Movement disorders

Question 1

How does upper motor neurone disease present?

Answer 1

tone increased spasticity, clonus present, power weakness, brisk reflexes, extensor plantar responses

Question 2

what is meant by clonus?

Answer 2

uncontrollable, rhythmic, shaking movements

Question 3

what is tone increased spasticity?

Answer 3

abnormal increase in muscle tone and stiffness

Question 4

What is an extensor plantar response?

Answer 4

extension of big toe and fanning of the others

Question 5

How does lower motor neurone disease present?

Answer 5

tone flaccidity, power weakness, no clonus, reflexes reduced or absent, flexor plantar responses, wasting may be present, fasciculations may be present

Question 6

What signs indicate involvement of both UMN and LMN lesions?

Answer 6

tiredness, weakness in limbs, weight loss, breathlessness, slurred speech, dysphagia, bilateral foot drop

Question 7

What 2 symptoms, combined, are a hallmark for a pure corticospinal tract lesion?

Answer 7

absent abdominal reflexes and brisk deep tendon reflexes

Question 8

What is a fasciculation?

Answer 8

An involuntary and abnormal firing of a single motor neurone and all its innervated nerve fibres, are visible to the eye

Question 9

what can trigger a fasciculation?

Answer 9

denervation or innervation

Question 10

In fasciculation, what happens to a muscle if it is denervated?

Answer 10

neighbouring axons reinnervate the muscle, the resulting motor unit is larger and less stable

Question 11

following reinnervation from a neighbouring axon as a consequence of denervation, why is the resultant motor unit less stable?

Answer 11

is prone to ectopic generation of electrical stimuli in the distal axon which can cause contraction of the muscle fibres, causing fasciculations