Neuro Flashcards
Stages of ALS
Stage III
- Severe weakness of specific muscles
- Increasing fatigue
- Mild to moderate functional limitations
- Ambulatory
Neurotmesis
- Class 3
- Cutting of the nerve w/ severance of all structures and complete loss of function
- Reinnervation typically fails w/o surgical intervention because of aberrant regeneration
- Failure of regenerating axon to find its terminal end
LE Extension Synergy Components
Strong Components:
- Hip Abduction
- Knee Extension
- Ankle Plantarflexion
Other Components:
- Hip extension
- IR
- Ankle Inversion
Temororal Lobe Area
- Contains:
- Primary Auditory Cortex
- Associative Auditory Cortex
- Wernicke’s Area
Patients w/ T12-L3 Lesions
- Can be independent ambulator on all surfaces/stairs
- Swing-Through/Four-Point Gait
- Bilateral KAFOs/Crutches
- Household Ambulators
- WC Community Ambulator
Fibrillation
- Spontaneous independent contractions of individual muscle fibers
- Evident w/ denervation for 1-3 weeks after losing nerve
Anterior Cord Syndrome: UMN Lesion
Loss of anterior cord:
- Loss of Lateral Corticospinal Tracts
- Bilateral loss of motor function, spastic paralysis below level of lesion
- Loss of Spinothalamic Tracts
- Bilateral loss of pain and temperature
- Preservation of Dorsal Columns
- Proprioception, kinesthesia, and vibratory sense
Glasgow Coma Scale
Score 13-15
Minor Brain Injury
Hoehn and Yahr Classification
Stage II
- Minimal bilateral or midline involvement
- No balance involvement
Stages of AD
Moderate AD
- Noticable memory, thinking, and behavioral symptoms that impair a person’s ability to function in daily life
Spinothalamic Tracts
- Lateral
- Sensations of Pain and Temperature
- Anterior
- Crude Touch
Occipital Lobe Area
- Primary Visual Cortex
- Visual Association Cortex
Most Common Lumbar SCI Injury
Flexion
ACA Blood Supply
Anterior two-thirds of the medial cerebral cortex
Functional Balance Grade: Fair
- Patient is able to maintain steady balance with hand-hold support; may require occasional minimal assistance (static).
- Patient accepts minimal challenge; able to maintain balance while turning head/trunk (dynamic).
Stages of ALS
Stage II
- Moderate weakness in groups of muscles
- Some wasting (atrophy) of muscles
- Modified independence w/ assistive devices
Fasciculations
- Spontaneous contractions of all or most of the fiber in a motor unit
- Muscle twitches that can be observed or palpated
- Present w/ LMN disorders and denervation
Posterior Cord Syndrome: UMN Lesion
Loss of dorsal columns:
- Bilateral Loss of Proprioception, Vibration, Pressure,
- Epicritic Sensation (Stereognosis/Point Discrimination)
- Preservation of Motor Function, Pain, and Light Touch
Reticulospinal System
Modifies Transmission of Sensation, Especially Pain
Brudzinski’s Sign
- Patient is positioned in supine; flex neck to chest
- Positive sign: causes flexion of hips and knees
- Suggests meningeal irritation
Patients w/ C5 Lesions
- Have Shoulder/Elbow Function
- Can use manual chair w/ propulsion aids
- Independent for short distances on smooth/flat surfaces
- May choose electric WC for distances/energy conservation
Figure-Ground Discrimination
Ability to pick out an object from an array of objects
Ex: brakes from a WC
Typical Neurological Gait Deficits
Ankle
- Equinus Gait
- Varus Foot
- Equinovarus Position
Medial Medullary Syndrome
Ipsilateral to lesion:
- Paralysis of Half of Tongue
Contralateral to lesion:
- Hemiplegia UE/LE
- Impaired Sensation
Stages of ALS
Stage IV
- Severe weakness and wasting of LEs
- Mild weakness of UEs
- Moderate assistance and assistive devices required
- Uses WC
Segmental Demyelination
- Axons are preserved (no wallerian degeneration)
- Remyelination restores function
- ex: Guillain-Barre
Cheyne-Stoke Respiration
- A period of apnea lasting 10-60 seconds
- Gradually increasing depth/frequency of respirations
- Accompanies depression of frontal lobe/diencephalic dysfunction
Depth and Distance Imperceptions
Determine whether a patient can judge depth and distance
Stages of ALS
Stage V
- Progressive weakness w/ deterioration of mobility/endurance
- Increased fatigue
- Moderate to severe weakness of whole limbs/trunk
- Spasticity
- Hyperreflexia
- Loss of head control
- Max assist
Opisthotonos
- Prolonged, severe spasm of muscles, causing head, back, andheels to arch backward
- Arms and hands are held regidly flexed
- Seen in severe meningitis, tetanus, epilepsy, and strychnine poisoning
Patients w/ C8-T1 Lesions
- Have Hand Function
- Manual WC w/ standard hand rims
Midbrain Lesion
- Contralateral Hemiplegia
- Contralateral CN III palsy
Stages of AD
Mild AD
- Mild by measurable changes in cofnitive abilities noticeable to person affected and family members
- Able to carry out everyday activities
Spinoreticular Tracts
Convey Deep and Chronic Pain
Stages of AD
Preclincal AD
- Individuals have measureable changes in brain CSF/blood biomarkers w/out noticeable symptoms
Axonal Degeneration
- Degeneration of axon cylinder and myelin
- Progressing from distal to proximal
- Dying back of nerves
- ex: peripheral neuropathy
Typical Neurological Gait Deficits
Hip
- Retracted/Flexed
- Trendeleburg Limp (Weak Abductors)
- Scisoring (Spastic Adductors)
- Insufficient Pelvic Rotation during Swing
Lesions of Neocerebellum (Hemisphere, Posterior Lobe)
- Intention Tremor
- Irregular/Oscillatory Voluntary Movements
- Dysdiadochokinesia
- Dysmetria
- Hypermetria
- Errors or Force, Direction, Amplitude, Rebound Phenonmenon
- Dyssynergia
Rancho Los Amigos Levels of Cognitive Function
Level IV, V, and VI
Confused
Parietal Lobe Area
- Contains:
- Postcentral Gyrus (Primary Sensory Cortex)
Neck Mobility Test for Meningeal Irritation
- Patient is positioned in supine, flex neck to check
- Positive sign: neck pain w/ limitation/guarding of head flexion due to spasm of posterior neck muscles
- Can result from meningeal inflammation, arthritis, or neck injury
Guidelines to Promote Learning
W/ Right Hemisphere Lesions
- Use verbal cues
- Demonstrations or gestures may confuse patients w/ visuospatial deficits
- Give frequent feedback
- focus on slowing down and controlling movement
- Focus on safety
- Avoid environmental (spatial) clutter
- Do not overestimate ability to learn
MCA Bloody Supply
Lateral cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and large portions of the internal capsule
UE Extension Synergy Components
Strong Components:
- Shoulder Adduction
Other Components:
- Scapular Protraction
- IR,
- Elbow Extension,
- Forearm Pronation
- Wrist and Finger Flexion
Gross Motor Classification for CP
Level II
- Walks w/o assistive devices
- Limitations walking outdoors/community
Dorsal Columns/Medial Lemniscal System
- Convey sensations of:
- Proprioception
- Vibration
- Tactile Discrimination
Functional Balance Grade: Poor
- Patient requires hand-hold support and moder to maximal assistance to maintain position (static).
- Patient unable to accept challenge or move without loss of balance (dynamic).