"Neuro Gold" Flashcards
3 components of blood-brain barrier
Endothelial cells, basement membrane, astrocytic end feet
Conditions associated with proximal symmetric weakness but no sensory loss
Myopathies
Symptoms associated with peripheral neuropathies
Distal asymmetric weakness with atrophy, fasciculations, sensory loss and pain
Two most common conditions that result in peripheral neuropathies
Diabetes and alcoholism
Distribution of sensory loss in polyneuropathies
Stocking/glove pattern
Symptoms of Guillan-Barre syndrome
Ascending symmetric muscle weakness, areflexia and paresthesias in hands and feet 1-3 weeks following a viral respiratory or GI infection
CSF findings in Guillan-Barre syndrome
CSF has elevated protein without elevated WBC
Motor neuron disease characterized by UMN and LMN lesions
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
MRI and CSF findings of MS
MRI: white matter lesions
CSF: oligoclonal bands on electrophoresis
Conditions that cause pain/loss in a dermatomal pattern
Radiculopathies
Signs of UMN lesions
Spastic paralysis, hyper-reflexia, positive Babinksi, Hoffman sign, and clonus
With an acute UMN lesion, there may be hyporeactive reflexes and flaccid paralysis
Cause of lower facial paralysis (can wrinkle their forehead but cannot smile)
Sign of damage to the corticobulbar tract in the pons or higher (internal capsule or crus cerebri)
Signs of LMN lesions
Flaccid paralysis, hyporeflexia, fasciculations, atrophy
Symptoms of spinal shock
Temporary flaccid paralysis, hyporeflexia, sensory loss and loss of bladder tone
Hyper-reflexia develops over a period of days to weeks
Cause and symptoms of anterior spinal artery syndrome
Cause: occlusion of the artery of Adamkiewicz
Symptoms: bilateral weakness, loss of pain and temperature and hyper-reflexia below the lesion
Symptoms of cauda equina syndrome
Weakness and sensory loss in the lower extremities, radicular pain, saddle anesthesia, and urinary incontinence
Cause and symptoms of syringomyleia/hyromelia
Cause: cavitation of the central spinal cord
Symptoms: impinges the anterior white commissure producing bilateral loss of pain and temperature in a dermatomal pattern
Cause and symptoms of Brown-Sequard syndrome
Cause: hemisection of the spinal cord
Symptoms: ipsilateral UMN paralysis and loss of discriminative touch and contralateral loss of pain and temperature
Cause and symptoms of anterior cord syndrome
Cause: compression of anterior spinal artery
Symptoms: affects the neurons of the anterior horn, spinothalamic tract and lateral corticospinal tract
Symptoms of tabes dorsalis
Loss of posterior columns (discriminative touch, proprioception, and vibration)
Cause and symptoms of subacute combined degeneration
Cause: B12 deficiency
Symptoms: peripheral neuropathy that can progress to cord (posterior columns and lateral corticospinal tracts)
Cause and symptoms of medial medullary syndrome
Cause: infarct within anterior spinal artery
Symptoms: contralateral spastic hemiparesis (corticospinal tract), ipsilateral deviation of the tongue on protrusion (hypoglossal nucleus or nerve) and contralateral loss of discriminative touch, proprioception and vibration (medial lemniscus)
Cause and symptoms of lateral medullary syndrome
Cause: infarct within posterior inferior cerebellar artery
Symptoms: ipsilateral loss of pain and temperature on face (spinal trigeminal tract), contralateral loss of pain and temperature on body (spinothalamic tract), nystagmus, dizziness, nausea (vestibular nuclei), hoarseness, ipsilateral sagging palate, dysphagia (nucleus ambiguous), loss of taste (solitary nucleus), ataxia (restiform body, inferior cerebellar peduncle), Horner syndrome (hypothalamospinal fibers)
Cause and symptoms of Foville syndrome
Cause: infarct within paramedian branches of basilar artery
Symptoms: contralateral spastic hemiparesis (corticospinal tract), diplopia, paralysis of abduction (CN VI; maybe also intranuclear ophthalmoplegia), ataxia (middle cerebellar peduncle), contralateral loss of discriminative touch, proprioception, and vibration (medial lemniscus)
Cause and symptoms of Gubler syndrome
Cause: infarct within paramedian branches of basilar artery
Symptoms: contralateral spastic hemiparesis (corticospinal tract), ipsilateral facial paralysis (facial nerve or nucleus), ipsilateral loss of pain and temperature on face (CN V), contralateral loss of pain and temperature on body (spinothalamic tract)
Cause and syndrome of midpontine base syndrome
Cause: infarct within paramedian or short circumferential branches of basilar artery
Symptoms: contralateral spastic hemiparesis (corticospinal tract), paralysis of jaw muscles (CN V), loss of sensation on face (CN V), ataxia (middle cerebral peduncle)
Symptoms of tonsillar herniation
Central apnea, hypertension, hyperventilation, loss of consciousness