Neuro Flashcards
Dominant hemisphere malfunction symptoms
Aphasia
Alexia
Agraphia
Acalculia
Left-right disorientation
Non-dominant hemisphere malfunction
Hemineglect
Dysprosody (pseudo-foreign accent syndrome)
Amusia (inability to recognize or reproduce musical tones)
Constructional apraxia
Cortical vs subcortical (internal capsule) paresis
Cortical: different effect on face and arm vs legs
Subcortical: equal face, arm, leg involvement. Contralateral dysmetria, clumsiness. W/O sensory/cortical deficit
Thalamus defect
Contralateral dense sensory loss, severe pain
Subcortical structures
Internal capsule
Thalamus
Basal ganglia
Brainstem malfunction
Crossed hemiplagia or sensory loss:
Ipsilateral face, contralateral body
Ipsilateral cerebellar
Nystagmus toward lesion
INO
Dysphagia
Dysarthria
Hearing loss
Vertigo
Scanning speech
Cerebellum dysfunction
Ocular problems in cerebellum dysfunction
Nystagmus
Oscillopsia
Distorted smooth persuit
UMN vs LMN in spinal cord lesions
LMN at the level of lesion
UMN below the level of lesion
Frontal lobe testing
Go/no-go test
Ammonia smelling tests which CN?
V
Pronator drift
Shows contralateral UMN lesion
Efferent limb of pupillary light response via CN ?
III
CN palsy causing defect in sacadic eye movement
III
In CN IV palsy, head tilts toward
Unaffected side
CN V motor function
Temporalis, masseter, pterygoid, jaw reflex
UMN vs LMN facial motor lesion
UMN: contralateral facial weakness, sparing the brow bilaterally
LMN: ipsilateral facial weakness
CN IX function
Vocal cord function
Gag
Taste of posterior 1/3 if tongue
CN X
Vocal cord
Gag
Uvula deviation and palatal deviation
Swallowing
Pyramidal pattern of weakness
Hemiparetic gait
In upper extremity, flexors stronger than extensors. In lower extremity, extensors stronger than flexors
Caloric test response
COWS
Cold Opposite
Warm Same
Pattern of weakness in ALS
Segmental
Asymmetrical
Distal to proximal
DTR in motor neuron disease (ALS)
Increased
DTR in neuromuscular junction disorders
Normal
Neuromuscular disorders with fasciculation
Motor neuron disease (ALS…)
Peripheral neuropathy
DTR in myopathies
Normal until late
Neuromuscular disorder with abnormal NCS
Peripheral neuropathy
Neuromuscular disorder with autonomic symptoms
Peripheral neuropathy
Neuromuscular disorder with sensory symptoms
Peripheral neuropathy
Autonomic symptoms
Orthostatic hypotension
Anhidrosis
Visual blurring
Urinary hesitancy/incontinence
Constipation
Erectile dysfunction
Upper motor neuron tests
Babinski
Hoffmann
Pronator drift
Primitive reflexes
Grasp
Rooting
Palmomental
Glabellar tap
Snout
Thenar muscles, nerve
Flexor pollicis brevis
Abductor pollicis brevis
Opponens pollicis
Nerve: median (C8-T1)
Wasting in first dorsal webbed space
First dorsal interosseus muscle
Nerve: ulna
Interpretation of rapid alternating movement problems
If slow: weakness
If uncoordinated: cerebellar disorder
If slow with fatiguing and decreased amplitude: Parkinsonism
Cortical sensation functions exams
Graphesthesia
Streognosis
Extinction
2point discreminatiin
Coordination axams
Finger to nose
Heel to shin
Rapid alternating movements
Knee taps
Tests for stance and gait
Romberg
Pull test
Push and release
Gait
Tandem
Contraindications for LP
If suspect mass lesion
Infection over site
Suspect epidural abscess
Plt < 50,000
Tx with anticoagulation (high INR/PTT)
Uncooperative pt
Px and Tx of post-LP headache
Onset within 24 h
Worse when upright
Px
Smaller gauge needle
Reinsert stylet prior to needle removal
Blunt-ended needle
Tx:
Symptomatic: caffeine, sodium benzoate injection
Corrective: blood patch (autologus)
LP tubes
1: cell count
#3: smear, culture, gram stain \+/- PCR, acid fast, bacteria Ag, fungal Ag/culture
Xanthochromia of CSF
Recent blood: SAH
CSF protein
Nl < 0.45 g/L
Viral: 0.45-1 g/L
Bacterial: > 1 g/L
Granulomatous infection: increased, but < 5 g/L (TB, fungal)
SCF glucose
Normal:
60% of serum glucose
Or
> 3.0 mmol/L
Viral: normal
Bacterial:
<25% serum
Or
<2
TB/Fungal:
Decreased. < 2-4
CSF cells
Normal:
0-5,(000,000)/ L
Viral:
<1000,(000,000)/L, lymphocytes
Bacterial > 1000, PMN
TB, fungal <1000, Lymphocytes
Investigations for numbness/altered sensation
NCS glucose B12 Imaging HIV Lyme
Visual loss gait
Broad based
Tentative steps
Proprioceptive loss gait
Wide-based
High stepping posture
Positive Romberg
Periphral vestibular lesion gait
Vestibular ataxia
Disequilibrium
Peripheral nerve disorder gait
Steppage gait
Myopathic gait
Waddling: broad based, short stepped, pronounced lumbar lordosis, rotation of pelvis
Pyramidal/corticospinal gait
Spastic gait:
Circumduction
Scissoring
Basal ganglia gait
Parkinsonian gait:
Small paces
Stooped posture
Reduced armswing
Choreic/hemicallistic/dystonic gait
Cerebellar gait
Wide based without high stepping. Veering to side of lesion
Alcohol Hypothyroidism Vit E deficiency Hypoglycemia Hypoxia Paraneo
Factors damaging olfactory neuroepithelium
Influenza
HSV
IFN
Leprosy
Eye in CN III paresy
Resting down and out
Ptosis
Mydriasis
CN III palsy symptoms due to midbrain lesion
Complete unilateral CN III palsy
Bilateral weakness of superior rectus and ptosis
Contralateral pyramidal signs
+/- mydriasis
CN III palsy with reactive pupil (pupil sparing)
Vascular event
CN III palsy with mydriasis
Compressive lesions
CN nerves damaged in cavernous sinus involvement
CN III
CN IV
CN V1, V2
CN VI
+ orbital pain and proptosis
Nerve at risk of trauma during surgery involving midbrain
CN IV
The only CN decussating at midline
CN IV
Jaw deviation in CN V palsy
Toward lesion
Head tilt in CN III palsy
Up and rotated away
Head tilt in CN IV palsy
Down and flexed away
Head tilt in CN VI palsy
Rotated towards
Viruses implicated in Bell’s palsy
HSV»_space;> CMV, EBV, VZV
CN with longest intracranial course
CN VI
Screening for dysphagia
Pt drinks water,
Observe: cough, choking, wetness of voice
CN XI palsy. UMN vs LMN
UMN: ipsilateral SCM, contralateral trapezius
LMN: ipsilateral SCM and trapezius
CN XII palsy. UMN vs LMN
UMN: tongue deviation away from lesion. No atrophy. No fasciculation
LMN: tongue deviates towards lesion. Atrophy. Fasciculation
Uvula deviation in LMN CN X palsy
Away from lesion
Glossopharyngeal neuralgia Tx
Carbamazepine
Surgical ablation
Vision loss in optic neuritis
Rapidly progressive
Monocular
Central vision (acuity/color) loss with recovery
Etiologies of optic neyritis
Viral
MS
Inv for optic neuritis
MRI with gado
Fundus in optic neuritis
Disc swelling if anterior
Normal if retrobulbar
Vision in papilledema
Late visual loss
Fundus in papilledema
Bilateral swelling
Retinal hemorrhage
No venous pulsation
Inv for papilledema
Emergent CT
If normal CT: LP for opening pressure
Pain in optic neuritis
Painful esp with eye movement
Pain in AION
Not painful
Fundus in AION
Pale segmental disc edema
Retinal dot
Flame hemorrhages
Etiologies of AION
GCA
atherosclerosis
Inv for AION
CBC
ESR, CRP
Temporal artery Bx
Pain in CRVO
No pain
Vision loss in AION
Painless
Unilateral
Acute
Field defect
Hours to days
Vision loss in CRVO
Painless
Unilateral
Variable
Fundus in CRVO
Swollen disc
Venous engorgement
Retinal hemorrhage
Inv in CRVO
Fluorscein angiogram
Coherence tomography
Drug causing non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy
Sildenafil
DDx of optic disc edema and RAPD
Optic neuritis
AION
CRVO (+/-)
Tx of optic disc atrophy
Non
Location of lesion in:
Rt anopsia and left upper quadrantanopsia
Rt junctional scotoma
Location of lesion in:
Bilateral hemianopsia
Chiasma
Children: craniopharyngioma
Middle ages: pituitary adenoma
Elderly: meningioma
Location of lesion in:
Left homonymous hemianopsia
Rt optic tract
More congruent deficit = more posterior lesions
If occipital lesion, macular sparing
Location of lesion in:
Left upper quadrantanopsia
Rt temporal lesion
Location of lesion in:
Left lower quadrantanopsia
Rt parietal
Location of lesion in:
Homonymous hemianopsia with macular sparing
Occipital lesions
If hemiplegia with eyes looking away from hemiplegia, location of lesion?
Cerebral hemisphere
Lesion in FEF: can be overcome with doll’s eye maneuver
Seizure involving FEF: eyes deviate away from the focus
Hemiplegia with eyes lookin toward the side of the hemiplagia, location of lesion?
Brainstem
Lesion in PPRF
cannot be overcome with doll’s eye maneuver
INO
MLF lesion
Gaze away from the side of lesion: ipsilateral adduction defect, contralateral abduction nystagmus
Cannot be overcome by caloric reflect
Accommodation intact
Inv for INO
MRI
Inv for diplopia
If isolated CN IV or CN VI palsy: observe for a few weeks
If persistent or other symptoms present: W/U
Neuroimaging if:
Bilateral
Multiple nerve involvement
Severe sudden onset headache
Diplopia worstat the end of the day suggests
MG
Gaze fixation in peripheral vs central nystagmus
Peripheral: relieved with gaze fixation
Central no relief
Direction of nystagmus in peripheral causes
Fast phase away from the lesion
If diplopia only on extremes of gase, which eye is pathological?
Cover each eye in isolation during extremes of gaze.
The covered eye which makes the lateral image disappear is the pathological one
Clinical manifestations of B12 deficiency
The most common initial symptoms:
Paresthesia
Sensory ataxia
Others:
Myelopathy Weakness with UMN findings Peripheral neuropathy: distal numbness/paresthesia Memory impairment Change in personality Delirium, confusion Psychosis Optic neuropathy
Diarrhea, anorexia
Inv for B12 deficiency
Serum cobalamin
Serum methylmalonoc acid
Serum homocysteine
Tx of Vit B12 deficiency
Vit B12 IM 1000 microgram/d x 5 d then 1000/mo
Or 1000 oral/d
Folate deficiency symptoms
Myelopathy
Peripheral neuropathy
Inv for folate deficiency
Serum folate
Serum homocysteine
Copper deficiency symptoms
Myelopathy
Pyramidal signs (brisk muscle stretch reflexes)
Severe sensory loss
Copper deficiency inv
Serum copper
Ceruloplasmin
Urine copper
Tx of copper deficiency
D/C zinc
Oral copper
Vit E deficiency symptoms
Ophthalmoplegia
Retinopathy
Spinocerebellar syndrome, cerebellar ataxia
Pripheral neuropathy
Inv for vit E deficiency
Serum Vit E
Serum vit E/ Chol+TG
Thiamine deficiency symptoms
Beriberi (wet, dry)
Infantile beriberi
Wernicke Korsakoff
Dx of B1 def
Clinical
Brain MRI
B6 deficiency symptoms
Painful sensoryneural peripheral neuropathy
Dx of B6 deficiency
Serum peridoxal phosphate
B3 deficiency
Dementia
Encephalopathy
Coma
Peripheral neuropathy
Dx of B3 deficiency
Urinary metabolites of niacin
Effect of organic solvents on nervous system
Cognitive impairment
Encephalopathy
Effect of pesticides on nervous system
Increased risk of Parkinson’s disease
Effect of lead on nervous system
Delayed/reversed development
Permanent learning disability
Peripheral neuropathy
Seizures
Coma/death from encephalopathy
Effect of mercury on nervous system
Ataxia
Visual loss
Hearing loss
Memory/psychiatric problems
Tiredness
Effect of manganese on nervous system
Hallucination
Dystonia
Parkinsonism
Effect of aluminum on nervous system
Alzeimer
Effect of arsenic on nervous system
Sleeplessness
Sleepiness
irritability
Muscle spasm/fatigue
Neurologic complications of bariatric surgery
Deficiencies of fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins
Should be monitored
The most common cause of late-onset seizures
Stroke
Psychiatric symptoms with simple partial vs complex partial seizures
Rarely occur with simple partial
More common with complex partial
Awareness in seizure
Generalized: loss of awareness
Simple partial: intact
Complex partial: appears awake, but impaired awareness
Petit mal seizure
Generalized
Children
Unresponsive 5-10 sec
Arrest of activity, blinking, eye-rolling, staring
3Hz spike and Slow wave activity on EEG
No post-ictal
Grand mal seizure
May have prodrome (unease, irritability, hours to days before the episode)
Tonic, clonic, post ictal
Post-ictal: flaccid limbs, extensor plantar reflexes, headache, confusion, aching muscles, sore tongue, amnesia, elevated serum CK, focal paralysis (Todd’s paralysis)
Temporal lobe epilepsy
Aura: fear, olfactory/gustatory hallucinations, visceral sensations, déja vu
Frontoparietal cortex seizures
Contralateral sensory/motor phenomenon
Alcohol withdrawal seizures
Up to 48 h from the last intake
Seizure common
status epilepticus rare
Inv for seizures
CBC Lytes, Ca, Mg FBS ESR Cr Liver enzymes CK PRL Toxicology screen EtOH level AED level
+/-:
CT/MRI
LP
EEG
Indication for LP in seizure
If fever, meningismus
Indication fo imaging in seizure
New seizure without identifiable cause
Known seizure history with new neurologic signs/symptoms
Seizures and driving
License suspended util 6 mo seizure-free
Longer for commercial drivers
Tx of seizures. Issues to consider
Stigma
Educate pt and family
Status of driver’s license
Safety issues
Pregnancy
Avoid precipitating factors
AED
Indications for AED drugs
EEG with epileptiform activity
Remote symptomatic cause (organic brain disease, prior head injury, CNS infection)
Abnormal neurologic examination
Abnormal findings on neuroimaging
Nocturnal seizure
Seizure most similar to pseudoseizure
Frontal (odd motor activity)
Tongue biting in pseudoseizure
At the tip (lateral in seizure)
Motor activity in pseudoseizure
Opisthotonos
Rigidity
Eye closure, geotropic eye movement
Irregular extremity movements
Pelvic thrust
Crying
Status epilepticus
No return to baseline state for > 5 min
R/O status epilepticus in any pt who is still unconcious > 20 min post-ictal
Complications of status epilepticus
Anoxia Cerebral ischemia Cerebral edema MI Arrhythmia Cardiac arrest Rhabdomyolysis Renal failure Aspiration pneumonia/pneumonitis Death
Initial measures for status epilepticus
ABC V/S Monitors Capillary glucose (STAT) ECG nasal O2 IV NS glucose IV thiamine ABG (if respiratory distress/cyanotic)
Blood work for status epilepticus
CBC Lytes, Ca, PO4, Mg Glucose Toxicology EtOH AED levels
Post-treatment stabilization for status epilepticus
CT head EEG Foley Urine toxicology Monitor for rhabdomyolysis IV fluid
The most common causes of status epilepticus
Failure to take AED
First presentation of epilepsy
Tx fir absence seizures
Ethosuximide
Highest risk of teratogenicity with AEDs
Valproic acid
Or
2+ concurrent AEDs
Pregnancy with AED
Folic acid 5/d preconception
Pre-conception AED levels
Monthly AED levels during pregnancy (maintain preconception levels)
Referal to OB for intrapartum fetal screening
Medication steps in Mx of status epilepticus
- Lorazepam
- Fosphenytoin or phenytoin
- Phenobarbital
- ICU. Midazolam/propofol/phenobarbital
If suspicious of SAH but normal CT, next step?
LP
If normal:
Angiography
Definition of mild NCD
Not meeting criteria for major NCD
Measurable deficit in at least one cognitive domain
Reported by pt or others
No impairment of ADLs
non-Amnestic vs Amnestic form, precursor to AD
Pts with mild NCD often troubled by memory symptoms in comparison to pts with dementia
RFs for mild NCD
HTN
DM
Obesity
Cardiac disease
Apolipoprotein E epsilon4 genotype
Clinical features of mild NCD
Cognitive impairment
Neuropsychiatric symptoms:
Depression, irritability, anxiety, aggression, apathy
Investigations for mild NCD
Establish a baseline for F/U
Clinical interview with pt and caregiver (cornerstone)
Neuropsychological testing: MMSE, MoCA (should not be used in isolation)
neuroimaging: non-contrast brain CT
Exclude treatable conditions
If abnormal neuropsychiatric testing, next step?
F/U in 1 y
Tx of mild NCD
Watch and wait
No evidence for anything!!
Cognitive domains
Complex attention
Language
Memory and learning
Executive function
Perceptual-motor
Social cognition