Neuro- findings Flashcards
Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (Charcot Marie Tooth)
Pes Cavus- short, high arched feet with hammer toes Distal muscle atrophy (not above elbows or middle 1/3 thighs) Absent reflexes Minimal sensory loss Thickened nerves
Brachial plexus lesions
Complete- LMN whole arm, including sensory loss. +/- Horners syndrome Upper trunk- loss shoulder and elbow, sensory over lateral arm and thumb Lower trunk- claw hand, intrinsic muscle paralysis, sensory loss ulnar hand/forearm, horners syndrome
Radial Nerve Palsy C5-8
- Wrist drop- Weak wrist extension, finger extension. Finger abduction appears weak because hard to spread fingers when flexed.
- Elbow extension loss if above spiral groove, preserved if below. Supination- in spiral groove
- Sensory loss over anatomical snuff box
Median Nerve Palsy C6-T1
- Weakness of wrist flexors and pronators
- Weak thumb abduction, flexion, opposition
- Wasting thenar eminence
- Hand of benediction- when trying to make a fist- unable to flex at MCP or extend at IP of index and middle fingerà so first 3 digits remain in extension
- Sensory loss over palm- thumb and 2.5, and dorsal- finger tips of same
Positive tinnels, phalens–> carpal tunnel syndrome
Ulnar Nerve Palsy- C8-T1
Observation
Evidence of scar indicating surgery or trauma over ulnar nerve at (?elbow ?wrist).
Resting flexion deformity of the 4th and 5th finger (ulnar claw)
Wasting of the intrinsic muscles of the hand and hypothenar eminence
Tone and reflexes were normal.
Power was reduced in
finger abduction and adduction,
thumb adduction - positive Froments sign.
Weak flexion of 4th 5th fingers
Loss of sensation of the dorsal and palmar surfaces of the fifth and medial aspect of fourth digits.
Sciatic nerve palsy L4/5 S1/2
Weak knee flexion Loss all muscles below knee- Flaccid foot drop intact knee jerk, absent ankle jerk and plantar response sensory loss posterior thigh and all below knee
Femoral nerve palsy L2-4
Weak knee extension slight hip foexion weakness preserved adductor loss knee jerk sensory loss inner thigh and leg
Common peroneal nerve palsy
foot drop, loss of eversion ONLY Sensory loss over dorsum foot,
Foot drop differentials
Inversion normal peroneal nerve palsy, absent with L5 radiculopathy. Sciatic- flaccid foto drop If ankle jerk absent- S1 lesion, normal- common peroneal nerve, increased= UMN lesion or MND
Paraplegia in extension only
intracranial lesion likely
Paraplegia in flexion and extension–> lesion location
spinal cord lesion likely e.g. Cord compression (UMN weakness below, LMN weakness at level. sensory level) Transverse myelitis Anterior spinal artery occlusion (dorsal column spared)
Paraplegia with arm involvement
Cervical spondylosis Syringomyelia MND MS
Peripheral neuropathy with paraplegia
B12 deficiency Freidreichs ataxia Cancer Hereditary spastic paraplegia Syphilis
Cord compression signs- Cervical
If upper- UMN signs upper and lower limbs. Paralysis of diaphragm if above C4 If C5-C8 - LMN rhomboids, delts, biceps, brachioradialis -UMN rest upper and lower limbs - absent biceps - If C8- LMN weakness and wasting intrinsic muscles hand, UMN lower limbs
Subacute combined degeneration of cord (B12 deficency)- features
Symmetric posterior column (vib, prop) loss Symmetric UMN signs in LL BUT with absent ankle jerks
Extensor plantar response, absent ankle jerk causes
o Subacute combined degeneration of cord- B12 deficiency o Conus medullaris lesion o Combination IMN lesioj with cauda equina compression or peripheral neuropathy o Syphilis o Friedreich’s ataxia o Diabetes mellitus o Adrenoleukodystrophy or metachromatic leukodystrophy
BRown Sequard syndrome= hemisection spinal cord
MOTOR= UMN below level on same side. LMN at level same side SENSORY= Pain and temp CONTRALATERAL, Vib Prop SAME SIDE. Light touch normal
Spinothalamic- pain and temperature- loss only
o Syringomyelia- cape distribution o Brown Sequard syndrome- contralateral leg o Anterior spinal artery thrombosis o Lateral medullary syndrome- contralateral to other signs o Peripheral neuropathy- DM, amyloid, fabrys
Dorsal column- vibration and proprioception- loss only
o Subacute combined degeneration o Brown Sequard syndrome (ipsilateral leg) o Spinocerebellar degeneration (Friedreich’s ataxia) o Multiple sclerosis o Tabes dorsalis o Sensory neuropathy or ganglionopathy- e.g. carcinoma o Peripheral neuropathy from diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism
Syringomyelia (Cetral cavity in spinal cord)
o Loss of pain and temperature over neck, shoulders and arms- cape distribution o Amyotrophy- weakness, atrophy, areflexia of arms o Upper motor neurone signs in lower limbs
Causes proximal muscle weakness
Myopathic Neuromuscular junction disorder- e.g. myasthenia gravis Neurogenic o Kugelberg-Welander disease- proximal muscle wasting and fasciculations due to anterior horn cell damage- autosomal recessive o Motor neurone disease o Polyradiculopathy
Causes myopathy
Hereditary muscular dystrophy Congenital myopathies ACQUIRED Polymyositis or dermatomyositis Alcohol Carcinoma Endocrine- Periodic paralysis Osteomalacia Drugs Sarcoidosis Inclusion body myositis- proximal leg and distal arm weakness –> Finger flexors, quads Endocrine causes- e.g. hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, cushings syndrome, acromegaly, hypopituitarism Drug causes- fibrates, chloroquine, steroids
Causes proximal myopathy and peripheral neuropathy
o Paraneoplastic syndrome o Alcohol o Connective tissue disease
Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy (+Beckers)
pseudohypertrophy calf males early proximal weakness Dialted cardiomyopathy Severe progressive kyphoscoliosis HIGH CK Tendon reflexes in proportion to weakness
Limb Girdle Musuclar dystrophy
- Shoulder or pelvic girdle affected - Onset third decade - Face and heart spared