Nervous Damage 1

Question 1

what are the different types of neurones?

Answer 1

sensory, interneurons and motor neurons

Question 2

what are the fast causes of damage to the nervous system?

Answer 2

traumatic events such as strokes, epilepsy, infections, inflammation

Question 3

what are the slower causes of damage to nervous system?

Answer 3

accumulate damage over time causing neurodegeneration

Question 4

what causes varying effects of acute brain injuries?

Answer 4

the cause, location, severity and the wing of brain affected

Question 5

what is a traumatic brain injury?

Answer 5

it is a process rather than an event and can be secondary rather than primary

Question 6

what are the 4 mechanisms of traumatic brain injury?

Answer 6

brain contusion, increased intracranial pressure, diffuse axonal injury and strokes

Question 7

what is a brain contusion?

Answer 7

cell death accompanied by haemorrhage, a bruise on the brain

Question 8

where does contusions occur?

Answer 8

at a site distant from the point of impact

Question 9

what is increased intracranial pressure?

Answer 9

an increase in components inside the skull which increases pressure

Question 10

what components contribute to pressure inside the skull?

Answer 10

venous volume, arterial volume, brain and CSF

Question 11

what is the first to be put under pressure in the brain?

Answer 11

CSF, venous blood then arterial blood and then brain tissue

Question 12

what is brainstem herniation?

Answer 12

brain tissue is forced down through the foramen magnum and compresses the brain stem

Question 13

what is a subfalcine herniation?

Answer 13

a hernia in the curtain of dura mater between the left and right cerebral hemispheres

Question 14

what is a transtentorial herniation?

Answer 14

hernia in dura mater that covers the cerebellum

Question 15

what effects does herniation have on brain tissue?

Answer 15

diffuse swelling and expansion of brain tissue into ventricles and widening and flattening of gyri

Question 16

what is diffuse axonal injury?

Answer 16

damage to axons of neurones

Question 17

how is diffuse axonal injury caused?

Answer 17

shearing of axons in the white matter tracts

Question 18

where is the most common site of DAI?

Answer 18

where grey and white matter meet

Question 19

what occurs at the point of damaged axon in DAI?

Answer 19

everything downstream of axon dies and connections lost and there is loss of function

Question 20

what are the mechanical pressures that cause acute damage?

Answer 20

encephalitis, meningitis, brain tumours, abscesses

Question 21

what is the definition of a stroke?

Answer 21

loss of blood supply to some or all of brain causing a cerebral deficit for more than 24 hours

Question 22

what is it classified as if the cerebral deficit is less then 24 hours?

Answer 22

transient ischaemic attack

Question 23

how are ischaemic attacks causes?

Answer 23

blockages that are thrombotic or embolic

Question 24

what is a haemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 24

decreased oxygen as blood leaking into the brain and not capillary network