Midterm 2: Buzzword Bingo Flashcards
Aphasia with decreased fluency, normal comprehension, decreased naming, decreased repetition
Broca’s aphasia
Clinical condition indicated by Brudzinski sign
Meningitis
Brudzinski sign is a test of nuchal rigidity. On passive flexion of neck, the patient will spontaneously and unconsciously flex legs and thighs.
Kernig sign
Flex patient’s hip to 90 degrees. In a positive Kernig sign, you won’t be able to extend that leg without the other leg flexing. This is also highly specific for meningitis (but not sensitive).
CNS inflammatory condition with abnormal brain function
Encephalitis - inflammation of the brain parenchyma.
Poorly demarcated focal infection of the brain
Cerebritis
Well-demarcated focal infection of the brain
Abscess
CNS inflammatory syndrome presenting with motor, sensory, autonomic dysfunction below the level of the lesion
Myelitis
Type of CNS inflammation indicated by a ring-enhancing lesion on head CT (referring to the clinical syndrome, not the specific pathology)
Abscess or cerebritis
Most common causes of bacterial meningitis in neonates
Gram negative rods, Group B strep
Most common causes of bacterial meningitis in kids
1) N meningitidis, 2) S pneumo
Most common causes of bacterial meningitis in adults
1) S. Pneumo, 2) N. Meningitidis
Most common causes of bacterial meningitis in older adults
N. Meningitidis, S. Pneumo, listeria
Appropriate empiric ABX for a neonate with suspected bacterial meningitis
Ampicillin + cefoxitime or aminoglycoside
Appropriate empiric ABX for a child or adult with suspected bacterial meningitis
Vancomycin + a third-generation cephalosporin
Appropriate empiric ABX for an older adult with suspected bacterial meningitis
Vancomycin + third-gen cephalosporin + ampicillin
What is the prognosis of a brain abscess?
10% mortality, 30% lasting deficits
Most common cause of fatal viral encephalitis
HSV viral encephalitis, involving temporal lobe. Presents like bacterial meningitis, but with seizures. Tx with IV acyclovir
Name the most likely etiology: Lumbar puncture shows very high PMNs, low glucose, high protein
Bacterial etiology
Name the most likely etiology for CNS infection based on lumbar puncture: high lymphocytes, normal glucose, high protein
Viral etiology
Name the most likely etiology for CNS infection based on lumbar puncture: normal to high mixed WBCs, normal glucose, high protein
Abscess
Red flags indicating a thunderclap headache
Sudden onset, very severe, hits its maximum intensity immediately
Presentation of a headache that doesn’t require imaging
Episodic with headache-free days, fulfills migraine criteria, onset <50 years
Serious causes of headache that can still have normal imaging
Temporal arteritis, pseudotumor, glaucoma, subarachnoid hemorrhage (if you delay the CT)
Motor unit
1 motor neuron and all the muscle fibers that it innervates
Neurotransmitter at the NMJ
Acetylcholine
Enzyme important for ACh synthesis
ChAT
This phenomenon is produced by the spontaneous release, without stimulation, of a single synaptic vesicle at the NMJ.
Miniature endplate potential (mEPP)
About how many quanta of ACh are released by an action potential?
200-300
Membrane potential of muscle
Around -85 mV
What is an EPP?
The sum of many mEPPs, formed when an action potential releases a large number of synaptic vesicles into the NMJ. It depolarizes the motor endplate by 30-50 mV.