Neuro Flashcards
Side effects of haloperidol 4 days after therapy
acute dystonia (muscle spasm, stiffness, oculogyric crisis)
Contracted infection from Central America and died, bx found elongated eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion in pyramidal neurons of hippocampus and Purkinje neurons of cerebellum. What infection?
Rabies encephalitis
What hypothalamic nucleus controls circadian rhythm?
Suprachiasmatic
Urinary incontinence following delivery. What nerve roots?
S3-4
What passes thru foramen ovale?
V3 -> so interferes with mandible stuff (incl motor - muscles of mastication)
Lesser petrosal nerve
Accessory meningeal artery
Emissary veins
What passes thru foramen rotundum?
V2 -> so interferes with zygomatic stuff
What passes thru superior orbital fissure?
V1 (along with ophthalmic vein, sympa fibers, and all the eye movement nerves - 3,4,6)
What passes thru optic canal?
II, ophthalmic artery, central retinal vein
What passes thru foramen spinosum?
Middle meningeal artery and vein
Recurrent (meningeal) branch of V3
What passes thru internal auditory meatus?
7 and 8
What passes thru jugular foramen?
Jugular vein and CNs going to tongue, neck and below (9,10,11)
Inf. petrosal and sigmoid sinuses
Post. meningeal artery
What passes thru foramen magnum?
Veterbral arteries, brain stem, spinal roots of 11
Pt w/ lung mass presented w/ cerebellar sx and bx shows Purkinje cell degeneration. What process mediates the neurologic condition?
Autoimmune
Subacute cerebellar degeneration is a paraneoplastic syndrome of small cell lung cancer, it’s mediated by Anti-Yo, Anti-P/Q, Anti-Hu antibodies
What’s the concerning side effect of bupropion?
Seizures
Dx of presenting one day after starting tx for severe agitation&aggressive behaviors w/ fever, confusion, and muscle rigidity
NMS associated w/ haloperidol
What does pramipexole do for Parkinson?
Stimulates dopamine receptor
Used fluorinated inhaled anesthetic (isoflurane). What parameters are increased during anesthesia? What parameters are decreased?
Increase: cerebral blood flow (almost all volatile anesthetics decrease vascular resistance in brain -> undesirable because it leads to increased intracranial pressure), renal vascular resistance, atrial and ventricular pressure
Decrease: CO (so causes hypotension), hepatic blood flow, tidal volume and minute ventilation (so causes hypercapnia), GFR, renal plasma flow
Describe thalamic syndrome
Total sensory loss on contralateral body and face (VPL and VPM damaged)
No motor deficits but might get unsteady gaits/falls bc of loss of proprioception
What would you find on autopsy of a lacunar infarct? What are risk factors?
Arteriolar sclerosis (risk factors are uncontrolled HTN and DM), 2 forms
1) lipohyalinosis 2ndary to uncontrolled HTN -> might see mural foam cells, fibrinoid wall necrosis, loss of normal vessel architecture
2) microatheromas see lipid-laden macrophages in intimal layer of vessel
Common cause of cerebral infarction secondary to embolism?
Mitral valve disease and carotid atherosclerosis
What would you see in a CNS lesion of MS? What would you see in CSF?
Periventricular, pink plaque-like lesions in the white matter tracts (oligodendrocyte apoptosis); astrocyte proliferation (response to injury)
CSF sees increased IgG (found as an oligoclonal band on protein electrophoresis)
AIDs-related meningitis w/ positive latex agglutination test. What’s the characteristic of offending org?
Budding yeast (cryptococcus neoformans)
Pure motor stroke (hemiparesis). Damage to what structure?
Pos limb of internal capsule
Pure sensory stroke. Damage to what structure?
VPL and VPM of thalamus
Stroke causing ataxia-hemiplegia syndrome. Damage to what structure?
Base of pons (ant. pons)
Sx are contralateral (ataxia too, b/c it affects pontocerebellar fibers)
Stroke causing dysarthria-clumsy hand syndrome. Damage to what structure?
Base of pons or genu of internal capsule
See caudate atrophy in what disease?
Huntington
What tract is in genu of internal capsule?
Corticobulbar
What tract is in anterior limb of internal capsule? What structures does it separate?
Thalamocortical
This limb separates caudate nucleus from globus pallidus&putamen
What tracts are in posterior limb of internal capsule?
Corticospinal motor
Somatic sensory fibers
Visual fibers
Auditory fibers
What 2 things does insula cortex do?
Limbic system (emotion) Coordination of autonomic fx, esp in cardiac system
What structure do beta blockers affect in the tx of glaucoma?
Ciliary epithelium -> decrease aq humor synthesis
What structure does acetazolamide affect in the tx of glaucoma?
Ciliary epithelium -> decrease aq humor synthesis
What structure do direct cholinomimetics (pilocarpine and carbachol) affect in the tx of glaucoma?
Contract IRIS SPHINCTER and thus open trabecular meshwork
DIRECT cholinomimetics affect structures that are more in front
What structures do indirect cholinomimetics (AChEi) affect in the tx of glaucoma?
Contract CILIARY MUSCLE and thus make the lens more convex
INDIRECT cholinomimetics affect structures that are farther in the back
Treatment (acute and prophylaxis) of status epilepticus & their mechanisms
Acute: lorazepam (increases frequency of Cl- opening -> facilitates GABA-A actions)
Prophylaxis: phenytoin (decreases Na+ currents in cortical neurons)
What ion channels do fish toxins (like puffer fish) affect?
Na+ channels (preventing AP or keeping it open to cause persistent depol)
Pt returned from Mexico where she underwent cholecystectomy w/ no complications a week back. Now presenting w/ fever, fatigue, nausea, anorexia, rash; died 2 days later. Autopsy shows shrunken liver. What happened? What labs abnormalities would be expected?
Probably acute hepatitis from inhaled anesthetics, specifically halothane. Hypersensitivity rxn.
Microscopically will look like viral hepatitis (widespread centrilobular necrosis and inflamed portal tracts & parenchyma)
Labs will show elevated PT (b/c factor VII has the shortest HL of coagulant factors), elevated serum aminotransferase levels, leukocytosis, eosinophilia
WONT see any sign of chronic liver damage like palmar erythema, ascites, decreased albumin, splenomegaly
What kind of corpuscle is Meissner and what does it sense?
Cyclone-looking
“Meissner” sounds like the name of a smooth guy -> he’s muscular and sharp (large and adapts quickly) and his skin is smooth (found on hairless areas). He travels places (for dynamic touch).
Large myelinated fibers that adapt quickly. In dermal papillae (dermis) of hairless (glabrous) skin
Senses dynamic fine/light touch and position sense
What kind of corpuscle is Pacinian and what does it sense?
“Pacinian” for pressure which is deep down under skin
Large myelinated fibers that adapt quickly. In hypodermis, ligaments, joints
Senses pressure and vibration
What kind of corpuscle is Merkel disc and what does it sense?
“Merkel” is harsh sounding (compared to Meissner) -> so think of a guy who’s large and dumb (adapts slowly) w/ lots of hair (found in hairy areas) who stays at the same rural area he was born in (static touch)
Large myelinated fibers that adapt slowly. In basal epidermis and hair follicles.
Senses deep static touch (shapes & edges), pressure, position sense -> kind of a combo of Meissner and Pacinian
Name and give characteristics of 2 types of free nerve endings
1) C - slow, unmyelinated fibers
2) A-delta - fast, myelinated fibers
Both sense pain and temp and are found in skin, epidermis, some viscera
Where is locus ceruleus and what neurotransmitter does it make? What are the 2 disease associations?
Pons
NE
Increased in anxiety
Decreased in depression
Where are ventral tegmentum & substantia nigra compacta. And what neurotransmitter do they make? What are the 3 disease associations?
Midbrain
Dopamine
Increased in Huntington
Decreased in Parkinson (characteristic) and depression
Where is raphe nucleus and what neurotransmitter does it make? What are the 3 disease associations?
Pons, medulla, midbrain
5-HT
Decreased in Parkinson, anxiety and depression
Where is basal nucleus of Meynert and what neurotransmitter does it make? What are the 3 disease associations?
Basal forebrain
ACh
Increased in Parkinson
Decreased in Alzheimer (characteristics) and Huntington
Where is nucleus accumbens and what neurotransmitter does it make? What are the 2 disease associations?
Basal forebrain
GABA
Decreased in anxiety and Huntington
What waveforms are assc. w/ awake (eyes open and eyes closed)?
Eyes open: beta (same wave as REM) - highest freq and lowest amp
Eyes close: alpha
What is N1 sleep and what waveform is assc. w/ it?
Light sleep
Theta
What is N2 sleep and what waveforms are assc. w/ it?
Deeper sleep, longest of NREM; gets bruxism
Sleep spindles and K complexes
What is N3 sleep and what waveform is assc. w/ it?
Deepest NREM; gets sleep walking, night terrors, bed wetting
Delta - lowest freq and highest amp -> alcohol, benzo and barbiturates shortens this phase
What waveform is assc w/ REM sleep?
Beta (same wave as awake w/ eyes open) - highest freq and lowest amp
NE, alcohol, benzo and barbiturates shortens REM
What cerebellar peduncle mediates contralateral input from cortex?
MCP
What cerebellar peduncle mediates ipsilateral input from spinal cord?
ICP
What cerebellar peduncle mediates output from contralateral cortex?
SCP
But crosses again before UMN, so output ends up being IPSILATERAL to the commanding CORTEX
What movement disorder are beta blockers used for?
Essential tremor - most common movement disorder, AD (so familial) -> sx improved w/ alcohol consumption, worsened w/ particular posture like when holding objects, as opposed to at rest like Parkinson
Spatial neglect. Where’s the lesion?
Right parietal-temporal cortex
Agraphia, acalculia, finger agnosia, left-right disorientation. Where’s the lesion?
Left parietal-temporal cortex
Truncal ataxia + dysarthria (define). Where’s the lesion?
Cerebellar vermis
Dysarthria = motor inability to speak
PPRF lesion. What happen to eyes?
Look away from lesion
FEF lesion. What happen to eyes?
Look toward side of lesion
Lesion above rostral midbrain. What’s the posture?
Decorticate - elbows flexed
Lesion below rostral midbrain. What’s the posture?
Decerebrate - elbows extended
Lesion to arcuate fasciculus (left sup temporal lobe and/or left supramarginal gyrus). What happens to fluency, comprehension, repetition?
This is conduction aphasia
Fluent speech
Good comprehension
Poor repetition
Transcortical motor aphasia. What happens to fluency, comprehension, repetition?
Non fluent speech
Good comprehension
Good repetition (signature of transcortical aphasia)
Transcortical sensory aphasia. What happens to fluency, comprehension, repetition?
Fluent speech
Poor comprehension
Good repetition (signature of transcortical aphasia)
Mixed transcortical aphasia. What happens to fluency, comprehension, repetition?
Non fluent speech
Poor comprehension
Good repetition (signature of transcortical aphasia)
What’s the difference between hemiparesis and hemiplegia?
Hemiparesis - weakness
Hemiplegia - complete paralysis
A spectrum
What are the defects in medial medullary syndrome and what vessel is responsible?
Defects: most distinctive is tongue deviation to affected side
Also have contralat hemiparesis&proprioception of all limbs
Paramedian branches of ASA (ant spinal artery, comes off of vertebral arteries) and vertebral artery
What are the defects in lateral medullary syndrome and what vessel is responsible?
Defects: most distinctive is dysphagia & hoarseness (from nucleus ambiguus)
Also have decreased pain&temp from contralat body but ipsilat face, ipsilat Horner, ataxia, dysmetria (ICP)
PICA
What are the defects in lateral pontine syndrome and what vessel is responsible?
Defects: most distinctive is face PARALYSIS
Also have other face defects and decreased hearing, ipsilat Horner, ataxia, dysmetria (MCP and ICP)
AICA
What are 3 ways to get locked-in syndrome?
CPM (rapid correction of hyponatremia)
Basillar artery stroke
Pontine hemorrhage or tumor
Can still blink and have preserved consciousness
Aneurysm rupture in PCom. What’s the most distinctive defect?
CN III pasy (eye down and out, ptosis, pupil dilation)
Hx of stroke, now have numbness and tingling followed b allodynia and dysaesthesia. Where’s the lesion
Thalamus
“Central post-stroke syndrome”
Cerebral stroke resulting in one of the sx being urinary incontinence. What’s the area involved and what artery is responsible?
Mesial frontal lobe and cigulate gyrus -> micturition center
ACA
What brain structure does Wilson’s disease like?
Putamen (cystic degeneration)
Other basal ganglia structures
Give 3 types of common focal dystonias (sustained contractions)
Spasmodic torticollis
Blepharospasm (eyelids)
Writer’s camp
Give 4 examples of myoclonus (brief contractions)
Common: hiccups, hypnic jerk (when falling asleep)
Pathologic: epilepsy and Creutzfeldt-Jakob
Paralysis of upward gaze & convergence. What’s the syndrome and where’s the lesion?
Parinaud syndrome (dorsal midbrain syndrome) Compression of the tectal area of midbrain (such as by pineal germinoma) -> upward gaze paralysis is from compression on CN III and IV
Give 3 main findings of pineal germinoma
Parinaud syndrome (from compressing tectal area of midbrain -> paralysis of upward gaze & convergence) Precocious puberty (from b-HCG secretion) Obstructive hydrocephalus (aqueductal compression)
Germinoma is the most common tumor of pineal gland, similar histologically to testicular seminoma. It’s a tumor “above diaphragma sellae.”
Where’s CTZ (chemoreceptor trigger zone)?
Area postrema, which lies in the dorsal surface of the medulla at the caudal end of 4th ventricle
5 steps in the timeline of neuronal ischemic injury?
12-48 hrs: red neurons (eosinophilic cyto, pyknotic nuclei, loss of Nissl)
1-3 days: necrosis + neutrophils
3-5 days: microglia (cells that stain + for lipids -> eat myelin breakdown products)
1-2 wks: reactive gliosis (periphery) & vascular proliferation (liquefactive necrosis 1 wk-1 mo)
> 2 wks: glial scar (cystic area surrounded by gliosis by > 1 mo)
Name 4 sx of narcolepsy besides excessive daytime sleepiness
Sleep attack
Hallucinations (hypnagogic, hypnopompic)
Cataplexy
Sleep paralysis
Most common cause of blindness in ppl over 50 yo
Macular degeneration -> leading to central scotoma (discrete area of impairment surrounded by normal vision)
2 types: dry (deposition of fatty tissue “drusen” behind retina) and wet (neovascularization of the retina)
Why is visual acuity in macula (esp fovea) greater than any other areas in the retina?
Because one macular cone only synapses to one bipolar cell, which only synapses to one ganglion cell
What’s one way you can get binasal hemianopsia?
Calcified carotid arteries
Differences between complications of congenital hydrocephalus and acquired hydrocephalus?
Congenital: UMN signs (hyperreflexia, muscle hypertonicity), irritability, poor feeding, macrocephaly
Acquired: infection, tumor, SAH
What 3 other things do you get with CN VII palsy besides facial paralysis?
Loss of taste in anterior 2/3 of tongue
Hyperacusis (over-sensitivity to certain frequencies and volume ranges) -> from stapedius paralysis
Decreased tearing/lacrimation (VII innervates lacrimal, submandibular, and sublingual glands)
Where is meningioma commonly found? What’s the cell of origin and what do you see under microscope?
Attached to dura on lateral hemispheric fissure or parasagittal aspect of brain convexity (so incl sphenoid wing and olfactory groove -> suspect if present w/ headache and anosmia)
Arise from arachnoid villi
See whorled pattern and psammoma bodies
6 sx of ammonia intoxication and mechanism?
Tremor (asterixis), speech slurring, somnolence, vomiting, cerebral edema, vision blurring
From excess NH4+ depleting alpha ketoglutarate -> inhibition of TCA cycle
What do you find on autopsy in people w/ Wernicke encephalopathy?
Foci of hemorrhage and necrosis in mamillary bodies and periaqueductal gray matter
4 common sx that MS pts usually present w/? What makes these sx worse?
Optic neuritis & pain w/ eye movement, INTERNUCLEAR OPHTHALMOPLEGIA (MLF lesion), sensory deficits (incl bladder and bowel dysfx), cerebellar dysfx
Worsened w/ heat (like getting out of hot shower or after intense exercise) bc of decreased axonal transmission assc w/ heat
What’s amaurosis fugax and what context do you get it?
Transient monocular blindness
See this in TIA (< 24 hrs)
3 dopaminergic pathways and assc. disease?
- mesolimbic-mesocortical -> regulates behavior -> assc. w/ schizophrenia (overactive)
- nigrostriatal -> coordination of voluntary movement -> assc. w/ Parkinson
- Tuberoinfundibular -> control of prolactin secretion -> hyperprolactinemia
“spongiform transformation of cerebral cortex”?
Creutzfeldt-Jakob
vacuoles in gray matter w/ no inflammatory changes
3 progression of neurologic measles
W/in days: encephalitis
W/in weeks: acute disseminated encephalomyelitis
W/in years: subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (oligoclonal bands of measles Ab found in CSF)
“brain bx w/ focal demyelinated plaques w/ relative axonal sparing”?
MS
Dx of gait dysfx + executive fx loss + vertical gaze palsy
Progressive supranuclear palsy -> a form of parkinsonism from degeneration of midbrain and subcortical white matter
Ear innervations?
Posterior auditory canal: vagal n (small auricular branch) -> so pressing too hard can result in vasovagal syncope
Remainder of external auditory canal: V3 (auriculotemporal branch)
Inner surface of tympanic membrane & ET: glossopharyngeal n (tympanic branch)
Middle ear: facial n. -> innervates stapedius m. (so bell’s palsy will include hyperacusis and ear pain); V3 -> innervates tensor tympani m. (dampening sound transmission)
Stabbing (lancinating) pain + paresthesias + ataxia esp in the dark + areflexia + positive Romberg + loss of bladder fx. Where’s the damage?
Damage to dorsal columns of spinal cord (precipitated by damage to nerves in dorsal roots -> 2ndary demyelination & loss of axon w/in dorsal columns) -> suspect tabes dorsalis
Ataxia prevails in the dark b/c loss of proprioception is usually compensated for by visual cues
3 synapses in the pupilary light reflex pathway?
CNII -> 1st synapse in pretectal nucleus (level of sup. colliculus) -> 2nd synapse bilaterally in Edinger-Westphal nucleus (same level) -> CN III (same level) -> 3rd synapse in ciliary ganglion -> miosis
Developmental milestones in 12-mo (gross motor, fine motor, language, social/cognitive)
Gross motor: stands, walks first steps, throws ball
Fine motor: PINCER GRASP
Language: 1st word
Social/cognitive: separation anxiety, follows 1-step command w/ gesture
Developmental milestones in 18-mo (gross motor, fine motor, language, social/cognitive)
Gross motor: runs, kicks ball
Fine motor: remove clothing
Language: 10-25 words
Social/cognitive: pretend play, understands “mine”
Developmental milestones in 2-yo (gross motor, fine motor, language, social/cognitive)
Gross motor: jump
Fine motor: copies a LINE, turn pages
Language: 2-word phrases
Social/cognitive: PARALLEL PLAY, toilet-training begins
Developmental milestones in 3-yo (gross motor, fine motor, language, social/cognitive)
Gross motor: tricycle
Fine motor: copies a CIRCLE, uses UTELSILS
Language: 3-word phrases
Social/cognitive: IMAGINATIVE PLAY, knows age/gender
Developmental milestones in 4-yo (gross motor, fine motor, language, social/cognitive)
Gross motor: balances/hops on 1 foot
Fine motor: copies a SQUARE
Language: 100% intelligible speech
Social/cognitive: COOPERATIVE PLAY
Developmental milestones in 5-yo (gross motor, fine motor, language, social/cognitive)
Gross motor: skips, walks backward
Fine motor: copies a TRIANGLE, dressing/bathing, prints letters
Language: 5-word sentences, counts to 10
Social/cognitive: friends, completes toilet-training
Cause of rapid plasma decay of barbiturates?
Tissue redistribution
NOT metabolism
Cell composition of choroid plexus?
Outgrowths of pia mater capillaries (fenestrated) covered by ependymal cells
What’s pseudomotor cerebri and what’s the pt population?
Elevated ICP -> unknown etiology but thought to be related to cerebral venous outflow abnormalities
Classically occurs in young overweight women
DD for childhood tumor in cerebellum?
Most common benign (and overall): pilocytic astrocytomas -> cystic w/ tumor nodule protruding from wall -> see Rosenthal fibers too
Most common malignant (and 2nd most common overall): medulloblastoma -> solid and most commonly in vermis -> sheets of small blue cells w/ scant cyto
Rosettes in childhood tumor?
Ependymomas
Rosettes: gland-like structures
Present w/ hydrocephalus
Location of glioblastoma multiforme? Histological features?
W/in hemispheres (frontal, temporal, or near basal ganglia) -> ring-enhancing lesion, might cross midline
Histology: pseudopalisading necrosis w/ vascular proliferation (hemorrhage)
What does oligodendroma look like? Pt population?
Well-circumscribed gray masses in white matter of frontal lobe, might have calcifications (NO necrosis or hemorrhage typically)
40-50 yo
What is atrophy of hippocampus and temporoparietal lobes suggestive of?
Alzheimer’s (also diffuse brain atrophy too)
3 most common cause of SICH (spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage) in young adults?
- AVM (might lead to SAH)
- ruptured cerebral aneurysms
- abuse of sympathomimetic drugs (ie cocaine)
What heart condition is assc. w/ ruptured cerebral aneuryms?
Coarctation of the aorta -> assc. w/ berry aneurysms of the circle of willis
What are pts w/ adult-type coarctation of the aorta commonly die of?
HTN-assc. complications -> LV failure, ruptured dissecting aortic aneuryms, intracranial hemorrhage
Resulting defect from lesion in optic nerve? Optic tract? Lateral geniculate body? Meyer’s loop? Parietal lobe? Visual cortex?
Optic nerve: ipsi loss of vision + abnormal pupillary light reflex (afferent limb defect)
Optic tract (meaning after chiasm): contralat homonymous hemianopia + abnormal pupillary light reflex (afferent limb defect)
Lateral geniculate body & optic radiation: contralat homonymous hemianopia w/out reflex abnormality
Meyer’s loop: contralat UPPER homonymous quadrantic anopia (pie in the sky)
Dorsal optic radiation (parietal lobe): contralat LOWER homonymous quadrantic anopia
Visual cortex: contralat homonymous hemianopia w/ macular sparing w/out reflex abnormality
What 4 structures does optic tract project to?
Lateral geniculate nucleus: for seeing
Pretectal nucleus: for light reflex
Sup. colliculus: for reflex gaze
Suprachiasmatic nucleus: for circadian rhythms
Defect from lesion in the frontal eye field?
Eye deviate toward the lesion (b/c the other FEF predominates)
(right FEF generates conjugate gaze to the left, left FEF generates conjugate gaze to the right)
Infant born to mother who lives on the street and has little prenatal care. Presenting w/ shrill crying, tremor, mydriasis, rhinorrhea, sneezing, diarrhea, and maybe seizure. What should you suspect? How long after birth does it present? What’s the tx?
Neonatal opioid withdrawal
24-48 hrs after birth
Fix w/ tincture of opium or paregoric (not preferred due to potentially toxic ingredients)