Neuro Flashcards
Define TIA
Rapid onset Neurological deficit of vascular origin that resolves spontaneously within 24 hours
Define stroke
Rapid onset Neurological deficit of vascular origin that does not completely resolves within 24 hours
What are signs and symptoms of stroke and TIA
Vision loss, vertigo, dizziness
Dysarthria, dysphagia
paralysis
Nausea and vomiting
What are investigations for TIA / stroke
Bedside: ECG, capillary glucose
Bloods: FBC, U&E, lipids, venous glucose, clotting, cardiac enzymes, G&S
Imaging: CT Head, carotid doppler
Consider swallow assessment
What score can you use to estimate risk of stroke following TIA
ABCD2
How do you manage TIA
Immediately: aspirin 300mg (unlesss CI)
Review and assessment by specialist
Ongoing management: clopidogrel 75mg PO OD + statin 80mg
Consider carotid artery endarterectomy
What are the two maain causes of stroke and what is their likelyhood
ischaemic 80%
haemorrhagic 20%
What classification is used for stroke
Bamford classification
How do you manage a haemorrhagaic stroke
SAH: Nimodipine (CCB for 21 days) + coiling or surgical clipping
How do you manage an ischaemic stroke
AFTER EXCLUDING HAEMORRHAGE:
- Aspirin 300mg PO (PR if impaired swallow)
- Consider thrombolysis with tPA if:
- Age < 80 yrs and < 4.5 hours from start of symptoms
- Age > 80 yrs and < 3 hours from start of symptoms
-Consider thrombectomy <6 hours from start of symptoms
How do you differentiate between haemorrhagic and ischaemic stroke
CT head - look for visible haemorrhage
what causes a SAH
spontaneous or traumatic head injury
85% are associated with Berry aneurysm (saccular) - RF HTN, PKD, Connective tissue disease, HTN, smoking
What are sx of SAH
thunderclap headache across back
nausea and vomiting
photophobia
neck stiffness
reduced consciousness
Long term mx of ischaemic stroke
First 2 weeks: 300 mg Aspirin (PR if impaired swallow)
After 2 weeks: change to 75 mg CLOPIDOGREL + Statin (e.g. atorvastatin 80mg)
— or ASPIRIN 75mg + DIPYRIDAMOLE + STATIN
If AF: warfarin / apixaban + statin
Alongside with:
o BP control
o Feeding assessment (screen for safe swallow withni 24h, otherwise NG tube)
o Anticoagulants (e.g. apixaban or warfarin) if co-existing AF
What are core symptoms of Parkinsons
bradykinesia + stooped, shuffling gait
hypertonia (leadpipe rigidity, cogwheeling)
pill-rolling tremor (resting tremor)
+ hypomimic face,
What are ix for suspected PD
CT/MRI head to esclude vascular causes
DaTScan (= dopamine transporter scan)
What is the general approach to managing PD
- MDT approach
- Disability UPDRS (uniified PD rating scale)
- Physiotherapy (postural exercised)
- Depression screen
What are medications for PD management
LEVODOPA + dopa decarboxylase inhibitor e.g. CO-CARELDOPA
Otherwise: MAO-B inhibitors (e.g. seleginine) , DA agonists (pramipexole, ropinirole)
What is indication for levodopa
motor symptoms
What are siide effects of levodopa
DOPAMINE
Dyskinesia
On/off phenomena
Psychosis
Arterial BP low
Mouth dry
Insomniia
N&V
EDS
What are Parkinson PLUS syndromes?
Multiple Systems Atriiphy
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Corticobasilar Degeneration
Dementiia with Lewy Bodiea
Features of Multiple Systems Atrophy
Autonomic dysfunction (postural hypotension, bladder dysfunction)
Cerebellar ataxia
Rigidity, tremor
Features of Progressive supranuclear palsy
Vertical gaze palsy
postural instability &T falls
Speech disturbance
Dementia (forgetfulness, personality change)
Fts of Corticobasilar degeneration
Unilateral parkinsonism
Aphasia
Astereognosis (cortical sensory loss > alien limb phenomenon)
Demenita wiith lewy bodies fts
VISUAL HALLUCINATIONS
Fluctuing cognition
Demenita > parkinsonism
How do you differntiate Parkinsonism from PD?
Parkinsonism: symmetrical, rapid progression, poor response to levodopa
PD: asymmetrical, pprogressive, good response
What are the criteria for a diagnosis of epilepsy?
2 or more epileptic seizures
OR 1 seizure + epileptogenic markers (EEG or brain malformation)
What are signs of a tonic clonic seizure
- Behavioural arrest (stop writing and stop talking)
- Head and eyes turn to one side (the side they turn to is opposite to the side of the lesion)
- Stiffeniing (tonic)
- Shaking (clonic)
Ix for seizure
A>E (incl glucose)
ECG (cardiac cause)
MRI (structural cause)
once stabilised, discharge to first fit clinic
What is Alzheimers diisease
Most common form of dementia
WHat part of the brain does AD affect first
Hippocamppus
RF for AD
BIological:
- Age (1% at 60yo, doubles every 5 years)
- Genetics (although most gene mutations are sporadic)
- Head injury
- Vascular risk factors
Psychosocial:
- low IQ
-poor educational level
Four key pathophysiological elements of AD
- Cortical atropy
- plaque formation
- neurofibrillary tangle fpormation
- cholinerhgic loss
Four As in Alzheimers (features of middle progression of disease)
Amnesia
Aphasia (broca’’s - difficultuy finding the correct words)
Agnosia (usually visual - unable to recognie phases sso prosopagnosia)
Apraxia (unable tto complete skilled tasks such as dressing, despite normal motor function
+ mood change, abnormal behaviour, delusions and hallucinations
Management of AD
biosychosocial
BIO:
Anticholinesterases: aims to raise the ACh available
- donepezil
- galantamine
- rivastigmine
NMDA partial receptor agonist: Memantine
PSYCHOLOGICAL
structural group cognitive stimulation therapu
SOCIAL
explain diagnosis and signopost support
SINGLE CARE MANAGER
Every 6 month follow up
General: always wear ID, Dosset boxes, change gas to electricity, assistive technology around house.
Carers assessment etc
What must you do before giving anticholinesterases
ECG
side effects anticholinesterases
GI (N&V, diarrhoea, aanorexiia), fatigue, dizziness, headaches
Migraine tx
Acute: oral triptain + NSAID / paracetamol
Prophylaxis: topiramate / propanolol (only is >=2 attacks per month)
Mx cluster headache
Acute: 100% oxygen, SC triptain
Prophylaxis: verapamil
What is multiple sclerosis
autoimmune demyelinating disorder of CNS characterised by multiple plaques separate in time and place
Pathophys of MS
CD4 mediated destruction of oligodendrocytes > demyellination > neuronal death
Four types of MS
Relapsing remitting ( occasional flare causing worsening, otherwise stable)
Primary progressive (steady decline with no flares)
Secondary progressive (initial flares, then steady decline)
Progressive relapsing (steady decline with occasional flare)
MAARBURG VARIANT = very severe, very rapid
Symptoms of MS
Tingling
Eye (optic neuritis)
Ataxia (and other DANISH cerebellar signs)
Motor (spastic paresis)
What does optic neuritis present as
CRAP
Central scotoma
RAPD
Acuity drop
Pain on eye movement
What signs occur with MS
Lhemitte’s sgn (neck lflexion > electic shock in trunk and limbs)
Uhthoff0s sign (worsening of MS symptoms in increased temperatures)
Internuclear opthalmopledgia
What Ix are done with MS
Contrast MRI (gandolium enhanced, T2)
LP (IgG oligoclonal bands)
Blood antibodies
Evoked potnetials
What is acute and chronic management of MS
Acute attach: methylpred 1g IV/PO OD for 3 days
Chronic: DMARD (e.g. INF beta), biological (natalizumab) and SYMPTOMATIC MANAGEMENT
What meds can be given for symptomatic management of MS
Modafinil (fatigue)
SSRI (depression)
Amyltriptiline, gabapentine (pain)
Baclofen + gabapentine (spasticity)
oxybutynine ( urgency / freqwuency)
sildenafil (ED)
Clonazepam (tremor)
what blood antibodies would you find in MS
anti.MBP (myelin basic protein)
NMO-IgG (neuromyelitis optica)
what are good prognostic indicators in MS
female, young, sensory siigns at onsets, long interval in relapses, few MRI lesions
what are bad prognostic indicators in MS
male, older, motor signs at onset, short initerval in relapses, many MRI lesions, axonal loss
what is myasthenia graviis
autoimmune disorder characterised by insufficient functioning of acetylcoliine receptors
what is the most common antibody seen in MG
anti acetylcholine receptor antibody
what groups is MG most seen in
women:men=2:1
women typically in 20s, men in 60s
what are diseases associated with MG
thymic hyperplasia
thymoma
AI disease (PA. RhA, SLE)
what are signs and symptoms of MG
muscle fatiguabiliity - progressively weaker during periods of actvity and improviing after rest
- extraocular muscle weakness > diplopia, ptosis
- proximal myopathy (face, neck, limb girdle)
- dysphagia
what drugs exacerbate MG
penicillamines
lithium
phenytoin
What ix can you do for MG
single fibre EMG
repetitve nerve stimulation
serial pulmonary function tests
antibodies
TENSILON TEST
what iis management of MG
1st line symptomatic: long acting acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (pyridostigmine, neostigmine)
1sr line long term: immunupprssion (prednisolone, then azathioprinie)
final: thymectomy
what causes lambert eaton myasthenic syndrome
antibodies against presynaptic voltage gated calcium channel in peripheral nervous system
associated with SCLC, breast and ovarian canceer
what are symptoms of LEMS
- limb girlde weakness (affects lower limbs first)
- repeated muscle cpontractions may lead to increased muscle strngth
hyporeflexia
ANS sx