Neuro Flashcards
First line tx for pseudotumor cerebri (looks like pt has mass but don’t actually see one when imaging)
Acetazolamide (decreases CSF production by inhibiting choroid plexus anhydrase)
T/F: GBS is always preceded by GI illness/diarrhea
false, can be after URI
Tx for GBS
IVIG or Plasmapharesis
CSF fluid in GBS pt
Increased protein, normal wbc, normal glucose, normal rbc
+ Ice pack test
Myasthenia Gravis…ice pack leads to improvement of ptosis
Dementia + hallucinations/cognitive fluctuations/parkinsonism
Lewy body dementia
Abortive tx for migraines
Sumatriptan, NSAID, Metoclopromide (anti-emetic)
Prophylactic (preventative) for migraines
Topiramate, Propranolol
Patient is having a suspected stroke. Next step in mgmt?
CT head without contrast: Rule out intracranial hemorrhage
Sxs of Subarachnoid hemorrhage (i.e. hemorrhagic stroke)
Sudden-onset of severe headache that may be ass. with brief loss of consciousness, N/V, meningismus
(ischemic stroke has acute onset neuro sxs w/o HA or LOC)
T/F: You expect to see neuromuscular (asterixis, bradykinesia) and focal neuro deficits in metabolic encephalopathy
False, no neuro deficits
Ataxia, encephalopathy, ocular dysf(x)
Wernicke Encephalopathy –> most commonly seen in malnourished pts/alcoholics
Riluzole is a _____ inhibitor used to tx ______
Glutamate inhibitor; ALS
What is myasthenic crisis and what precipitates it?
Increased general/oropharyngeal weakness + respiratory insufficiency/dyspnea. ppt by infection, surgery, meds. Tx = intubation + Plasmapharesis/IVIG (not increasing MG drugs)
weakness, fatigue, muscle cramps, flat t waves, diuretic use
Hypokalemia
fluid-filled cavity within cervical and thoracic spinal cord most commonly ass. with Chiari I
Syringomyelia
Areflexic weakness in UE + sensory loss in a cape distribution
Syringomyelia
Degeneration of the dorsal and lateral white matter/tracts of spinal cord
= Subacute combined degen = B12 def
impaired vibration/proprioception + spastic muscle weakness
Tx for tic doulereux (trigeminal neuralgia)
Carbamazepine
T/F: Weakness and muscle wasting is seen in LMN lesion, not UMN lesion
False, it can be seen in both `
How to tx cancer pain?
Mild/moderate: nsaids/acetaminophen
Severe: SHORT acting opioids (morphine, hydromorphone). can later add long-acting.
Patient with altered brain function likely has ______itis, not _______itis
encephalitis, not meningitis
CSF findings of lymphocytic pleocytosis (increased lymphocytes), normal opening pressure, increased protein and rbc, normal glucose
HSV encephalitis
bacterial has decreased glucose and increased neutrophils
most common site ulnar nerve entrapment
elbow (medial epicondylar groove)…decrease 4/5 digit sensation + weak grip (interosseous mm)
Parkinsons tremors are more pronounced with ______ and _______
Distractibility (performing mental tasks) and re-emergence (tremor goes away with movement and comes back once you stop)
–>due to loss of DA neurons in basal ganglia
Papilledema, HA, vision loss, CN 6 palsy, normal CT
Pseudotumor cerebri (idiopathic intracranial htn)
medications than cause pseudotumor
Growth hormone
Tetracyclines
Excessive vitamin A and derivs (Isoretinoin, ATRA)
unilateral foot drop (steppage gait) is caused by:
Peroneal neuropathy or L5 radiculopathy
rapid dementia, possibly young patient, and +Myoclonus and triphasic discharges on EEG
CJD
Early onset dementia (30-50), grimacing, ataxic gait, progressive choreoform movements
Huntington’s Dz (AD chrom 4 defect, striatal neuro degen)
how can you differentiate spinal cord compression from GBS in a patient with LE weakness/neuropathy?
Spinal: possibly back pain. +UMN sxs i.e. + Babinski, hyperreflexia. Sensory findings and motor
GBS: Motor. no UMN signs.
Tremor thats exacerbated by caffeine, anxiety, or other SNS activity
Physiologic tumor
Tx of restless leg syndrome (usually worse at night)
Dopamine agonists (pramiprexole, ropinorole). Also, Iron supplementation if IDA.
most common cause of intracranial hemorrhage in children
AV malformation rupture
rupture of meningeal artery
Epidural hematoma (2 to trauma)`
ruptured saccular (berry) aneurysms cause:
subarachnoid hemorrhage
vertigo, tinnitius, sensorineural hearing loss
Menieres dz
weakness more pronounced in upper extremities, following hyperextension injury in elderly with pre-existing degenerative changes
Central Cord syndrome
-b/c UE motor fibers are closer to central part of Corticospinal tract
bilateral LMN spastic paresis following anterior spinal artery occlusion
Anterior Cord syndrome
Sxs in thrombotic vs embolic ischemic strokes
thrombotic: sxs fluctuate…stuttering progression with periods of improvement
embolic: rapid onset with maximal sxs @ onset
monocular vision loss, painful eye movements, afferent pupillary defect
Optic neuritis (first sx of MS)
most common cause of CN III palsy in adults
Ischemic neuropathy secondary to Diabetes
-Ptosis, Down-and-out gaze (lost EOMs), preserved pupillary response (vs Nerve compression you lose pupillary response!)
how do you differentiate btwn CN III nerve compression vs ischemia? (palsy)
compression: impaired pupillary response (b/c parasympathetic fibers)
ischemia: preserved pupillary response
both have down and out gaze, ptosis
why get a chest CT whens suspecting myasthenia gravis?
Thymoma (anterior mediastinal mass)
major cause of death from SAH within 24 hours
rebleeding
major cause of delayed morbidity and mortality (3-10 days) after SAH
Vasospasm
how do you prevent post-SAH vasospasm (usually days 3-10)
Nimodipine
Xanthochromia in CSF (LP)
SAH
Patient with myasthenia gravis develops respiratory insufficiency after recent infection, surgery, pregnancy, or meds (fluoroquinolones, beta blockers, etc)
Myasthenic Crisis….life-threatening
unilateral retro-orbital pain + ipsilateral autonomic manifestations (ptosis, rhinorhea, miosis). Has redness with tearing but no visual changes.
cluster headaches
how can you differentiate btwn thiamine deficiency (wernicke) and b12 def in an anorexic patient with neuro sxs?
Thiamine: +oculomotor sxs, mental status changes
B12: mental status changes without oculomotor sxs
who gets Wernicke Encephalopathy?
Alcoholics, but ALSO
Anorexics
Hyperemesis Gravidarum
clinical features of wernicke encephalopathy?
Oculomotor changes (i.e. nystagmus)
Postural/gait ataxia
Encephalopathy
T/F: Presence of hallucinations makes a psychotic disorder more likely than delirium in an elder adult
False, hallucinations can occur during delirum
risk factors for delirium
Age Prior stroke Dementia Parkinson's dz sensory impairment
How can you differentiate btwn alzheimers and NPH in a patient that is wet, wobbly, wacky?
Initially memory problems: Alzheimers
Initially gait difficulties: NPH
I.e. if urinary incontinence for years and then memory problems and last gait, still alzheimers
damage to optic nerve vs opthalmic branch of trigeminal
Optic: Monocular blindness! and afferent pupillary defect
Ophtalmic: loss of sensation over eye, i.e. corneal abrasion but not feeling eye pain.
what is positional claudication and when is it seen in relation to back pain?
Pain that is positional…_when upright with exercise but relieved by sitting. Seen in Spinal stenosis i.e. lumbar stenosis. Need an MRI
When would you suspect spinal stenosis (i.e. lumbar stenosis) and what would be your next step?
When patient has positional claudication in reference to back pain (worse when standing better when sitting).
MRI MRI MRI MRI MRI MRI
what is transverse myelitis and who gets it?
MS patients (after optic neuritis). -sensorimotor loss below level of lesion with bowel and bladder dysf(x). Initiallly flaccid paralysis, then hyper reflexia and spastic paralysis
what is internuclear opthalmoplegia and who gets it?
MS patients (after optic neuritis) -demyeline MLF = impaired conjugate gaze so ipsilateral eye can't adduct
compression of spinal nerve roots i.e. from metastatic prostate cancer, disc herniation, spinal stenosis, etc
Cauda equina syndrome