neuro based on kaplan q bank Flashcards
40 yo man with progressive weakness culminating in paralysis of all voluntary muscles —> death by respiratory failure. Both upper and lower motor neurons degenerated. Which area of the CNS would show the most neuronal loss?
the spinal cord
- it’s ALS (Amytrophic lateral sclerosis)
- pt may experience uppper motor symp (CNS symp): babinski sign, hyperreflexia, spasticity
- OR pt may experience lower motor symp: weakness, muscular atrophy, fasiculations
damage to the caudeate nucleus is associated with which disease?
huntingtons– choreiform movements
damage to the cerebellum is associated with which diseases?
spinocerebral degenerative diseases (Freidrich ataxia and olivopontocerebellar atrophy– both of which have ataxia as a major symp)
damage to the glubus pallidus is assoc. with which disease?
striatonigral degen (looks like parkinsons)
damage to teh substantia nigra is assoc. with which disease?
parkinsons (tremor + difficulty initiating movements)
Berry aneurisms commonly occur where in the circle of willis? What do they lead to if they rupture?
ACA (ant. cerebral art) close to the branch point with the ant comm. art. If they rupture, they usually lead to a sub arachnoid hemorrhage
what is a berry aneurism?
a variant of aneurism that occurs in the intracranial cavity and most commonly affects the anterior portion of the circle of willis (ACA) close to where the and. comm art. are taking off
alzheimer’s primarily affects what type of memory?
short term
22 yo man with bilateral loss of pain and temperature in upper extremities but normal touch sensation and no motor abnormalities. What disorder does he have and what is it most commonly associated with (1) Also assoc. with (3)?
He has syringomyelia– a fluid filled cyst that obstructs the anterior white commissure (usually on the level of c8-T1) resulting in Pain and Temp loss from damage to the spinothalamic tract.
Commonly assoc. with 1) Chiari Malformation (congenital protrusion of cerebellum and medulla thru the foramen magnum) Most common with Chiari 1, sometimes seen with Chiari II. Also seen with 2) trauma (whiplash), 3) prior meningitis, and 4) CSF obstruction
syrengomyelia- what is it and how does it present?
cavitation of the spinal cord (usually C8-t1) at the anterior commissure– blocks the spinal thalamic tract (pain and temp) at that level
Presentation: bilateral pain and temperature loss at the level of the lesion (usually upper extremities). As the disease progresses (lesion gets bigger) —> muscle weakness/atrophy, flacid paralysis due to destruction of anterior horn. Eventually there can be loss of sympathetic func because of lesion expanding to lateral horn
where is the broca’s area located? what does damage to broca’s area do?
inferior frontal gyrus
- it controls the motor aspects of speech so a lesion in the area causes nonfluent aphasia: slow, effortful, telographic speech with good comprehension
What is horner syndrome?
knock out of sympathetic innervation of the face: ptosis (drooping eyelid), miosis (pupil constriction), and anhidrosis (no sweating). You might see homer syndrome as a late manifestation of syringomyelia if the lesion grows to affect the hypothalamic fibers in the lateral column of the spinal cord. (syringomyelia is more commonly associated with chiari than horner syndrome)
what is tabes dorsalis? Presentation?
degeneration of the dorsal column and dorsal roots of the spinal cord due to tertiary syphilis.
Presentation: paresthesias, impaired proprioception, and vibration sense, and ataxia. They have a “high step” stride because they can’t tell where the ground is.
wernicke encephalopathy- who is it seen in? how does it present?
who: alcoholics with Vit. B1 (thiamine) deficiency
presentation: ophthalmoplegia, confusion and ataxia.
68 yo man with progressive difficulty walking and headaches over the past month. 2 pack/day cigs for 30 yrs, no etoh, but now walks as if he was drunk, staggering/loses balance. wide based, unsteady gait, falls to the right. no abnormalities on finger to nose exam, or heel to shin, and rapidly altering movements are normal. Where is the lesion?
cerebellum- planning and fine tuning of movements/balance
a wide-based “drunken sailor” gait (called truncal ataxia)- implies a lesion of the vermis (middle part of the cerebellum).
headache- suggests lesion is intracranial
HO smoking: differential of lung cancer metastatic to the cerebellar vermis
16 yo boy, multiple episodes sudden onset fainting. no abnormal movements or loss of bowel func. physical exam is normal. ECG is normal. EEG shows abnormal spiking. What type of seizure is he having?
atonic or “drop” seizure most closely resembles fainting. The patient suddenly loses muscle tone and falls to the floor.
which seizure most closely resembles fainting?
an atonic seizure- The patient suddenly loses muscle tone and falls to the floor.
an atonic seizure is characterized as…
drop” seizure most closely resembles fainting. The patient suddenly loses muscle tone and falls to the floor.
absence seizures (aka petit mal seizures) are characterized by
blank stares and absence of any position change. They are more commonly seen in childhood
myoclonic seizures- characterized by
quick, repetetive jerks
tonic seizures- characterized by
stiffening of the muscles
tonic-clonic seizures (aka grand mal seizures)
tonic contractions of muscles throughout the body, followed by intermittent relaxation of muscle groups (clonic phase)
20 yo with HO depression and binging/purging for 5 mo. Txt with antidepressant —> dose is gradually increased —> pt develops seizures. Which antidepressant used?
bupropion: NE and dopamine reuptake inhib antidepressant indicated for the txt of major depressive disorder and smoking cessation. BUPROPRION IS CONTRAINDICATED FOR PEOPLE WITH EATING DISORDERS BC INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF SEIZURES SECONDARY TO METABOLIC DISTURBANCES.
busiprone
antianxiety agent mostly used in conjunction with antidepressants for txt of comorbid depression and anxiety. not used for bulimia. relatively well tolerated, with mild cns and gi side effects
fluoxetine
only antidepressant currently approved for bulimia nervosa. Assoc. with serotonin syndrome, CNS stim, and sexual dysfunction
Mirtazapine
antidepressant for the txt of depression. Not approved for bulimia. side effects: somnolence, weight gain, dry mouth
Sertraline
SSRI for depression, not approved for txt with bulimia. Assoc. with serotonin syndrome, CNS stim, and sexual dysfunction
40 yo man w/progressive memory loss, confusion, incontinence, CD4 count of 25/mm^3, moderate atrophy on MRI, who dies of disseminated aspergillosis. Autopsy: cerebrl atrophy, multifocal lymphohistocytic infiltrates with numerous microglial nodules and scattered mutinucleated giant cells. What is likely responsible for neuro conditions?
HIV encephalitis: HIV gains access thru imcoming macrophages and may cause subacute inflammation of the brain parenchyma known as HIV encephalitis. Presence of multinucleated giant cells = typical of HIV encephalitis
Aspergillosis
opportunistic ifxn caused by aspergillus, ubiquitous fungus in envt. Aspergillosis is frequent in pt with AIDS/immuno comp. Specific tropism for blood vessels —> hemorrhagic infarcts in brain/other organs
CMV encephalitis- what is it?
diagnostic?
opportunistic ifxn affecting HIV pt. tropism for epithelial and ependymal cells (so virus is found in ependymal and periventricular locations).
diagnostic: typical cytomegalic cells, which contain large purple inranuclear inclusions and granular cytoplasmic inclusions
- lymphocytic infiltration (perivascular cuffing), microglial nodules, and neuronophagia (degenerating neurons surrounding by lymphocytes
mycobacterial ifxns
chronic meningoencephalitis involving the basal surface of the brain or tuberculoma (circumscribed lesion consisting of confluent caseating granulomas). Acid-fast bacilli can be demonstrated in these lesions
vacuolar myelopathy
noninfectious complication of obscure pathogenesis involving the spinal cord
- very similar to subacute combined degen Vacuolar myelopathy, like subacute combined degen, may be related to vitamin B12 deficiency
- ascending (sensory) tracts in the posterior columns and descending (pyramidal-motor) tracts in the lateral columns degen leading to sensory loss, ataxia and spastic paraplegia
Where is wernicke’s region in the brain? what is the blood supply? a lesion there causes…
posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus of language dominant hemisphere.
Blood supply: Posterior branch of MCA
presentation: impaired comprehension/don’t respond approp. to commands/questions
- mt be able to close their eyes on command or stick out their tongue. Spontaneous speech is meaningless/nonsensical. inability to repeat words and unaware of their deficits. May be angry/paranoid—> can be misdiag for schizophrenia. contralateral visual field cut is commonly associated (particularly right upper quadrant) bc of interruption of visual radiations in temporal lobe (Meyer’s loop)
arcuate fasciculus- what is it? what does a lesion there produce?
arises in wernicke’s area and travels to broca’s area
lesion: produces conduction aphasia, characterized by a striking inability to repeat while language comprehension and output are largely preserved.
Crus cerebri- where is it?
located in the midbrain, anterior to the substantia nigra and contains the corticospinal and corticobulbar fibers of the descending pyramidal system.
inferior frontal gyrus- what’s there? Presentation of lesion there…
location of the broca’s area– lesions there lead to language output disorder– slow, effortful speech that is agrammatic and telegraphic. Comprehension is largely preserved. Repetion is affected
Precentral gyrus- where is it? what’s in it? lesion there results in…
the motor strip, located in the frontal lobe. Lesion would result in motor difficulties
Prefrontal cortex lesions exhibit…
variety of symptoms depending on the location, including inappropriate social behavior, loss of the ability to problem solve, loss of initiative, abstracting ability, concentration and judgement
3 types of aphasias and the location of each one
- broca’s aphasia- inferior frontal gyrus
- conduction aphasia- arcuate fasciculus
- wernicke aphasia- superior temporal gyrus
fluency is maintained in what type(s) of aphasia?
conduction and wernicke (NOT Broca’s)
comprehension is maintained in what type(s) of aphasia?
Wernicke (not broka and conduction)