Mosby 22 Flashcards
Parkinsons (older adult)
What is it
Cause
Result
Symptoms
slowly progressive, degenerative neurologic disorder
deficiency of the dopamine neurotransmitter
poor communication between parts of the brain that coordinate and control movement and balance
Tremors, muscle rigidity, stooped posture, postural instability, shuffling gait, dysphagia, dementia
Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (older adult)
What is it
Symptoms
A syndrome simulating degenerative disease that is caused by noncommunicating hydrocephalus
Gait impairment, cognitive/executive/memory impairment
Postpolio syndrome (older adults)
What is it
Symptoms
The reappearance of neurologic signs in survivors of the polio epidemics
Focal and asymmetric muscle weakness and atrophy, fasiculations, dysphagia, dysarthria, sleep apnea, hypoventilation
Intrapartum Maternal Lumbosacral Plexopathy
What is it?
A neuropathy that can occur during late pregnancy and delivery when the lumbosacral trunk and sometimes the superior gluteal and obturator nerves are compressed.
Pain radiates from the buttock of the affected extremity in a lumbar 5 distribution, unilateral foot dro
Shaken Baby Syndrome (child)
Cause
Symptoms
A severe form of child abuse resulting from the violent shaking of infants under 1 year of age
Altered level of consciousness, seizures, Bilateral retinal hemorrhages/retinal detachment, CT scans reveal subdural or subarachnoid hemorrhages
Myelomeningocele (Spina Bifida):(child)
What is it
Symptoms
A congenital defect of one or more vertebrae permits a meningeal sac filled with a portion of the spinal cord to protrude.
Exposed meningeal sac filled with fluid and nerves, sensory deficit and paralysis or weakness, rapidly increasing head circumference, learning disabilities and perceptual motor skills
Cerebral Palsy(child)
What is it
Symptoms
A permanent disorder of movement and posture development associated with nonprogressive disturbances that occurred in the developing fetus or infant brain.
Cognitive impairment, Spastic CP ( hypertonicity, tremors, scissor gait, toe walking), Dyskinetic CP (involuntary slow writhing movements of extremities, tremors may be present), persistent primitive reflexes, exaggerated posturing, ataxia, instability, wide based gait
Peripheral Neuropathy (peripheral diseases)
Cause
Symptom
A disorder of the peripheral nervous system that results in motor and sensory loss in the distribution of one or more nerves.
reduced sensation in feet, distal pulses may be absent or diminished, diminished/absent ankle/knee reflexes, decreased or no vibratory sensation below the knees, distal muscle weakness, skin ulceration
Bell Palsy (peripheral)
What is it
Symptom
A temporary acute paralysis or weakness of one side of the face.
Facial creases and nasolabial fold disappear on affected side, eyelid will not close on affected side, food and saliva may pool on affected side of mouth
Trigeminal Neuralgia: (peripheral)
What is it
Symptoms
A recurrent paroxysmal sharp pain that radiates into one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve.
possibly normal neuro findings or slight impairment in the regions of pain.
Guillain Barre Syndrome (peripheral)
What is it
Symptoms
A postinfectious disorder following a nonspecific GI or respiratory infection that causes an acute neuromuscular paralysis.
Distal weakness (usually bilateral and symmetric with diminished reflexes in ascending pattern), ataxia progressing to flaccid paralysis, facial nerve weakness and diplopia, dysphagia, respiratory distress, Lumbar puncture reveals increased protein in CSF
Myasthenia gravis
What is it
Symptoms
An autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junction involved with muscle activation; autoantibodies directed against acetylcholine receptors in the neuromuscular junction cause destruction and inflammatory changes in the postsynaptic membranes that lead to muscle dysfunction
Ptosis with extended upward gaze, facial weakness when puffing out cheeks, hypophonia, difficulty managing secretions, respiratory compromise, weakness of skeletal muscles
Stroke
What is it?
Types
Symptoms
Diagnosis
cerebrovascular accident (CVA), cerebrovascular insult (CVI), or brain attack, is when poor blood flow to the brain results in cell death
ischemic, due to lack of blood flow, and hemorrhagic due to bleeding
Weakness, paralysis, aphasia, AMS, visual disturbances,
type of stroked diagnosed with CT or MRI
Pseudotumor cerebri
What is it
Symptom
intracranial hypertension that mimics brain tumors.
papilledema, inferior nasal vision defect, decreased visual acuity, absence of focal neuro signs, no evidence on MRI or CT
Intracranial Tumor
What is it?
Symptoms?
Abnormal growth within the cranial cavity that may be primary or metastatic cancer
Altered consciousness, confusion, papilledema, CN impairment, aphasia/language disorder, vision loss, gait disturbances
Meningitis
What is it
Symptoms
An inflammatory disease of the meninges, the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and is defined by an abnormal number of white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid
AMS (confusion, lethargy), nuchal rigidity, fever, headache
Encephalitis
What is it?
Symptoms
Acute inflammation of the brain and spinal cord involving the meninges, often due to a virus.
AMS, confusion, stupor, coma, photophobia, stiff neck, muscle weakness, paralysis, ataxia
Differentiation between meningits and encephalitis
Normal brain function in meningits (uncomfortable, lethargic, or distracted by headache)
Encephalitits (motor or sensory deficits, altered behavior and personality changes, and speech or movement disorders)
Seizure Disorder
What is it
epilepsy
casue
Symptoms
electrical hypersynchronization of neuronal networks in the cerebral cortex
metabolic derangement, drug or alcohol withdrawal, and acute neurologic disorders such as stroke, tumor or encephalitis (not considered to be epilepsy)
tonic-clonic seizures, there is a tonic (muscle stiffening) phase, a clonic (muscle jerking) phase and a post ictal (coma/confusion) state. The generalized seizures have characteristic EEG findings of spikes and waves. There are other types of seizures but are beyond the scope of this class.
Multiple Sclerosis:
What is it
Result
Symptoms
Symptoms
common immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system
multifocal areas of demyelination with loss of oligodendrocytes and astroglial scarring
: Most patients with MS have relapsing-remitting disease, which typically presents in a young adult with a clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of MS such as optic neuritis, long tract symptoms/signs (eg, numbness, paresthesia, or weakness), a brainstem syndrome (eg, internuclear ophthalmoplegia), or a spinal cord syndrome (eg, transverse myelitis)
Deinition: Antalgic
behavior used to limit pain, as limping reduces the time of weight bearing on an affected leg
Deinition: Ataxia
inability to coordinate muscle activity during voluntary movement
