Exam 3 Spring (Neuro) Flashcards
Spinal Cord Segments in Dogs & Cats
o 7 cervical vertebrae BUT 8 spinal cord segments
o 13 thoracic
o 7 lumbar
o 3 sacral
o ~5 caudal
Patellar Reflex
o Monosynaptic
o L4-6 spinal cord segments & nerve roots
o Femoral nerve
o Innervates the quadriceps for extension of the stifle
Withdrawal Reflex
o Polysynaptic
o Pelvic limb -> L6-S1 -> Sciatic nerve
o Thoracic limb -> C6-T2 -> multiple nerves
o Innervates muscles for flexion of the limb
o Does not signify ability to feel
Cutaneous Trunci Reflex
o Start at hips
o Pinch dermatome
o Both lateral thoracic nerves
o C8-T1
o Bilateral cutaneous trunci contraction
o If there is cutoff: lesion is 1-2 spinal cord segments cranial
o If absent on one side: efferent problem on that side
CN II
o Optic Nerve
o Sensory for vision
CN III
o Oculomotor
o Motor to extraocular muscles, levator palpebrae
o Constricts pupil
CN IV
o Trochlear
o Motor to dorsal oblique
CN V
o Trigeminal
Opthalmic
Sensory to eye & medial canthus
Maxillary
Sensory to maxilla
Mandibular
Sensory to mandible
Motor to muscles of mastication
CN VI
o Abducent
o Motor to lateral rectus & retractor bulbi
CN VII
o Facial
Sensory
middle ear,
head blood vessels,
palate,
rostral 2/3 tongue
Motor
ears,
eyelid (orbicularis oculi),
cheeks,
lips,
rostral digastricus (skeletal)
mandibular / submandibular salivary glands
lacrimal glands
nasal glands (smooth - parasympathetic)
CN VIII, CN IX, CN XII
CN VIII
Vestibulocochlear
Hearing
CN IX
Glossopharyngeal
Sensory to carotid body, caudal tongue, rostral pharynx
Motor to pharyngeal muscles & parotid salivary gland
CN XII
Hypoglossal
Motor to tongue
CN X
Vagus
Sensory
* Aortic body
* Sinus
* Pharynx
* Larynx
* Thoracic & abdominal cavity
Motor
* Pharynx
* Larynx
* Esophagus
* Organs of the throax & abdomen
CN XI
Accessory
Internal Branch
* Motor to everything vagus is
External
* Motor to trapezius, sternocephalicus, brachicephalicus
Menace Response Pathway
o Optic nerve(CN2) ->
o optic chiasm ->
o cross over ->
o optic tract ->
o thalamus (lateral geniculate) ->
o visual / occipital cortex ->
o motor / frontal cortex ->
o cross back over ->
o descending tracts
o cerebellar influence ->
o Facial nerve (CN 7)
PLR Pathway
o Optic nerve ->
o Optic chiasm ->
o Cross over ->
o Optic tract ->
o Pretectal area ->
o Bilateral oculomotor nerve
o Direct constriction stronger than indirect
Which Nerves does the Oculovestibular Reflex Test
o CN 8
o MLF
o CN 3
o CN 4
o CN 6
Ocular Sensation Reflex Pathway
o Touch eye ->
o CN 5 (ophthalmic branch) ->
o CN 7 – blink
o CN 6 – eyeball retraction & elevation of 3rd eyelid
Palpepbral Reflex Pathway
o Touch canthus of eyes ->
o CN 5 (maxillary & ophthalmic) ->
o CN 7 blink
Facial Reflex Pathway
o Touch different spots on face ->
o CN 5 (ophthalmic, maxillary, mandibular) ->
o CN 7 ->
o Blink & twitch
Facial Response Pathway
o Cover eyes and put hemostats in nostril ->
o CN 5 (ophthalmic) ->
o Cross over ->
o Thalamus ->
o Somatosensory/parietal cortex ->
o Motor cortex ->
o Move head away from stimulus
Which Nerves do Jaw Tone, Facial Symmetry, Gag reflex, and the Tongue Test
Jaw Tone
o CN 5 (mandibular)
Facial Symmetry
o CN 5 & 7
Gag Reflex
o CN 9 & 10
Tounge
o CN 12
Perineal Reflex
constriction of the anus (anal tone)
o pudendal nerve -> S1-3
flexion of tail
o caudal spinal cord segments
Localizing UMN or LMN Lesions
Front Limb
UMN - Anything before C6
LMN - At C6-T2
Hind Limb
UMN – Anything before L4
LMN – At L4-S1
Decreased patellar reflex & normal withdrawal
L4-L6
Increased Patellar & decreased withdrawal
L6-S1
Nerves with Parasympathetic Function
o 3
o 7
o 10
o 11
UMN VS LMN Signs
UMN
Normal to increased spinal reflexes
Normal to increased muscle tone
increased step distance
Disuse muscle atrophy
LMN
Decreased to absent spinal reflexes
Decreased to absent muscle tone
decreased step distance
Neurogenic muscle atrophy
Types of Muscle Atrophy
Disuse
evolves more slowly,
less severe
Neurogenic
Fast (10-14 days)
severe
Primary Myopathic
variable
Stuporous Vs Comatose
Stuporous
Responds to deep pain only
Comatose
Non-responsive even to deep pain
Decerebrate Rigidity; Signs, Lesion
Signs
Opisthotonos
Extensor rigidity of all limbs
Stupor or coma
+/- respiratory problems
+/- HR & BP problems
Lesion
Midbrain
Decerebellate Rigidity; Signs, Lesion
Signs
Opisthotonos
Extensor rigidity of thoracic limbs +/- pelvic limbs
Awar of environment
Other cerebellar signs
Lesion
Cerebellar
Schiff Sherrington; Signs, Lesion
Signs
Extensor rigidity of thoracic limbs
Lesion
Acute, severe spinal cord injury of T3-L3
Head Turn Vs Tilt
Head Turn
o Supratentorial lesion
o Head toward side of lesion
Head tilt
o Cerebellar or vestibular
o USUALLY toward side of lesion (vestibular)
o Away from side of lesion can be w/ cerebellar lesion
Cerebellar Vs Vestibular Signs
Cerebellar
Intention Tremor
Menace deficit but visual
Decerebellate rigidity
Weird eye things
Increased urination
NO concious proprioception deficits
Vestibular
Head tremors & eyelid contraction secondary to nystagmus
Positional nystagmus
May have concious proprioception deficits
Vestibular; Central or Peripheral
Central
Vertical nystagmus
Changing nystagmus
CN deficits other than 7 & 8
conscious proprioception deficits
Localizing Lesion w/ Head tilt
If there is hemiparesis/paresis/weakness
o lesion is central & on side of paresis
If no paresis
o lesion on side of tilt
Circling
o Always circle to side of lesion
Tight circles
Cerebellar / vestibular (infratentorial)
Bigger circles
Supratentorial
Hugging wall
Usually blind in that side
Reasons for Ventral Neck Flexion
o Neck pain
o Myopathy / neuropathy
o Thiamine deficiency
o Myasthenia gravis
o Hyperthyroidism
o Organophosphate toxicity
o Ethylene glycol toxicity
o K, Na, Ca, phosphate abnormalities
Nerve Root Signature
o Dogs that are walking, stop, and hold one paw up
o Sign of a problem with the nerve root
o Can be infection but often tumor
o C6-T2 or L4-S3
Types of Ataxia
Vestibular
Falling & leaning
Cerebellar
Hypermetria (walking on hot rocks)
Cerebellum or spinocerebellar tracts of spinal cord
Proprioceptive/Sensory
Wide-based stance
Crossing over
Swaying
2 Engine Gait
o Decreased step distance in front
o Increased step distance in pelvic
o Lesion at C6-T2
Paresis; Definition, Types, Clinical Presentation
o Weakness at gait &/or supporting weight
Types
Para – pelvic limbs
Tetra – all 4 limbs
Hemi – front & hind limbs on one side
Mono – 1 limb
Classified as ambulatory or non
Clinical Presentation
Slow/shuffling gait
Dragging/knuckling paw
Collapse/falling
Exercise intolerance
Unable to support weight
Difficulty rising
Etc
Plegia
o No voluntary motor movement
Central Cord Syndrome
o CP deficits in front limbs only
o Due to lesion in central spinal cord
Signs of Problem w/ CN3
o Ptosis (droopy upper eyelid)
o Ventrolateral resting strabismus
o Mydriasis due to parasympathetic dysfunction
Horner’s Syndrome
o Miosis (anisocoria)
o Elevated 3rd eyelid
o Ptosis (droopy upper eyelid)
o Enopthalmos
Anisocoria; Causes of Miosis Vs Mydriasis
Miosis
Increased parasympathetic due to drugs or cerebrocortical dz
Decreased sympathetic due to horner’s
Corneal ulcer
Uveitis
Spastic pupil syndrome in FeLV/FIV cats
Mydirasis
Decreased parasympathetic due to atropine or CN3 dysfunction
Increased sympathetic due to phenylephrine
Blindness
Glaucoma
Iris atrophy
Cerebellar dz
Strabismus
CN 3, 4, 6 dysfunction
o resting strabismus
CN 8 dysfunction
o positional strabismus
Decreased Facial Sensation & reflex
o CN5 & CN 7 dysfunction
o Contralateral cortex dysfunction
CN 5 Mandibular Branch Dysfunction
o Atrophy of temporal muscle on affected side
o Drop jaw = bilateral dysfunction
o Neurotropic keratitis due to reduced blinking & lack of corneal nutrition
CN7 Dysfunction
o Paralysis = drooping of face on affected side
o Hemifacial spasm = contraction of face on affected side
Idiopathic Geriatric Vestibular Dz
o Older dogs
o Acute onset of peripheral vestibular signs
o Mild head tilt to severe imbalance / rolling (usually unilateral)
o Improve rapidly, although can take 2-3 wks for complete recovery
o Can have residual head tilt or relapse
o can happen in cats but at any age (rare)
Supratentorial; Location, Clinical Signs of Lesion
o Forebrain
o CN 1 & 2
Clinical Signs
Contralateral paresis
Contralateral CP deficits
Contralateral menace deficits
Contralateral facial response deficits
Contralateral hemi-neglect
Ipsilateral circling
Ipsilateral head turn
Seizures
Behavioral changes
Infratentorial; Location, Clinical Signs of Lesion
o Hind brain
o CN 3-12
Clinical Signs
Ipsilateral paresis
Ipsilateral CP deficits
Ipsilateral CN deficits (contralateral CN 4)
Cerebellar / vestibular signs
Decerebrate & decerebellate rigidity
Abnormal respiration
Severe altered mental status
Intracranial Degenerative Dz
o Slowly progressive signs
o Non-painful
o Multifocal or widespread signs
o May have organomegaly if storage dz
Congenital Hydrocephalus; Clinical Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment
o Often due to stenosis of mesencephalic aqueduct
o Often toy breeds
Clinical Signs
Dome shaoed head
Persistent fontanels
Ventral/lateral strabismus
Poor learners
Visual deficits
Circling
Seizures
Diagnosis
Ultrasound, CT, MRI
CSF analysis to rule out inflammatory dz
Treatment
Pred to decrease CSF production
Acetazolamide or mannitol
Omeprazole to decrease CSF production (lifelong)
Ventricular CSF shunting
Hydrancephaly
o Cerebral hemisphere reduced to fluid filled sac
o Meninges & ependyma intact
o Associated w/ panleukopenia in kittens
Lissencephaly; Basics, Clinical Signs
o Smooth brain = minimal sulci/gyri
o Abnormal cerebral cortical neuronal migration during fetal development
Clinical Signs
Seizures
Poor learning
Blindness
Typically non-progressive or lethal
Cerebellar Hypoplasia;
o Congenital & rare abnormal development of cerebellum
o Cats: panleukopenia virus exposure in utero
o Dogs: Maybe herpes or parvo exposure in utero
o Incoordination & CP deficits
o Non-progressive & may learn to compensate over time
Caudal Occipital Malformation Syndrome; Signalment, Pathophysiology
Signalment
Small breed dogs
Cavalier King Charles especially prone
Pathophysiology
Malformation of caudal occipital area overcrowds caudal fossa ->
Cerebellar compression & herniation ->
Focal meningeal hypertrophy at foramen magnum ->
Increase CSF pressure ->
Hydrocephalus ->
Concurrent syringohydromyelia
Caudal Occipital Malformation Syndrome; Clinical Signs, Diagnosis, Treatment
Clinical Signs
Scratching at head
Spinal pain
Paresis/paralysis
CP deficits
Diminished menace
Seizures
scoliosis
Diagnosis
MRI w/ occipital defect & fluid around spinal cord
Treatment
Prednisone
+/- omeprazole
+/- gaba for pain
Surgical foramen magnum decompression if does not improve w/ meds