
what are the dental aspects of treating motor neurone disease patients?
- difficulty in acceptance of dental care
- drooling & swallowing difficulties
- realistic treatment planning required
what is the cause of Parkinson’s disease?
Degeneration of dopaminergic neurones in the basal ganglia of the brain (substantia nigra)
- dopamine shortage results in difficult of message passaging from thinking to doing
what are the clinical signs of Parkinson’s?
- bradykinesia
- rigidity
- tremor
what doers BRADYKINESIA mean?
slow movement & slow initiation of movement
what are the clinical manifestations of parkinson’s?
- impaired gait and falls
- impaired use of upper limbs
- mask-like face
- swallowing problems
how is parkinson’s disease treated?
- physiotherapy & occupational therapy
- dopamine medications
- surgery
what medical treatments are involved in parkinson’s patients?
Dopamine
- levadopa
Dopamine analogues
- tablets (promipexole)
- injection (apomorphine)
- infusion (duodopa)
what surgery is used to treat parkinson’s patients?
Stereotactic surgery
- deep brain stimulation
what are the dental aspects of treating parkinson’s patients?
- difficulty accepting treatment (facial tremor etc)
- dry mouth due to anticholinergic effects of the drugs
