Neuro: Pathology Flashcards
- Failure of Rostral Neuropore closure
- Characherized by the absence of the Scalp, Skull, and Large portions of the Cortex
- Anterior neuropore closure @ day 25
- Posterior neuropore closure @ day 27
- Increased levels of AFP and ACh
Anencephaly
- Failure of Caudal neopore closure
- Severity depends on the degree of closure as well as the location of the Fusion defect
- Elevated AFP in Maternal serum or Amniotic fluid
Spina Bifida
- Small Tuft of hair overlying the defect without any visible Herniate contents
- Asymptomatic
- Missing Lumbar or Sacral processes
- Failure of the Vertebral arches to close w/out Herniation of Intraspinal contents
Spina Bifida Occulta
- Protrusion of the Dura mater and Arachnoid, forming a Lumbosacral cyst
- Failure of Vertebral arches to close w/ Herniation of Meninges but NOT the Spinal cord
Spina Bifida Meningocele
- Herniated Lumbosacral sac
- Depending on the location: Paralysis and Loss of Deep Tendon reflexes and Sensation in the lower extremities as well as Incontinence
- A/w Type II Arnold-Chiari syndrome
Spina Bifida Meningomyelocele
- Mental Retardation
- Herniation of Meninges and Brain
Spina Bifida Meningoencephalocele
- Herniation of Meninges, Brain, and CSF-containing Ventricles
Spina Bifida Meningohydroencephalocele
- Most severe form of Spina Bifida w/ Myelomeningocele
- Flattened plate like mass of nervous tissue w/ no overlying membrane
- More prone to life threatening Infections and Meningitis
- Split Brain
Spina Bifida w/ Myeloshisis
- Neural tube Birth defect
- Posterior Neural tube fails to close by the 27th day
- Vertebrae over defect fail to form and remain Unfused and Open
- Spinal cord remains exposed
- Motor and Sensory defects
- Chronic Infections
- Bladder disfunction
- A/w Anencephaly
Rachischisis
- Enlarging Head circumference
- Dilation of the ventricles (Cranial suture lines not fused)
- Congenital Stenosis between 3rd and 4th Ventricle
- Accumulation of CSF
- Common in Newborns
Cerebral Aqueduct Stenosis
- Agenesis / Congenital failure of the Cerebellar Vermis Hypoplasia and Splenium of Corpus Callosum
- **Failure ** to Open of the Foramina of Luschka and Foramina of Magendie
- Massively dilatated 4th Ventricle (Posterior fossa) w/out Cerebellum
- Accompanied by Hydrocephalus
Dandy-Walker Malformation
- Herniation of the Cerebellar Tonsils ONLY
- May not show neurologic symptoms until Adolescens or Adult life
- Cerebellar Ataxia
- Obstructive Hydrocephalus
- Brain stem compression
- Syringomyelia
- Large Foramen magnum
Arnold-Chiari Type I
- Congenital downward displacement of Cerebellar vermis and Tonsils through the Foramen magnum
- A/w obstruction of CSF and Hydrocephalus and Meningomyelocele
- Difficulty swallowing (compression of the Nucleus Ambiduus)
- Loss of Pain / Temperature sensation along the Back of the Neck and Shoulders
- Cranial Nerve and Brain stem dysfunction results in Respiratory failure and Death
Arnold-Chiari Type II
- Cystic degeneration of the Spinal cord
- Arises w/ Trauma and A/w Type I Arnold-Chiari malformation, Usually C8 – T1
- Sensory (Pain, Temp. Loss) w/ sparing of Fine touch w/ “Cape-like” distribution – Anterior white commissure of the Spinothalamic Tract w/ sparing of the Dorsal column
- Muscle atrophy and Weakness – dmg to lower motor neurons of Ant. Horn
- A/w Horner Syndrome w/ Ptosis, Miosis, and Anhydrosis
Syringomyelia
- Sympathetic trunk nerves get damaged, same side
- Miosis (constricted pupil)
- Ptosis (droopy eyelid)
- Anhidrosis (decreased sweating)
- A/ diseases may be Congential or Acquired
Horner Syndrome
- Dmg to Anterior Motor Horn due to Poliovirus Infection (Piconaviridae Enterovirus)
- Fecal-oral transmission
- Sore throat, malaise
- Lower motor neuron – Flaccid paralysis w/ Muscle atrophy
- Fasciculations - small uncontrolled muscle twitch
- Weaness w/ decreased Muscle tone
- Impaired reflexes
- Negative Babinski sign (downgoing toes)
Poliomyelitis
- Inherited degeneration of the Anterior Motor Horn
- Autosomal recessive
- “Floppy baby”
- Death occurs w/in a few years after birth
Werding-Hoffman Disease
- Degenerative disorder of the Upper and Lower motor neurons of the Corticospinal tract - Anterior Horns
- Zinc-copper Superoxide Dismutase mutation (SOD1) w/ Familial cases (chrom 21) – free radical injury in neurons
- Anterior motor horn degn. – Lower motor neuron signs, Flaccid paralysis w/ muscle atrophy, Fascicultations, Weakness, Impared reflexes, Negative Babinski
- Lateral corticospinal tract degn. – Upper motor neuron signs, Spastic paralysis w/ Hyperreflexia, Increased tone, Positive Babinski
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Degn. disorder of Cerebellum (Ataxia) and Spinal cord (Loss of Vibratory sense and Proprioception, Muscle weakness in Lower extremities, and loss of Deep tendon reflexes)
- Autosomal Recessive – unstable trinucleotide repeat (GAA) in Frataxin gene
- Presents in early childhood
- Pts. are wheelchair bound w/in a few years
- A/w Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- Frataxin – essential for Mitochondrial iron regulation – Free radical damage via Fenton reaction
Friedreich Ataxia
- Group B Streptococci (Streptococcus agalactia)
- Listeria monocytogenes
- E. coli (Escherichia coli)
Neonatal Meningitis
- Pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumonia)
- Meningococci (Neisseria meningitidis)
- Influenzae Type B (Haemophilus influenza Type B) (non-vaccinated kids)
Meningitis (6 mos. – 6 yrs.)
- Meningococci (Neisseria meningitidis)
- Polio (Picornavirdae enterovirus)
- Pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumonia)
Meningitis (6 yrs. 60 yrs)
- Cryptococcosis (Cryptococcus neoformans)
Fungal Meningitis
- Coxsackie A & B (Picornaviridae enterovirus)
- Echovirus (Picornaviridae enterovirus B)
- Mumps (Paramyxoviridae rubulavirus)
- Polio (Picornavirdae enterovirus)
Aseptic Meningitis
Bacterial Profile of Meningitis?
- Protein: ↑ ↑
- Glucose: ↓ ↓
- Cell Infiltration: Neutrophils and PMNs
- Pressure: ↑
- Gram stain and Culture often Identify causative agent
Viral Profile of Meningitis?
- Protein: ↑ or Normal
- Glucose: Normal
- Cell Infiltration: Lymphocytes w/ normal CSF
- Pressure: Normal
Fungal Profile of Meningitis?
- Protein: ↑
- Glucose: ↓
- Cell Infiltration:Lymphocytes
- Pressure: ↑
Two Basic Types of Cerebrovascular Disease?
- Ischemia
- Focal
- Thrombotic stroke
- Embolic stroke
- Lacunar stoke
- Global
- Focal
- Hemorrhage
- Intracerebral
- Subarachnoid
- Low perfusion (atherosclerosis)
- Acute decrease in blood flow (Cardiogenic shock, Overall decrease) - Chronic hypoxia (anemia)
- Repeated episodes of Hypoglycemia (Insulinoma)
- Mild – Transient confusion w/ prompt recovery
-
Moderate – Infarcts in watershed areas
- Pyramidal neurons of Cerebral cortex – Laminar necrosis
- Pyramidal neurons of Hippocampus (Temporal lobe) – long term memory
- Severe – Diffuse necrosis w/ ‘vegetative state’
Global Cerebral Ischemia
- Rupture of an Atherosclerotic plaque
- Pale infarct at the periphery of the Cortex
- Atherosclerosis usually develops at Branch points (Bifurcation of Internal Carotid and Middle cerebral artery, in Circle of Willis)
Thrombotic Stroke
- Due to Thromboemboli
- Commonly arising from the Left side of the Heart (Atrial fibrillation)
- Usually involves the Middle Cerebral artery
- After lysis of Emboli - Hemorrhagic infarct at the Periphery of the Cortex
Embolic Stroke
- Occurs secondary to Hyaline arteriolosclerosis
- Complication of Benign HTN, Diabetes mellitus
- Most commonly involves Lenticulostriate vessels, resulting in small cystic areas of infarction
- Involvement of the Internal capsule leads to a pure Motor stroke
- Involvement of the Thalamus leads to a pure Sensory Stroke
Lacunar Stroke
Progression of Ischemic Stroke?
- 12 hrs after Infarction: Eosinophilic change in the cytoplasm of neurons (“Red neurons”) is an early microscopic finding
-
24 hrs after infarction:
- Neutrophils (days 1 - 3)
- Microglial cells (days 4 – 7)
- Gliosis (weeks 2 – 3)
- Formation of Fluid-filled cystic space surrounded by Gliosis – Caseating necrosis and Liquefactive necrosis
- Bleeding into the Brain parenchyma
- Rupture of Charcot-Bouchard microaneurysms of Lenticulostriate vessels – Deep bleeding in Paranchyma of Brain
- A/w HTN, reduced HTN decreases incidence by half
- Severe Headache, Nausea, Vomiting, and eventual Coma
Intracerebral Hemorrhage
- Bleeding into the Subarachnoid space
- Sudden Headache “Worse Headache of my Life” w/ Nuchal rigidity
- Lumbar puncture shows Xanthochromia (yellow hue due to Bilirubin breakdwon)
- A/w Berry aneurysm – Saccular (aneurysm) outpouchings that lack media layer, esp. Anterior Circle of Willis @ branch points of the Anterior communicating artery
- A/w Marfan syndrome (FBN1 on Chr. 15 misfolding of Fibrillin-1 – connective tissue weakness) and ADPKD (MVP, Hepatic cysts)
- Other causes AV malformations and an Anticoagulated state
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Blood between Dura mater and Skull – bleeding seperates
- Fracture of the Temporal bone w/ rupture of the Middle meningeal artery
- A/w a blow to the head, head trauma
- “Lucid interval” may precede Neurologic signs
- Lens-shaped lesion on CT scan
- Herniation – a lethal complication, pushes brain to other side
Epidural Hematoma
- Blood under the Dura mater, covering the surface of the brain
- Tearing of Bridging veins that lie between the Dura and Arachnoid
- Trauma
- Crescent-shaped on CT
- Progressive neurologic signs – leading toward Herniation (lethal)
- Increased rate in Elderly due to age-related cerebral atrophy, stretching the veins
Subdural Hematoma