neuro Flashcards
pathophysiology parkinsons disease
progressive reduction of dopamine in the basal ganglia of the brain
sx parkinsons disease
Classic triad: Resting tremor (pill rolling, unilateral), Rigidity (cogwheel), Bradykinesia
other: Depression, Sleep disturbance and insomnia, Loss of the sense of smell (anosmia), Postural instability, Cognitive impairment and memory problems
mx parkinsons diease
Levodopa: less effective over time, SE=dyskinesias
COMT Inhibitors e.g. entacapone
Dopamine Agonists e.g. bromocryptine. SE=pulmonary fibrosis
parkinsons plus syndromes
Progressive supranuclear palsy:
Multiple system atrophy
Cortico-basal degeneration:
Lewy body dementia:
progressive supranuclear palsy
Parkinisonism and vertical gaze palsy.
multiple system atrophy
Parkinisonism and early autonomic clinical features such as: postural hypotension, incontinence, and impotence
cortico basal degeneration
parkinisonism and involves spontaneous activity by an affected limb, or akinetic rigidity of that limb.
lewy body dementia
Parkinisonism and fluctuations in cognitive impairment and visual hallucinations, often before Parkinsonian features occur.
types of motor neuron disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Primary lateral sclerosis:
Progressive muscular atrophy
Progressive bulbar palsy
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
50% of patients): typically LMN signs in arms and UMN signs in legs
primary lateral sclerosis
UMN only
progressive muscular atrophy
LMN signs only, affects distal muscles before proximal
progressive bulbar palsy
palsy of the tongue, muscles of chewing/swallowing and facial muscles due to loss of function of brainstem motor nuclei, carries worst prognosis
pathophysiology motor neuron disease
progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurones. The sensory neurones are spared
sx motor neuron disease
lower motor neurone disease (Muscle wasting, Reduced tone, Fasciculations, Reduced reflexes) and upper motor neurone disease (Increased tone or spasticity, Brisk reflexes, Upgoing plantar responses)
Often present as: late middle aged (e.g. 60) man, possibly with an affected relative. There is an insidious, progressive weakness of the muscles throughout the body affecting the limbs, trunk, face and speech. There may be increased fatigue when exercising. They may complain of clumsiness, dropping things more often or tripping over. They can develop slurred speech (dysarthria).
UMN signs
Increased tone or spasticity, Brisk reflexes, Upgoing plantar responses
LMN signs
Muscle wasting, Reduced tone, Fasciculations, Reduced reflexes
mx motor neuron disease
no effective treatments for halting or reversing the progression of the disease.
Riluzole can slow the progression of the disease and extend survival by a few months in ALS.
Patients usually die due to resp failure or pneumonia
pathophysiology MS
demyelination of the myelinated neurones in the central nervous system. This is caused by an inflammatory process involving the activation of immune cells against the myelin.
causes MS
Combination of: Multiple genes, Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), Low vitamin D, Smoking, Obesity
presentation MS
Optic neuritis, Eye movement abnormalities, Focal weakness (Bells palsy, Horners syndrome, Limb paralysis, Incontinence), Focal sensory symptoms (Trigeminal neuralgia, Numbness, Paraesthesia, Lhermitte’s sign), ataxia
disease courses MS
Clinically Isolated Syndrome: the first episode
Relapsing-remitting: episodes of disease and neurological symptoms followed by recovery
Secondary progressive: was relapsing-remitting disease at first, but now there is a progressive worsening of symptoms with incomplete remissions
Primary progressive: worsening of disease and neurological symptoms from the point of diagnosis without initial relapses and remissions
diagnosis MS
MRI scanscan demonstrate typical lesions – disseminated in time and space
Lumbar puncturecan detect “oligoclonal bands” in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
mxMS
Relapses: methylprednisolone
Disease modification: disease-modifying drugs and biologic therapy
Symptoms: Exercise to maintain activity and strength, Neuropathic pain can be managed with medication such as amitriptyline or gabapentin, Depression can be managed with antidepressants such as SSRIs, Urge incontinence can be managed with anticholinergic medications such as tolterodine or oxybutynin (although be aware these can cause or worsen cognitive impairment), Spasticity can be managed with baclofen, gabapentin and physiotherapy
presentation migraine
Headaches last between 4 and 72 hours. Moderate to severe intensity
Pounding or throbbing in nature
Usually unilateral, photophobia, phonophobia), With or withoutaura (visual changes - visual changesSparks in vision, Blurring vision, Lines across vision, Loss of different visual fields),Nausea and vomiting
mx migraine
Acute: Paracetamol, Triptans, NSAIDs, Antiemetics
Prophylaxis: Propranolol, Topiramate,Amitriptyline
causes/RF migraine
Stress, Bright lights, Strong smells,Certain foods (e.g. chocolate, cheese and caffeine), Dehydration, Menstruation,Abnormal sleep patterns, Trauma
presentation tension headaches
mild ache across the forehead and in a band-like pattern around the head.
mx tension headaches
Reassurance, Basic analgesia, Relaxation techniques, Hot towels to local area
causes/RF tension headaches
Stress, Depression, Alcohol, Skipping meals, Dehydration
presentation cluster headaches
Severe pain, occur in clusters, unilateral usually around the eye, Red, swollen and watering eye, miosis, ptosis, Nasal discharge, Facial sweating
mx cluster headaches
Acute Triptans, High flow 100% oxygen for 15-20 minutes
Prophylaxis: Verapamil, Lithium, Prednisolone (a short course for 2-3 weeks to break the cycle during clusters)
causes/RF cluster headaches
smoker. Attacks can be triggered by things like alcohol, strong smells and exercise.
presnetation medication overuse headaches
similar non-specific features to a tension headache.
mx medication over use headaches
Withdraw analgesia - slowly
causes/RF medication overuse headaches
long term analgesia use – opioids, triptans
presentation trigeminal neualgia
Intense electricity like facial pain that comes on spontaneously and last anywhere between a few seconds to hours. Triggers include cold weather, spicy food, caffeine and citrus fruits, touching the area
mx trigeminal neuralgia
Carbamazepine, surgery to decompress or intentionally damage the trigeminal nerve is an option
causes/RF trigeminal neuralgia
compression of the nerve (Ophthalmic (V1), Maxillary (V2), Mandibular (V3))
presentation GCA
Severe unilateral headache typically around temple and forehead, Scalp tenderness, Jaw claudication, Blurred or double vision, Irreversible painless complete sight loss can occur rapidly
mx GCA
Prednisolone,
causes/RF GCA
strong link with polymyalgia rheumatica. The patients at higher risk are white females over 50.
headache red flags
Fever, photophobia or neck stiffness (meningitis or encephalitis)
New neurological symptoms (haemorrhage, malignancy or stroke)
Dizziness (stroke)
Visual disturbance (temporal arteritis or glaucoma)
Sudden onset occipital headache (subarachnoid haemorrhage)
Worse on coughing or straining (raised intracranial pressure)
Postural, worse on standing, lying or bending over (raised intracranial pressure)
Severe enough to wake the patient from sleep
Vomiting (raised intracranial pressure or carbon monoxide poisoning)
History of trauma (intracranial haemorrhage)
Pregnancy (pre-eclampsia)
SAH
bleeding in to the subarachnoid space
causes/RF SAH
ruptured cerebral aneurysm.
Hypertension, Smoking, Excessive alcohol consumption, Cocaine use, Family history
features SAH
sudden onset occipital headache AKA “thunderclap headache”. Neck stiffness, Photophobia, Vision changes, speech changes, weakness, seizures and loss of consciousness
mx SAH
Surgery-clipping or coiling, nimodipine to prevent vasospasm
subdural haemorrhage
rupture of thebridging veins
causes/RF SDH
elderly or alcoholic patients
presnetation SDH
several week to month progressive history of either confusion, reduced consciousness or neurological deficit
mx SDH
Surgical decompression with burr holes
extraudral haemorrhage cause
rupture of themiddle meningeal artery
cause EDH
trauma
presentation EDH
Often associated with temporal bone fracture due to trauma. traumatic head injury and ongoing headache. Period of improved neurological symptoms and consciousness followed by a rapid decline over hours
mx EDH
craniotomy and evacuation of the haematoma
seizures
Seizures are transient episodes of abnormal electrical activit
ix seizures
electroencephalogram (EEG) can show typical patterns in different forms of epilepsy and support the diagnosis.
An MRI brain
status epilepticus
Seizures lasting more than 5 minutes or more than 3 seizures in one hour.
mx status epilepticus in community
Buccal midazolam, Rectal diazepam
mx status eplilepticus in hospital
Secure the airway, Give high-concentration oxygen, Assess cardiac and respiratory function, Check blood glucose levels, Gain intravenous access (insert a cannula)
IVlorazepam4mg, repeated after 10 minutes if the seizure continues
If seizures persist: IVphenobarbitalorphenytoin
non epileptic attacks
Psychogenic, patients who present with epileptic-like seizures but do not have characteristic electrical discharges
patients may have a history of mental health problems or a personality disorder
features non epileptic attacks
pelvic thrusting, family member with epilepsy, much more common in females, crying after seizure, don’t occur when alone, gradual onset
features generalised tonic clonic seizure
There is loss of consciousness and tonic (muscle tensing) and clonic (muscle jerking) episodes. Typically the tonic phase comes before the clonic phase. There may be associated tongue biting, incontinence, groaning and irregular breathing. After the seizure there is a prolonged post-ictal period where the person is confused, drowsy and feels irritable or depressed
mx generalised tonic clonic seizure
First line: sodium valproate
Second line: lamotrigine or carbamazepine
features focal seizure
start in temporal lobes. They affect hearing, speech, memory and emotions. There are various ways that focal seizures can present: Hallucinations, Memory flashbacks, Déjà vu, Doing strange things on autopilot
mx focal seizure
lamotrigine or levetiracetam
features absence seizure
children. The patient becomes blank, stares into space and then abruptly returns to normal. During the episode they are unaware of their surroundings and won’t respond. These typically only lasts 10-20 seconds
mx absence seizure
ethosuximide
features atonic seizures
drop attacks”. They are characterised by brief lapses in muscle tone. These don’t usually last more than 3 minutes. They typically begin in childhood. They may be indicative of Lennox-Gastaut syndrom
mx atonic seizures
Sodium valproate, lamotrigine
features myoclonic seizures
sudden brief muscle contractions, like a sudden “jump”. The patient usually remains awake during the episode. They occur in various forms of epilepsy but typically happen in children as part of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy
mx myoclonic seizures
Sodium valproate, levetiracetam
features infantile spasms
West syndrome. It is a rare (1 in 4000) disorder starting in infancy at around 6 months of age. It is characterised by clusters of full body spasms. There is a poor prognosis: 1/3 die by age 25, however 1/3 are seizure free
mx infantile spasms
Prednisolone
Vigabatrin
features febrile convulsions
usually children, due to viral infection, brief and generalised tonic/tonic-clonic in nature
mx febrile convulsions
reduced fever-paracetamol
inheritance of muscular dystrophies
X-linked recessive
due to mutation in the gene encoding dystrophin,
in Duchenne muscular dystrophy there is a frameshift mutation resulting in one or both of the binding sites are lost leading to a severe form
in Becker muscular dystrophy there is a non-frameshift insertion in the dystrophin gene resulting in both binding sites being preserved leading to a milder form
features duchene muscular dystrophy
progressive proximal muscle weakness from 5 years
calf pseudohypertrophy
Gower’s sign: child uses arms to stand up from a squatted position
30% of patients have intellectual impairment
features becker muscular dystrophy
develops after the age of 10 years
intellectual impairment much less common
mx muscular dystrophy
MDT, splints, physio
myasthenia gravis
autoimmune condition that causes muscle weakness that gets progressively worse with activity and improves with rest