Movement disorders Flashcards
Parkinsons Epilepsy MS
What is motor neuron disease
In motor neurone disease (MND), motor nerves become damaged and eventually stop working. Therefore, the muscles that the damaged nerves supply gradually lose their strength.
Key features of UMN signs
- Spasticity: increased muscle tone
- Weakness: Lower limb: flexors weaker than extensors, upper limp extensors weaker than flexors
- Hyperreflexia
- Up going plantars
- Clonus
If there is a lesion of the spinal cord, what might you expect to see
- UMN weakness
- Sphincter symptoms
- sensory level
- bilateral motor signs
If there is a lesion in the motor cortex, what might you expect to see
- UMN weakness
- Frontal signs
- Dysphasia
- Hemianopia
- Disturbance of higher sensory function
If someone is displaying LMN signs, where is the lesion
- In the anterior horn cell
- distal to the anterior horn cell: root, plexus, peripheral nerve
What are LMN lesions characterised as
- Decreased muscle tone
- weakness and wasting - muscle atrophy
- Arreflexia
- Muscle fasciculations
What is the most common form of MND
AML: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
when does MND usually develop
Usually 55-79, rarely before 40
Men more than women
Not usually inherited
Symptoms of MND
- UMN signs
- Poor co-ordination and balance - stiff gait
- Painful muscle spasms
- head drop
- slurred quiet speech
- NO SENSORY SIGNS
Investigations of MND
- Mainly clinical
- EMG: ongoing chronic denervation
- MRI will be normal
- Nerve conduction studies will be normal
Management of MND
- Neurology referral
- supportive care
- may eventually require resp help - BiPAP
- muscle relaxants
- carbocysteine for mucus
What is multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive condition that involves demyelination of the myelinated neurones in the central nervous system. This is caused by an inflammatory process involving activation of immune cells against the myelin.
What are the causes of MS
Growing evidence for the influence of:
- Multiple genes
- Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)
- Low vitamin D
- Smoking
- Obesity
What are the signs and symptoms of MS
- Symptoms generally progress over 24 hours and can last days to weeks
- Optic neuritis
- Eye movement abnormalities
- Focal weakness
- Focal sensory changes
- Ataxia
What is optic neuritis
- most common presentation of multiple sclerosis
- demyelination of the optic nerve and loss of vision in one eye
- Central scotoma. This is an enlarged blind spot.
- Pain on eye movement
- Impaired colour vision
- Relative afferent pupillary defect
What focal sensory symptoms may someone with MS experience
Trigeminal neuralgia
Numbness
Paraesthesia (pins and needles)
Lhermitte’s sign
What is the management of optic neuritis
- urgent ophthalmology referral - 24hrs
- Steroids: recovery 2-6 weeks
- 50% develop MS over next 15 years
- Change on MRI will help to predict this
What is Lhermitte’s sign
- electric shock down the spine and into the limbs when flexing the neck
- indicates disease in the dorsal column of cervical spinal cord
What focal weakness can patients with MS experience
Bells palsy
Horners syndrome
Limb paralysis
Incontinence
What is sensory ataxia
- loss of the proprioceptive sense
- positive Romberg’s test
What s cerebellar ataxia
- problems with the cerebellum coordinating movement.
- suggests cerebellar lesions.
How do you diagnose MS
- symptoms have to be disseminated in time and space
- one episode of symptoms and nothing on MRI suggests clinically isolated syndrome
What is relapsing-remitting MS
- most common pattern at initial diagnosis
- characterised by episodes of disease and neurological symptoms followed by recovery
- symptoms occur in different areas with different episodes
What is secondary progressive MS
- relapsing-remitting disease at first, but now there is a progressive worsening of symptoms with incomplete remissions
- Symptoms become more and more permanent.
What is primary MS
- worsening of disease and neurological symptoms from the point of diagnosis without initial relapses and remission
How do you diagnose MS
- Clinical picture
- LP
- MRI
What is the management of chronic MS
- Involve MDT team
- disease modifying drugs and biologic therapy
- Treat symptoms
How do you treat acute flares of MS
- Methylprednisilone:
- 500mg orally daily for 5 days
- 1g intravenously daily for 3–5 days where oral treatment has failed previously or where relapses are severe
What symptomatic treatments can be given for MS
- Exercise to maintain activity and strength
- Neuropathic pain: amitriptyline or gabapentin
- Depression: SSRIs
- Urge incontinence: anticholinergic medications such as tolterodine or oxybutynin (although be aware these can cause or worsen cognitive impairment)
- Spasticity: baclofen, gabapentin and physiotherapy
What is Huntington’s Chorea
- autosomal dominant genetic condition that causes a progressive deterioration in the nervous system
- Patients are usually asymptomatic until symptoms begin around aged 30 to 50.
- Affects parts of the brain meaning it doesn’t work properly
What is the genetics behind Huntington’s chorea
“trinucleotide repeat disorder” that involves a genetic mutation in the HTT gene on chromosome 4.
What is anticipation
successive generations have more repeats in the gene, resulting in:
- Earlier age of onset
- Increased severity of disease
Associated with trinucleotide repeat disorders i.e Huntingtons
What is the common presentation of Huntington’s Chorea
- nsidious, progressive worsening of symptoms
- begins with cognitive, psychiatric or mood problems
- Chorea (involuntary, abnormal movements)
- Eye movement disorders
- Speech difficulties (dysarthria)
- Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)
How do you diagnose Huntington’s Chorea
- genetic test for the faulty gene
- pre-test and post-test counselling