neuro path Flashcards
most common cause of primary parenchymal hemorrhage
hypertension
as vessel walls weaken, rupture and hemorrhage is the most common in the regions of:
the basal ganglia, followed by pons, thalamus, and cerebellum
signs/symptoms of intraparenchymal hemorrhage
severe headache, hemiparesis, and hemisensory loss
most subarachnoid hemorrhages arise at _____ due to rupture of vessels in _____
arterial bifurcations of the circle of willis; the arachnoid space
chief complaint of subarachnoid hemorrhage
“worst headache of my life”
ruptured _____ is the most common cause of non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage
berry (saccular) aneurysm (of major brain arteries)
vascular malformations are most commonly from _____ in developing brain
abnormal angiogenesis
types of vascular malformations
arteriovenous malformation (AVM), cavernous angioma, capillary telangiectasias, and venous angioma
collection of abnormal blood vessels of variable caliber; most common type of vascular malformation; most likely to result in intraparenchymal and/or subarachnoid hemorrhages
arteriovenous malformations
most common route by which microbes reach the brain
hematogenous spread
infections resulting in inflammation of the leptomeninges (arachnoid and pia mater) and subarachnoid space; characterized by purulent exudate under subarachnoid space (over cerebral hemispheres) and within the ventricles
acute bacterial meningitis
acute purulent meningitis caused by:
pyogenic bacteria (E. coli, group B strep, H. influenza, n. meningitis)
chronic leptomeningitis caused by:
both bacterial (m. tuberculosis) and fungal (c. neoformans) organisms
> 2-3 weeks of headache, lethargy, nausea and vomiting; CN palsies and epilepsy; gelatinous exudate, may appear nodular
tuberculous meningitis (chronic meningitis)
caused by spherical budding yeast, found in soil and bird excrement; low grade fever, debility and headache; slimy exudate, capsular material
cryptococcal meningitis (chronic meningitis)
50% of brain abscesses are spread from _____; ____ is the most commonly identified organism
adjacent infections (dental root, ear, sinus)- also spread hematogenously; streptococcus milleri
diffuse inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by a number of viral agents; usually fatal without treatment
encephalitis (HSV most common)
seen microscopically in encephalitis
perivascular lymphocytosis, microglial nodules, and neuronophagia; may also note viral inclusions like Cowdry A (in HSV) and negri bodies (in rabies)
autoimmune (T-cell mediated), demyelinating disease; most common demyelinating disease of the brain
multiple sclerosis (MS)
common manifestations of MS include:
visual disturbances, speech and gait abnormalities, paresthesias, and emotional disturbances
characteristic lesion of MS- irregular area of demyelination
MS plaque
MS plaques can arise anywhere in the brain and spinal cord but most common sites are _____ and _____
periventricular white matter; optic nerve
microscopically, MS plaques demonstrate areas of demyelination, accomp. by ____ and _____
perivascular lymphocytosis; infiltration by foamy macrophages
most common cause of dementia in the elderly; increasing incidence with increasing age
alzheimer’s disease
