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Neuro (Exam 2) Flashcards

1
Q

What is hydrocephalus?

A

excess CSF accumulation within the skull;
ventricles dilate and the brain and blood vessels become compressed
pressure thins the cortex causing brain damage

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2
Q

What are some causes of hydrocephalus?

A

CSF flow disruption (noncommunicating or obstructive hydrocephalus)
CSF NOT PROPERLY ABSORBED BY BLOODSTREAM (communicating hydrocephalus)

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3
Q

What are some risk factors for hydrocephalus?

A

prematurity
pregnancy complications
other congenital defects (especially neuro)
nervous system tumors
CNS infections
cerebral hemorrhage
severe head injuries

OFTEN FATAL IF UNTREATED

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4
Q

Name 6 manifestations for infants regarding hydrocephalus?

A

• unusually large head
• rapid increase in head size
• bulging fontanelle
• vomiting (projectile)
• lethargy
• irritability
• high-pitched cry
• feeding difficulties
• seizures
• eyes that gaze downwards
• development delay

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5
Q

Name 6 manifestations in older children and adults regarding hydrocephalus

A

• headache followed by vomiting and nausea
• blurred vision/diplopia
• sluggish pupil response to light
• eyes that gaze downward
• uncoordinated movements
• extreme fatigue
• slowing or regression of development
• memory loss and confusion
• urinary incontinence
• irritability or personality changes
• impaired performance at school or work

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6
Q

What is spina bifida?

A

the posterior spinous processes on the vertebrae fail to fuse, permitting the meninges and spinal cord to herniate (usually lumbar)

MOST COMMON NEURAL TUBE BIRTH DEFECT IN THE US, AMONGST WHITE AND HISPANICS

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7
Q

What are some maternal risk factors of spina bifida?

A

family history
folate deficiency
certain meds (antiseizures)
diabetes mellitus
pre-pregnancy obesity
increased body temp

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8
Q

What are some complications regarding spina bifida?

A

physical and neurological impairments
hydrocephalus
meningitis
learning problems

MANIFESTATIONS VARY

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9
Q

What is spina bifida occulta?

A

mildest form; defect may not be evident other than birthmark, etc.; usually no manifestations or defects

results in a small gap in one or more vertebrae; the spinal nerves and meninges do not usually protrude

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10
Q

What is meningocele?

A

RARE FORM; MENINGES PROTRUDE THROUGH VERTEBRAL OPENING

meninges and CSF form a sac on back, membranes can be removed by surgery with little damage

INFECTION/RUPTURE OF SAC CAN LEAD TO NEUROLOGICAL IMPAIRMENT

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11
Q

What can be done to confirm the absence of nerve tissue in the space in meningocele?

A

transillumination

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12
Q

What is myelomeningocele?

A

MOST SEVERE FORM OF SPINA BIFIDA; spinal canal remains open in lower back

MENINGES, SPINAL CORD, AND CSF PROTRUDE THROUGH LARGE OPENING AT BIRTH AND FORMS A SAC, TISSUES AND NERVES EXPOSED

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13
Q

What are some complications regarding myelomeningocele?

A

neurological impairment (paralysis)
bowel and bladder issues
seizures

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14
Q

What is cerebral palsy?

A

NONPROGRESSIVE DISORDERS AND PERMANENTLY AFFECT MOTOR MOVEMENT AND MUSCLE COORDINATION

MORE COMMON IN MALES, AA’s, LOWER SES

USUALLY DAMAGE TO CEREBELLUM DURING PRENATAL PERIOD BUT CAN OCCUR ANYTIME DURING FIRST THREE YEARS OF LIFE

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15
Q

What are some contributing factors towards cerebral palsy?

A

prematurity
low birth weight
breech birth
multiple fetuses
hypoxia
maternal/fetal hypoglycemia
cerebral hemorrhage
neurological infections
head injury
maternal infections during pregnancy
maternal exposure to toxins during pregnancy
severe jaundice

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16
Q

What are some complications regarding cerebral palsy?

A

balance and coordination issues
contractures
atrophy below the waist
scoliosis
malnutrition
communication issues and speech delays
learning difficulties
seizures
vision or hearing issues
urinary incontinence
constipation
osteoporosis
chronic pain
injury

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17
Q

Name 6 manifestations of cerebral palsy (15 total)

A

• persistence of early reflexes
• development delays
• ataxia (impaired coordination)
• spasticity
• flaccidity
• hyperreflexia
• asymmetrical walking gait
• unusual positioning of limbs
• excessive drooling
• difficulty swallowing
• impaired sucking
• speech issues
• facial grimaces
• tremors
• difficulty with precise motions

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18
Q

What is meningitis?

A

inflammation of the meninges and subarachnoid space; CSF can be affected

BACTERIAL (LIFE THREATENING) AND VIRAL (SELF LIMITING)

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19
Q

Meningitis: Infection or irritant triggers inflammation, leading to?

A

swelling of the meninges and increased intracranial pressure (ICP)

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20
Q

What are some risk factors regarding meningitis?

A

younger than 25
living in a community setting
pregnancy (listeria)
working with animals
immunodeficiency

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21
Q

Name 6 manifestations of meningitis (14 total)

A
  1. fever
  2. chills
  3. LOC changes
  4. nausea
  5. vomiting
  6. photophobia
  7. severe headache
  8. stiff neck
  9. agitation
  10. bulging fontanelles
  11. poor feeding or irritability in children
  12. tachypnea
  13. tachycardia
  14. rash
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22
Q

What are some complications for meningitis?

A

permanent neurological damage
seizures
hearing loss
blindness
speech difficulty
learning disability
behavior problems
paralysis
acute renal failure
adrenal gland failure
cerebral edema
shock
death

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23
Q

What is encephalitis?

A

inflammation of the brain and spinal cord, usually from infection

VIRAL OR BACTERIAL

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24
Q

Encephalitis: Infection triggers inflammation which causes?

A

vasodilation, increased capillary permeability and leukocyte infiltration

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25
Q

Encephalitis: Primary vs Secondary

A

P: direct viral infection of the brain and spinal cord
S: travels from elsewhere in the body

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26
Q

What are some complications of encephalitis?

A

nerve cell degeneration
cerebral edema
cerebral hemorrhage
brain damage

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27
Q

Name 6 manifestations of encephalitis (16 total)

A
  1. flulike symptoms
  2. headache
  3. neck rigidity
  4. confusion
  5. hallucinations
  6. personality changes
  7. diplopia and photophobia
  8. seizures
  9. muscle weakness
  10. ataxia
  11. parasthesia or paralysis
  12. loss of consciousness
  13. tremors
  14. abnormal deep tendon reflexes
  15. rash
  16. bulging fontanelles
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28
Q

How can Zika Virus be contracted and spread?

A

FLAVIVIRUS

mosquitos, foreign travel, sexual transmission, mother to fetus, blood transfusion

CAN CAUSE GUILLAN-BARRE SYNDROME

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29
Q

What causes increased intracranial pressure (ICP)?

A

INCREASED VOLUME IN CRANIAL CAVITY (CSF, BRAIN TISSUE, BLOOD)

traumatic brain injury
tumor
hydrocephalus
cerebral edema
hemorrhage

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30
Q

ICP: What is the Monro-Kellie hypothesis?

A

increase in volume of one component must be compensated for by a decrease in volume of another; accompanied most by shifts in CSF AND BLOOD VOLUME

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31
Q

ICP: Autoregulation compensatory mechanism

A

the blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow and constrict IF ICP INCREASES

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32
Q

ICP: Cushing’s reflex compensatory mechanism

A

the hypothalamus increases sympathetic stimulation when the mean arterial pressure drops BELOW ICP

CUSHINGS TRIAD

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33
Q

What is Cushing’s triad?

A

increased BP, bradycardia, and cheyne-stokes respirations

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34
Q

What is herniation?

A

displacement of brain tissue; feared complication of ICP

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35
Q

Name 5 common manifestations for ICP

A
  1. decreasing LOC
  2. vomiting (projectile)
  3. Cushing’s triad
  4. fixed and dilated pupils
  5. posturing
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36
Q

What is a specific manifestation for infants for ICP?

A

separated sutures and bulging fontanelle

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37
Q

What are specific manifestations for older children and adults in ICP?

A

behavior changes, severe headaches, lethargy, neurological deficits, seizures

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38
Q

What is hematoma?

A

a collection of blood in the tissue that develops from ruptured blood vessels

can develop immediately or slowly (traumatic brain injury or surgery)

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39
Q

What is an epidural hematoma?

A

bleeding between the dura and skull, usually caused by an arterial tear

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40
Q

What are some common manifestations for epidural hematomas?

A

marked neurological dysfunction within few hours of injury
brief loss of consciousness, followed by short period of alertness, than another loss of consciousness

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41
Q

What is a subdural hematoma?

A

develop between the dura and arachnoid by a small VENOUS tear; develops slowly but progresses rapidly

ICP INCREASES OVER A WEEK OF INJURY

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42
Q

What are the differences in a chronic subdural hematoma?

A

manifestations develop several weeks after injury instead of 24 hours due to slow leak

MORE COMMON IN ELDERLY DUE TO BRAIN ATROPHY

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43
Q

What is an intracerebral hematoma?

A

bleeding within the brain tissues

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44
Q

What are some causes of intracerebral hematoma?

A

contusion or shearing injuries
hypertension
CVA (stroke)
aneurysms or vascular abnormalities

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45
Q

What is a subarachnoid hemorrhage?

A

bleeding in the space between the arachnoid and pia

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46
Q

What is the primary clinical presentation in a subarachnoid hemorrhage?

A

severe headache with a sudden onset that is worse near the back of the head

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47
Q

What are some complications of hematoma?

A

INCREASED ICP DUE TO BLEEDING
BLOOD MAY COAGULATE AND FORM SOLID MASS
HEMATOMA BECOMES ENCAPSULATED BY FIBROBLASTS AND BLOOD CELLS WITHIN CAPSULE LYSE
FLUID FROM HEMOLYSIS EXERTS OSMOTIC PRESSURE DRAWING MORE FLUID INTO CAPSULE
EDEMA INCREASES MASS SIZE, INCREASING ICP
VASOSPASMS FROM BLEEDING, WORSEN ISCHEMIA
HERNIATION

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48
Q

What is a spinal cord injury?

A

result from direct injury to spinal cord or indirectly from damage to surrounding bones, tissues or vessels

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49
Q

What are some causes of spinal cord injuries?

A

motor vehicle accidents
falls
violence
sports injuries
weakening vertebral structures (rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis)

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50
Q

What can occur inside/outside the spinal cord in a spinal cord injury?

A

hemorrhage, fluid accumulation and edema

COMPRESSES SPINAL CORD AND COULD DAMAGE IT (SECONDARY INJURY)

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51
Q

What is spinal shock?

A

temporary suspension of neurological function because of spinal cord compression; neurological function gradually returns

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52
Q

What demographic is more likely to get spinal cord injury?

A

caucasians and males, 43 years (used to be 29)

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53
Q

What are some complications regarding spinal cord injuries?

A

loss of neurologic functioning
varying degrees of paralysis
cauda equina syndrome
autonomic hyperreflexia
neurogenic shock
respiratory failure
effects of immobility
changes in bowel and bladder function
sexual dysfunction
chronic pain
death

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54
Q

What is cauda equina syndrome?

A

injury to the nerve roots in the area of the cauda equina

55
Q

What are some signs/symptoms of cauda equina?

A

bladder dysfunction
bowel dysfunction
pain or altered sensation in legs
loss of sexual sensation
saddle numbness

56
Q

What is autonomic hyperreflexia?

A

massive sympathetic response that can cause headaches, hypertension (crisis), tachycardia, seizures, stroke and death

MOST COMMON WITH SPINAL INJURIES ABOVE T6

57
Q

Name 6 manifestations of cervical spinal injuries (12 total)

A

MOST SIGNIFICANT AT/ABOVE C4

  1. upper and lower extremities affected
  2. breathing difficulties
  3. loss of normal bowel and bladder control
  4. parasthesia
  5. sensory changes
  6. spasticity
  7. pain
  8. weakness
  9. paralysis
  10. BP instability
  11. temperature fluctuations
  12. diaphoresis
58
Q

What are the manifestations for thoracic spinal injuries?

A

TRUNK AND LOWER EXTREMITIES IMPACTED

many manifestations can be same EXCEPT BREATHING DIFFICULTIES

59
Q

What is neurogenic shock?

A

an abnormal vasomotor response secondary to disruption of sympathetic impulses (hemodynamic impact- DECREASED HR AND BP)

60
Q

What is a transient ischemic attack (TIA)?

A

temporary episode of cerebral ischemia that results in a mini stroke, resolving in 24 hours

61
Q

What are some causes of a TIA?

A

cerebral artery occlusion (thrombus, embolus)
cerebral artery narrowing (spasms, atherosclerosis)
cerebral artery injury (inflammation, hypertension)

62
Q

How is a TIA related to a CVA?

A

warning sign of a CVA, but not all CVA’s are preceded by a TIA

1 in 3 people experiencing a TIA eventually have a CVA, half of these CVAs occur within a year of the TIA

63
Q

What are some risk factors for a TIA?

A

smoking
diabetes mellitus
advancing age
inadequate nutrition
hypercholesterolemia
oral contraceptive use
excessive alcohol consumption
illicit drug use

64
Q

What are some complications for a TIA?

A

PERMANENT BRAIN DAMAGE
INJURY FROM FALLS
CVA

65
Q

Name 6 manifestations of a TIA (13 total)

A
  1. muscle weakness or paralysis (usually unilateral)
  2. ataxia
  3. changes in sensation
  4. agnosia (loss of ability to identify objects or people)
  5. unilateral parasthesia
  6. aphasia or receptive aphasia
  7. dysphasia
  8. dysgraphia
  9. vision issues
  10. changes in LOC
  11. personality, mood changes
  12. vertigo or dizziness
  13. incontinence of bowel or bladder
66
Q

What is agnosia?

A

inability to recognize or identify sensory stimuli

67
Q

What is a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and what demographic is it more common in?

A

an interruption of cerebral blood supply; AA’s and those living in Southeast region

ISCHEMIC DAMAGE IS PERMANENT

68
Q

What are some causes of a CVA?

A

total vessel occlusion (thrombus, embolus)
cerebral vessel rupture (aneurysm, hypertension)

69
Q

What are the two major types of CVA?

A

ischemic (most common)
hemorrhagic (most fatal)

70
Q

What are the complications of a CVA?

A

neurologic deficits
death

71
Q

What are risk factors of a CVA?

A

physical inactivity
stress
obesity
hypertension
smoking
dyslipidemia
diabetes mellitus
atherosclerosis
oral contraceptive use
excessive alcohol consumption
drug use
advancing age

72
Q

Name 5 manifestations of a CVA (9 total)

A
  1. facial drooping
  2. arm and leg weakness
  3. speech difficulties
  4. vision loss
  5. dizziness
  6. confusion
  7. incontinence
  8. tingling or numbness
  9. headaches due to increasing ICP
73
Q

What is a cerebral aneurysm?

A

a localized outpouching of a cerebral artery due to weakening of artery wall

CAN PUT PRESSURE ON SURROUNDING TISSUE CAUSING CVA OR DEATH

74
Q

What are some causes of a cerebral aneurysm?

A

congenital defects
hypertension
diabetes mellitus
dyslipidemia
connective tissue diseases (Marfans)
traumatic brain injury
arteriovenous malformations
cigarette smoking
drug use
brain tumor

75
Q

What are some characteristics of a cerebral aneurysm?

A

most are berry or saccular, will occur in multiples on CIRCLE OF WILLIS, asymptomatic until they grow large enough to compress surroundings structures or rupture

76
Q

Name 5 manifestations of a cerebral aneurysm

A
  1. vision issues
  2. headache
  3. eye pain
  4. neck pain
  5. SUDDEN SEVERE HEADACHE INDICATION OF RUPTURE
77
Q

What are headache (cephalalgia) disorders?

A

recurrent headaches, pain may be sharp throbbing or dull and may develop gradually or suddenly (lasts from hours to days)

78
Q

What are primary headache disorders?

A

no apparent underlying cause
possible causes involve a combo of genetic and environmental factors

79
Q

What are secondary headache disorders?

A

underlying causes and are less common

intracranial tumors, CNS infections, intracranial hemorrhage, aneurysm, etc.

80
Q

Name the 6 red flag symptoms of secondary headache disorders?

A
  1. thunderclap headache
  2. new onset headaches
  3. persistent morning headache with nausea
  4. progressive headache
  5. headaches associated with postural changes
  6. aura symptoms lasting longer than an hour
81
Q

What is a seizure?

A

transient physical or behavior alteration that results from an abnormal electrical activity in the brain

82
Q

What are the primary causes of a seizure?

A

altered membrane ion channels
altered extracellular electrolytes
imbalanced excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters

83
Q

What are the secondary causes of a seizure?

A

trauma
hypoglycemia
electrolytes disorders (acidosis)
infection
fever
chemical ingestion
cerebral ischemia
hypoxia

84
Q

What is epilepsy?

A

seizure disorder resulting from spontaneous firing of abnormal neurons; recurrent seizures for which there is no underlying cause

85
Q

What are some complications of epilepsy?

A

brain damage
traumatic brain injury
aspiration
mood disorders
status epilepticus

86
Q

What is status epilepticus?

A

seizure activity lasting longer than 5 minutes or subsequent seizures that occur before the person has fully regained consciousness within this timeframe

87
Q

What are the 2 broad categories of seizures?

A

focal (partial) and generalized; focal can become generalized and some people can have both types of

88
Q

What is the postictal period?

A

just after the seizure, the individual may be confused, fatigued and fall into a deep sleep

89
Q

What can generalized seizures cause?

A

loss of consciousness, falls or massive muscle spasms

90
Q

What is an absence seizure (petit mal)?

A

individual may appear to be staring into space and/or having jerking or twitching muscles

91
Q

What is a tonic seizure?

A

causes stiffening of muscles of the body, generally those in the back and extremities

92
Q

What is a clonic seizure?

A

causes repeated jerking movements of muscles on both sides of the body

93
Q

What is a myoclonic seizure?

A

causes jerks or twitches of the upper body, arms, or legs

94
Q

What is an atonic seizure?

A

causes a loss of normal muscle tone; will fall down or may drop their head involuntarily

95
Q

What is a tonic-clonic seizure (grand mal)?

A

causes stiffening of the body and repeated jerks of the arms and/or legs as well as loss of consciousness

96
Q

What is multiple sclerosis and what demographic is it more common in?

A

debilitating autoimmune condition; PROGRESSIVE AND IRREVERSIBLE DEMYELINATION OF BRAIN, SPINAL CORD AND CRANIAL NERVES; most common in women 20-40 years, whites and those living in temperate climates

DAMAGE OCCURS IN DIFFUSE PATCHES THROUGHOUT NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SLOWS/STOPS IMPULSES

97
Q

What are the complications of multiple sclerosis?

A

epilepsy
paralysis (legs)
depression

REMISSIONS AND EXACERBATIONS

98
Q

Name 6 manifestations of multiple sclerosis (15 total)

A
  1. vision issues
  2. slurred speech
  3. parasthesia
  4. hearing loss
  5. fatigue and dizziness
  6. decreased attention span, poor judgement, and memory loss
  7. difficulty reasoning and solving problems
  8. dysphagia
  9. problems moving arms or legs
  10. weakness and or tremor in arms and legs
  11. ataxia
  12. unsteady gait, muscle spasms
  13. constipation and stool leakage
  14. urinary frequency, urgency, or incontinence
  15. sexual dysfunction
99
Q

What is parkinson’s disease and what demographic is it more common in?

A

progressive condition involving the destruction of the substantia nigra with an unknown cause; men and those who live in rural areas

RESULTS IN LACK OF DOPAMINE!!

100
Q

What happens when 80% of dopamine-producing cells are destroyed in someone with Parkinson’s disease?

A

movement issues like tremors (involuntary movements) of the hands and head develop

pill rolling tremors (finger thumb rubbing)

101
Q

Name 5 manifestations of Parkinson’s disease (9 total)

A
  1. slowing or stopping of automatic movements like blinking
  2. constipation
  3. urinary hesitancy or urgency
  4. dysphagia
  5. drooling
  6. anosmia (loss of sense of smell)
  7. mask like appearance to face
  8. myalgia
  9. muscle cramps and dystonia
102
Q

What are the problems of movement that someone with Parkinson’s may deal with?

A

difficulty initiating or continuing movement
loss of fine hand movements
shuffling and unsteady gait
slowed movements

103
Q

What is amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs disease)?

A

damage of the upper motor neurons of the cerebral cortex and lower motor neurons of the brain stem and spinal cord

104
Q

What do nerves lose their ability to do in Lou Gehrig’s disease, and what does it result in?

A

trigger muscle movement; muscle weakness, disability, paralysis, and death (within 3 years)

INCREASE RISK OF DEMENTIA

105
Q

What are some possible causes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

A

no definitive cause
POSSIBLE CAUSES: free radical damage (inherited ALS mutation), excess glutamate (toxic to nerve cells), autoimmune

106
Q

What are 6 early manifestations of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)?

A
  1. foot drop
  2. lower extremity weakness
  3. hand weakness or clumsiness
  4. slurred speech
  5. dysphagia
  6. muscle cramps and twitching in upper extremities and tongue
107
Q

What does the loss of upper motor neurons do in ALS?

A

spastic paralysis and hyperreflexia

108
Q

What does the loss of lower motor neurons do in ALS?

A

flaccid paralysis

109
Q

What is myasthenia gravis?

A

an autoimmune condition; ACETYLCHOLINE RECEPTORS ARE DESTROYED BY IGG ANTIBODIES, leading to a disruption of normal communication between the nerve and muscle at the junction

110
Q

In myasthenia gravis, what causes the weakness of voluntary skeletal muscles?

A

inadequate nerve stimulation; muscle weakness increases during periods of activity and gets better with rest

111
Q

What triggers are thought to play a role in myasthenia gravis?

A

unclear but thymus abnormalities, autoimmune hyperthyroidism and other autoimmune disorders

112
Q

What is myasthenic crisis?

A

potentially life threatening complication that occurs when the muscles become too weak to maintain adequate ventilation

113
Q

What are factors that worsen/cause a myasthenic crisis?

A

fatigue
illness
stress
extreme heat
alcohol consumption
certain meds (beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers)

114
Q

Name 5 manifestations of myasthenia gravis (9 total)

A
  1. difficulty climbing stairs, lifting objects, or rising
  2. dysarthria
  3. drooping head
  4. facial paralysis or weakness
  5. fatigue
  6. hoarseness or changing voice
  7. eye and vision issues
  8. breathing difficulty
  9. dysphagia
115
Q

What is Huntingtons disease (Huntington’s chorea)?

A

AUTOSOMAL DOMINANT DISORDER ON CHROMOSOME 4, genetically programmed degeneration of neurons in the brain

116
Q

What does Huntingtons disease lead to?

A

progressive atrophy of the brain (basal ganglia and frontal cortex); ventricles dilate, gamma-aminobutyric acid levels diminish, acetylcholine levels fall

117
Q

Huntington’s disease demographics

A

30-40 years, may appear earlier (as it’s passed on, presenting age gets younger)

illness duration 10-30 years

118
Q

What are the most common causes of death for those with Huntingtons disease?

A

infection (pneumonia), injuries related to falling, other complications like suicide

119
Q

Name 6 manifestations of Huntingtons disease

A
  1. UNCONTROLLED RAPID JERKY MOVEMENTS LIKE TREMORS, FALL RISKS
  2. uncharacteristically irritable and emotional changes, mood swings
  3. antisocial behavior
  4. hallucinations
  5. paranoia
  6. psychosis
120
Q

What are some early signs of Huntingtons disease?

A

trouble driving, learning new things, remembering facts, answering questions, making decisions

121
Q

What are some indications that Huntingtons disease has progressed?

A

increasing difficulty with concentrating on intellectual tasks
speech is slurred
functions like swallowing, eating, etc. decline
some cannot recognize family members

122
Q

What is dementia?

A

a group of conditions in which cortical function is decreased, impairing cognitive and motor skills

ISSUES WITH MEMORY, PERSONALITY CHANGES

123
Q

What are the 6 types of dementia, and which one is the most common?

A

ALZHEIMERS (MOST COMMON)
vascular
Lewy body
frontotemporal
creutzfeldt-jakob
AIDS dementia complex

124
Q

What is Alzheimer’s disease?

A

brain tissue degenerates and atrophies, causing a steady decline in memory and mental abilities

125
Q

Name the 3 pathologic characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease

A
  1. amyloid plaques mix with a collection of additional proteins, neuron remnants and other nerve cell pieces
  2. neurofibrillary tangles
  3. connections between neurons responsible for memory and learning are lost and cannot survive
126
Q

What are the risk factors of Alzheimer’s disease?

A

risk increases with age, female sex, lower education levels
family history
hypertension
hypercholesterolemia
diabetes mellitus
history of traumatic brain injury

127
Q

What are the complications of Alzheimer’s disease?

A

infections (pneumonia and UTIs)
injuries related to falls
malnutrition
dehydration
decubitus ulcers

128
Q

Name 5 manifestations of Alzheimer’s disease (10 total)

A
  1. memory loss
  2. problems with abstract thinking
  3. difficulty finding the right words
  4. difficulty reading or writing
  5. disorientation
  6. loss of judgement
  7. difficulty performing familiar tasks
    8.. personality changes
  8. hallucinations
  9. incontinence of bowel or bladder
129
Q

What are the characteristics of brain tumors?

A

INCREASED ICP AND DIFFICULTY ACCESSING
MAY BE PRIMARY OR SECONDARY FROM ANOTHER CANCER

130
Q

What are the risk factors for primary brain tumors?

A

genetic mutations (exposure to radiation and chemicals)
advancing age

WHITES AND MALES

131
Q

What are some complications of brain tumors?

A

neurologic deficits
seizures
personality changes
death

132
Q

Name 4 manifestations of brain tumors (8 total)

A
  1. new onset or altered pattern of headaches
  2. unexplained nausea and vomiting
  3. vision problems
  4. gradual loss of sensation or movement in an extremity
  5. balance and speech difficulties
  6. confusion
  7. hearing problems
  8. hormonal disorders
133
Q

What are neurofibrillary tangles?

A

abnormal collections of a protein called tau that clump together

Pathology (10 decks)

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