Neuro - Cerebral Inflammation

Question 1

What is meningitis?

Answer 1

inflammation of the meninges caused by viral or bacterial infection

Question 2

What is encephalitis?

Answer 2

inflammation of the brain caused by infection or autoimmune mechanisms

Question 3

What is cerebral vasculitis?

Answer 3

inflammation of blood vessel walls

Question 4

What is cerebral vasculitis sometimes also called?

Answer 4

angiitis

Question 5

What is myolitis?

Answer 5

v

Question 6

What is the BBB?

Answer 6

→ blood brain barrier
→ network of dense blood vessels + tissue that is made up of closely spaced cells and helps keep harmful substances from reaching the brain

Question 7

How does the BBB reduce solute + fluid leak across the capillary walls?

Answer 7

BBB capillaries have extensive tight junctions at the endothelial cell-cell contacts

Question 8

How does BBB control the exchange of solutes and substances across the peripheral capillaries?

Answer 8

→ tightness of the BBB prevents the crossing

→ uses specific membrane transporters to transport substances in + out

Question 9

What is the main immune function of the BBB?

Answer 9

prevents harmful + infectious agents from gaining entry to CNS tissue

Question 10

What is the role of astrocytes in the BBB?

Answer 10

v

Question 11

What are the initial symptoms of encephalitis?

Answer 11

flu-like with pyrexia (high body temperature) and headache

Question 12

What are the subsequent symptoms of encephalitis?

Answer 12

→ confusion or disorientation
→ seizures or fits
→ changes in personality and behaviour
→ difficulty speaking
→ weakness or loss of movement
→ loss of consciousness

Question 13

What are the most common viral causes of encephalitis?

Answer 13

Herpes Simplex
Measles
Varicella (chickenpox)
Rubella (German measles)

Question 14

What are some general non-viral causes fo encephalitis?

Answer 14

→ Mosquito, tick and other insect bites
→ Bacterial and fungal infections
→ Trauma
→ Autoimmune

Question 15

What are some treatments for encephalitis?

Answer 15

→ Antivirals e.g. acyclovir
→ Steroids
→ Antibiotics/antifungals
→ Analgesics
→ Anti-convulsants
→ Ventilation

Question 16

What is multiple sclerosis?

Answer 16

autoimmune demyelinating disease of CNS

Question 17

What are relapses of MS associated with?

Answer 17

inflammatory activity

Question 18

What is secondary progression of MS associated with?

Answer 18

neurodegeneration

Question 19

What is the cellular pathology of MS?

Answer 19

→ inflammation
→ demyelination
→ axonal loss
→ neurodegeneration

Question 20

How can MS be detected diagnostically?

Answer 20

MRI scans

Question 21

What is meningitis?

Answer 21

infection, Irritation, inflammation and swelling of the meninges

Question 22

What are the bacterial causes of meningitis?

Answer 22

→ Meningococcal – the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in UK
→ Pneumococcal
→ Haemophilus Influenzae type b (Hib)
→ Streptococcal – the main cause in new-born babies

Question 23

How do you detect bacterial infection in meningitis?

Answer 23

CSF sample from lumbar puncture

Question 24

What are the 3 general types infectious agents that cause meningitis?

Answer 24

→ bacterial
→ viral
→ fungal