Goljy 26: Nervous System and Special Sensory Disorders Flashcards
intracellular edema
water moves into cells
caused by:
1. dysfunctional Na+/K+-ATPase pump
2. Hyponatremia causing osmotic shift
extracellular edema
d/t increased vessel permeability
caused by:
1. acute inflammation
2. metastasis, trauma, lead poisoning
Why is a person with head trauma purposely hyperventilated?
- to produce respiratory alkalosis –> cerebral vessel constriction
- decreases risk of increased vessel permeability and edema
What effect do respiratory acidosis and hypoxemia have on cerebral vessels?
- vasodilation –> increased vessel permeability –> edema
Signs of increased intracranial pressure
- papilledema
- headache, projectile vomiting w/o nausea
- sinus bradycardia, hypertension
- potential for herniation
pseudotumor cerebri
- increased intracranial pressure without evidence of tumor/obstruction d/t decreased CSF resorption in arachnoid villi (equilibration in inflow/outflow eventually occurs)
- papilledema is present, no mental status change/focal neurologic signs
- MC young obese women, other risks: ATRA used for APML, hypothyroid, Cushing disease, BC pills, isotretinoin, tamoxifen
pseudotumor cerebri Sx, Dx, Tx
Sx: headache, rhythmic sound in one/both ears, diplopia, blurry vision
Dx: MRI - flattening of posterior globe
CSF pressure increased, decreased CSF protein
Tx: carbonic anhydrase inhibitor or systemic corticosteroids if visual disturbances present, lumboperitoneal shunt, optic nerve sheath fenestration
cerebral herniation
a complication of intracranial hypertension where portions of the skull become displaced through either openings in the dural partitions or openings of the skull
subfalcine herniation
- cingulate gyrus herniates under the falx cerebri
- herniation causes compression of the anterior cerebral artery
uncal herniation
- medial portion of the temporal lobe herniates through the tentorium cerebelli
- Can cause:
1. Compression of the midbrain –> Duret hemorrhage
2. Compression of CN III –> eye deviates down and out, pupil is dilated d/t compression of parasympathetic postganglionic fibers
3. compression of posterior cerebral artery –> hemorrhagic infarction of occipital lobe
tonsillar herniation
- cerebellar tonsils herniate into foramen magnum
- “coning” of cerebellar tonsils
- cardiorespiratory arrest
hydrocephalus
increase in CSF volume –> enlargement of ventricles
production and movement of CSF
- produced by choroid plexus in ventricles
- exists fourth ventricle thru foramina of Luschka and Magendia and enters subarachnoid space
- reabsorbed by arachnoid villus into dural venous sinuses
Communicating hydrocephalus
- open communication btwn ventricles and subarachnoid space
- Causes:
1. increased CSF production
2. obstruction in reabsorption of CSF by arachnoid villi
Noncommunicating hydrocephalus
- obstruction of CSF flow out of ventricles
- Causes:
1. stricture of aqueduct of Sylvius - MCC in newborns –>paralysis of upward gaze
- pineal gland tumor
2. Tumor in fourth ventricle
3. scarring at base of brain
4. colloid cyst in 3rd ventricle
5. various developmental disorders
Clinical findings in hydrocephalus
Newborns: ventricles dilate and enlarge head circumference
Adults: ventricles enlarge but NO increase in head circumference
hydrocephalus ex vacuo
- dilated appearance of the ventricles when the brain mass is decreased from cerebral atrophy, eg. Alzheimer’s
Normal pressure hydrocephalus
Dilated ventricles and “wet wide and wacky” sx:
- urinary incontinence
- wide based gait
- dementia
Causes:
idiopathic
secondary to subarachnoid hemorrhage, intracranial surgery, trauma
Pathogenesis of normal pressure hydrocephalus
- subarachnoid space volume is increased
- ventricular dilation is out of proportion to sulcal atrophy
- wide based gait and urinary incontinence d/t stretching of sacral nerve fibers near dilated ventricle
- dementia d/t stretching of limbic fibers near dilated ventricle
normal pressure hydrocephalus dx and tx
Dx: MRI shows ventriculomegaly, sulcal atrophy
Large volume of CSF is removed at lumbar puncture, symptoms improve w/ removal of fluid
Tx: ventriculoperitoneal or ventriculoatrial shunt
Neural tube defect
- Failure of the fusion of the lateral folds of the neural plate
- Rupture of a previously closed neural tube
- Maternal folic acid levels must be adequate BEFORE pregnancy to prevent open neural tube defects
Maternal findings in neural tube defect
Increased maternal AFP in serum and/or amniotic fluid in anancephaly, meningocele, or myelomeningocele but NOT spina bifida occulta
Anancephaly
- complete absence of the brain
- frog-like appearance
- open spinal canal
- maternal polyhydramnios
Spina bifida occulta
- defect in closure of the posterior vertebral arch
- dimple or tuft of hair in the skin overlying L5-S1