Neuro Flashcards
Within how many hours of a stroke can alteplase be given?
After this time, what should be given?
4.5 hours
After this: 300mg Aspirin + 300mg Clopidogrel
Long term Rx given after a stroke if its not due to AF?
ACS
Antihypertensive
Clopidogrel 75mg
Statin (20mg Atorvastatin)
If someone is thought to have had a stroke 3 hours ago what test needs to be done before commencing treatment?
CT head to exclude a bleed
How does idiopathic parkinson’s typically present differently to vascular parkinsonism
Vascular parkinsonism- tends to be bilateral and affect lower limb worse
Idiopathic parkinson’s- tends to be unilateral and affect upper limb
Which symptom is most crucial to diagnose Parkinson’s?
Bradykinese
+ resting tremor/rigidity/postural instability
Which non-motor symptoms after often positive in early Parkinson’s disease?
Loss of smell
Lewy body in enteric NS- constipation, overactive bladder
What two symptoms make stroke less likely than other neuro diagnoses?
Loss of consciousness/syncope
Seizure activity
(Hemiplegic migrane, Todd’s palsy)
What are the RR, HR, peak flow values and symptoms characteristic of severe acute asthma?
RR above 25
HR above 110
Peak flow between 30-50% of patient’s best
Inability to complete a sentence in one breath
What signs, peak flow, PaO2 or SpO2 suggest life-threatening asthma?
When they are getting tired: Peak flow below 150L/min PaO2 below 8kPa SpO2 below 92% Silent chest, cyanosis, feeble respiratory effort Exhaustion, coma, confusion HR
What peak flow suggests moderate asthma?
50-70% of normal
What is the pyramidal distribution of weakness seen in upper motor neuron lesions?
Weakness of
Arm extensors
Leg flexors
So think of a stroke patient, flexed arms + straight legs
UMN lesion Vs LMN lesion
UMN: spastic
hyperreflexic
Babinski +ve, upgoing plantars
Pyramidal muscle weakness (arm extensors, leg flexors)
LMN: flaccid
Hyporeflexic
wasting
± fasciculation
A man has a cranial nerve palsy on his left side and weakness of arm movements on his right. Roughly where is the lesion?
Left brainstem
Pain and temperature nerves travel along which tracts of the spinal cord?
Anterolateral (spinothalamic) tract
AL for ALert for danger (heat/pain)
Joint position and vibration travels along which tracts of the spinal cord?
Dorsal columns
Door bell vibrates. Open close the door
What is the pattern of weakness in Guillain-Barré syndrome?
Proximal muscles first
Patient has lost vibration and proprioception on his left side and temperature and pain sense on his right side. Which side of the spinal cord is the hemi-cord lesion on?
Left side
Ipsilateral dorsal and contralateral anterolateral tracts affected
Dorsal (ring doorbell + open door, proprioception + vibration)
Anterolateral (ALert to pain + temp)
Patient has a stroke and is dizzy and deaf afterwards, which artery is affected?
Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
A patient has a stroke and is left feeling dizzy with inability to swallow and speech abnormalities, which artery has been affected?
PICA- posterior inferior cerebellar artery
Dizzy + Dysphasic + Dysphonic
Right homonymous hemianopia with macular sparing. Which artery is affected?
Left posterior cerebral artery
Locked in syndrome is caused by damage to which part of the brain?
Ventral pons
Pontine artery occlusion
Signs of cerebellar lesion?
DASHING Dysdiadokinesis (alternate clapping) Dysmetria (past pointing) Ataxia Slurred speech Hypotonia Intention tremor Nystagmus Gait abnormality
Patient has right-sided deafness, nystagmus, reduced corneal reflex, right sided cerebellar signs (DASHING). Where is the lesion?
Right (ipsilateral) cerebellopontine angle
Could be due to acoustic neuroma or vestibular Schwannoma
During a seizure an EEG pattern shows a 3s spike and wave pattern. What type of seizure is this associated with?
Absence seizures (a specific type of generalised seziure)
What is the main difference between complex and simple partial seizures?
Simple- remain aware
Complex- unaware/semi-conscious
A young man develops UMN signs, becomes withdrawn and has myoclonic jerking. What is the differential?
Dementia with myoclonus: creutzfeldt-jakob disease
Brain tumour
HIV- dementia
Wilson’s, Huntington’s
Wher does proprioception and vibration sense travel in the spinal cord?
Ring the doorbell (vibration), open (proprioception) the DOORsal columns
Where do pain and temperature small fibres travel within the spinal cord?
Pain + temperature = ALert
Anterolateral tract
Dorsal columns for proprioception and vibration large fibres
Where do motor fibres run in the spinal cord?
Ventral (front) and lateral (sides) corticospinal tract
Like an air hostess
What pattern of sensory and function loss occurs in a Brown Sequard picture (hemi-cord lesion)?
Dorsal column loss ipsilateral to the side of the lesion Spinothalamic loss (pain + temperature) contralateral- wants to run away fast so decussates across on entering cord
Spasticity gives way to what pattern of increased tone when tested?
Velocity dependent, clasp knife
From UMN lesions
What signs make a primary muscle wasting disease more likely than a LMN lesion?
Syemmetry, reflexes are lost later
No sensory loss
Anterior cerebral infarcts tend to affect upper or lower limb worse?
Lower
If the middle cerebral artery is infarcted on the dominant or non-dominant hemisphere, how will the symptoms differ?
Dominant- dysphasia (speech) or cognitive change
Non-dominant- visuospatial (cannot dress, gets lost)
Which cerebral arteries make give rise to a homonymous hemianopia if infarcted?
Posterior (macular sparing) or middle cerebral- hemianopia would be on the contralateral side
Dizziness following a stroke suggests involvement of which part of the brain?
Cerebellar
How do symptoms differ if a stroke occurs in the superior vs the anterior or posterior inferior cerebellar arteries?
infarction in inferior arteries gives worse symptoms
SCA- dizzy
AICA- dizzy and deaf
PICA- dizzy and dysphagic (swallowing) and dysphonic (sound production)
Which arteries if occluded give rise to a lateral medullary syndrome?
(Vertigo, vomiting, dysphagia, ipsilateral Horner’s, nystagmus, crossed sensory loss)
Posterior inferior cerebral artery or one vertebra; artery
Infarcting the lateral medulla and inferior cerebellum
If someone has Horner’s sign on their left, which post inferior cerebellar artery has been wiped out?
The left (ipsilateral)- cranial nerves do not really decussate (bar CNIV) Motor cortex fibres travel in the corticobulbar tracts and synapse in the midbrain, pons or medulla to form the nuclei of the CNs. The postganglionic nerves (CNs are on the side they innervate, do not really decussate unlike the corticospinal tract nerves which deucssate in the pyramids of the medulla
In locked in syndrome, which artery is affected?
Pontine artery occlusion causing ventral pons damage
BP is more than 20mmHg different in each arm, and after using his arm the patient finds it hard to remember things and where he is. Syndrome?
Subclavian steal syndrome, stenosis of the subclavian artery proximal to the branch of the vertebral artery leads to retrograde blood flow from the vertebral artery into the arm
Enhancing GABA inhibitory inputs is useful in the Rx of which conditions?
Epilepsy (valproate)
Neuropathic pain (gabapentin)
Spasticity (baclofen, benzodiazepines)
Name two 5-HT agonists?
5-HT1a = lithium 5-HT1d = sumitriptan
Ondansetron and clozapine antagonise which type of 5-Ht receptors?
Ondansetron: 5-HT 3
Cloazapine: 5-HT 2c
What are the different functions mediated by a, b1 and b2 adrenergic receptors?
Alpha- vasoconstriction and pupillary dilatation
Beta 1- pulse and stroke volume
Beta 2- bronchodilation, uterine relaxation and vasodilation
How do acamprosate and bupropion act in helping people give up addictions?
Acamprosate is a gluatamate antagonist, reducing cravings
Disulfiram produces a nasty reaction on drinking alcohol
Naltrexone reduces the pleasure and cravings of alcohol
When do you stop giving acamprosate to help someone quit drinking if they are still drinking?
After 4-6 weeks
Dermatome of nipples and umbilicus?
T4 nipples
T10 umbilicus
Sensory innervation to the back of the hand?
Ulnar 1.5 fingers
Mostly radial nerve, except fingertips (median nerve)
Sensory innervation of the palm?
Mostly median nerve
Except 1.5 fingers on ulnar side (ulnar nerve)