More from section 1 Flashcards
What could cause a focal lesion? A diffuse lesion?
Focal- tumor or bleed
Diffuse- neurodegenerative disorder (i.e. MS)
What symptoms are good for localizing a lesion?
Cranial nerve signs/symptoms, cognitive signs, tremor, involuntary movements
If symptoms occur suddenly, what is the likely etiology?
Stroke or trauma
If symptoms are gradual, what is the likely etiology? How would you further differentiate?
Tumor or disease process
Tumors are typically unilateral and cause increased intracranial pressure; diseases processes are usually bilateral and do not show an increase in intracranial pressure
What symptoms does an increase in intracranial pressure cause?
Headache, seizures, nausea, vomiting, stupor, coma, death
Where is the cell body for an upper motor neuron located? What does a pathology here present as?
In the motor cortex
Hyperrreflexia, spastic paralysis, hypertonia, a positive babinski sign
Where is the cell body for a lower motor neuron located? What does a pathology here present as?
In the brainstem or spinal cord
Hyporeflexia, decreased muscle tone, muscle atrophy, muscle fasiculations, flaccid paralysis
What cranial nerve signs are indicative of an UMN pathology? A LMN pathology?
UMN- 7- contralateral lower face droop
12- tongue deviates away from lesion
LMN- 7- paralysis of entire half of the face
12- “lick the lesion”
Why does the nerve sign from Cr. VII respond differently to UMN and LMN pathology?
The top half of the face is bilaterally innervated and the bottom half is contralaterally innervated. Thus, only a Cr. VII lesion (or a lesion at the pons-medullary junction) will cause paralysis of the entire half of the face
What arteries is the thalamus supplied by? Where do they originate from?
Deep penetrating branches of the posterior cerebral arteries
A patient with aphasia suggests a lesion to which hemisphere?
Left
What is global aphasia?
Both Broca’s and Weirnicke’s aphasia
