Nervous System Injury Flashcards
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) (2)
1) Head is moving and suddenly stopped
a) Head hits an object
b) MVA (Motor Vehicle Accident)
c) Sports
d) Fall
2) Brain damage locations
a) Site of impact
b) Also the opposite side of the skull due to recoil
Concussion (2)
1) Slight TBI, effects usually temporary but minor effects can linger
2) Symptoms tend to be mild and transient
a) Dizziness
b) Brief loss of consciousness
c) Headaches - can linger
d) No permanent neurological damage
Contusion (2)
1) Significant neuronal tissue damage
2) Symptoms tend to be more severe
a) Unconsciousness (coma)
b) Hours to lifetime
Hemorrhage (2)
1) Following a head injury
a) Causes blood to accumulate in the skull
2) Intracranial pressure
a) Pressure available inside the skull
b) This is limited due to the enclosed skull
c) Rises after hemorrhage
Brain injury impacts (2)
1) Damage to brain tissue
a) Compression of brain tissue
2) Forces brain stem down through the foramen magnum
a) Damage to brain stem
b) Decreased control of heart rate
c) Respiration is lost
d) Fatal without intervention
Parkinson’s Disease
1) Disorder of the Basal Ganglia
2) Apraxia - impaired motor planning
a) rigid movements
b) Difficulty executing a motor plan
Ataxia (4)
1) Injury to the cerebellum
2) Unlike apraxia, motor planning is not impaired, but motor coordination is impaired
3) Impaired motor coordination
a) Smooth gait impaired
b) Slurred speech
4) Like being drunk
CVA (Cerebrovascular accident) (3) (Also called a stroke)
1) Blood circulation blocked within the brain
2) Brain tissue dies due to lack of oxygen and nutrients
3) Severity depends on vessel blocked (Larger vessel = more damage)
Hemorrhagic CVA (2)
1) Brain bleed
2) Blood vessel in brain ruptures
Ischemic CVA
1) Blockage in artery
a) Clot (Embolus)
b) Fat deposit
TIA (Transient Ischemic Attack
Small clot causes a temporary blockage in flow, but then resolves
Stroke symptoms (2)
1) Severe strokes are often fatal
2) Stroke survivors
a) Depends on area of brain impacted
b) Paralysis
c) Cognitive changes
d) Speech impairment
e) Emotional changes
Stroke recovery (2)
1) Neural plasticity
a) Undamaged neurons in the surrounding area spread into the area of injury
2) Recovery through physical rehabilitation
a) Physical, occupational, speech therapy
b) Teaching other areas of the brain to learn new functions for lost brain tissue
Stroke signs (America Stroke Association)
Act FAST
1) Facial drooping
2) Arm weakness
3) Speech difficulty
4) Time to call 911
Alzheimer’s Disease (2)
1) Progressive degenerative disease of the brain
2) Results in mental decline, until the brain can no longer control basic bodily functions
Alzheimer’s Disease mechanics
1) Decreased brain tissue seen in the brain
2) Structural changes in the brain
a) Formation of plaques
b) Entanglement of neurons
c) Lack of neural firing
d) Leads to neuron death
3) Spreads through all brain tissue
4) Leads to shrinkage of cerebral cortex gray matter
Alzheimer’s Disease stages
1) Early - Difficulty remembering newly learned information
2) Mid - Brian loss interferes with basic memory skills
a) Mood, behavioral changes (frontal lobe)
b) Disorientation to surroundings
c) Often stressful for caregivers
3) Late - Person has difficulty speaking, swallowing, walking
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (2)
1) Rare neuromuscular condition
2) Progressive destruction of ventral horn motor neurons, causing paralysis and loss of ability to eat, speak, swallow and eventually breathe
Paralysis (2)
Occurs in all areas controlled BELOW the spinal cord injury
1) Paraplegia (lower limb paralysis) may occur if spinal cord is injured between T1 and L1
2) Quadriplegia may occur if spinal cord is injured in cervical region
Carpal tunnel syndrome (2)
1) Caused by compression of the median nerve
2) Decreased sensation in first three digits and half of fourth digit in hand
Claw hand (2)
1) Caused by ulnar nerve damage
2) Inability to open fourth and fifth fingers caused by flexion at the IP joints and hyperextension of the MCP joints in digits 4 and 5
Sciatica (2)
1) Caused by increased pressure on sciatic nerve from surrounding muscles
2) Pain following the path of the sciatic nerve int he lower pelvis and posterior thigh
