Nervous Flashcards
Inflammation of the meninges
-Associated with an infection of the cerebrospinal fluid
-May be contagious depending on the cause
-Commonly caused by Streprococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis
Meningitis
Excessive accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain
-Degenerative disorder
-Caused by a lack of drainage or reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid
-Can be related to development anomalies, infections, injuries, or tumors
-If hydrocephalus occurs in infants, it can cause permanent disfigurement
Hydrocephalus
Inflammation of the brain
-Usually refers to a viral infectinon of the brain
-Can be severe and fatal
-Viruses known to cause include Herpes Simplex I&II, Varicella-Zoster, and epstein barr
1. Primary occurs when a virus invades the brain directly
2. Secondary occurs when a virus invade another part of the body first and then spreads to the brain
Encephalitis
Symptoms of encephalitis
1. Abnormal and involuntary contractions of the muscles
2. Sudden uncontrolled discharges of electrical activity in the brain
3. Confusion, fever, headache, nausea, tremors
- Convulsions
- Seizures
Inflammation of a nerve or nerves
-Potential causes include trauma, infection, and poisons
Neuritis
Recurrent and repetitive abnormal electrical discharges within the brain (seizures)
1. ___ seizures are characterized by a temporary stopping of activity for a few seconds
2. ___ seizures are characterized by incontinence, muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, and respiratory contractions
Epilepsy
1. Petite mal seizures
2. Grand mal seizures
Infection of the nervous system
-Caused by the rabies virus (Rabies lyssavirus)
-Fatal if left untreated
-Usually caused by a bite from an infected animal
-Causes paralysis, hydrophobia, and eventually death
Rabies
Autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system associated with degradation of the myelin sheath of nerves
-Degradation is attributed to lymphocyte activity (T cells and macrophages specifically)
-No treatment for disease but some treatments can alleviate symptoms
-Usually occurs in periods of exacerbation and remission
-Average lifespan is 30+ years from diagnosis
Multiple sclerosis
A chronic nervous system disorder associated with uncontrollable movements, muscle rigidity, and lack of dopamine
-Associated with tremors and a specific gait
-Often associated with an expressionless face, speech impairment, bowed head, forward bend, and thumbs turned inward
Parkinson’s disease
A progressive, irreversibly form of dementia
-Characterized by memory impairment and deficits in reasoning, judgement, abstract thoughts, comprehension, and learning
-Involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language
-Idiopathic
-Diagnosis involves amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (bundle of fibers) in the brain
-Associated with degeneration of the nerve cells
-Often manifests with sundowning
Alzheimer’s disease
Degenerative and fatal brain disorder caused by a prion
-Rare, but has no cure
-Usually fatal within a year of onset and symptoms
-May be sporadic, hereditary, or acquired
-Diagnosis can only be confirmed via autopsy
-Associated with a decline in memory, behavioral changes, lack of coordination, and issues with vision
-As disease progresses, individual will experience mental deterioration, involuntary movements, blindness, coma, and eventually death
Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD)
A group of chronic disorders that cause a lack of control over movement
-Usually not progressive
-Usually appears in childhood
-Symptoms can range in severity form a lack on control over fine motor skills to recurring seizures and/or mental impairment
-No cure available
Cerebral palsy
Cerebral blood vessel becomes occluded
Ischemic stroke
Stroke that lasts only a few minutes
-Occurs because of a brief interruption of blood flow
-Symptoms usually last about an hour
Transient ischemic attack
Blood vessel rupture within the brain
Cerebrovascular accident
