Neuro - Pathology Flashcards
A 30-year-old female is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. What do the characteristic periventricular plaques on her MRI represent?
Areas of oligodendrocyte loss and reactive gliosis
What is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly?
Alzheimer’s disease
Senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles characterize what type of dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease
The genes APP, presenilin-1, presenilin-2, and ApoE4 are associated with the familial form of what type of dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease may cause amyloid angiopathy, which may result in what serious complication?
Intracranial hemorrhage
What is the difference between the Apo isoforms E2 and E4 in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease?
The E4 isoform is a genetic risk factor for familial Alzheimer’s disease, whereas the E2 isoform is protective against Alzheimer’s disease
What is the second most common cause of dementia in the elderly after Alzheimer’s Disease?
Multi-infarct dementia
What degenerative disease of the cerebral cortex affects only the frontal and temporal lobes?
Pick’s disease
An elderly woman is increasingly socially inappropriate and inattentive, and she has difficulty speaking. What type of dementia is most likely to cause this her decrement in executive functioning?
Pick’s disease
What degenerative disease of the cerebral cortex is caused by an -synuclein defect?
Lewy body dementia
_____ bodies are characterized by intracellular aggregated τ-protein in neurons.
Pick
What degenerative disease of the cerebral cortex is associated with a rapidly progressive dementia (occurring over weeks to months), myoclonus, and a spongiform cortex?
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease
What degenerative disease of the cerebral cortex is characterized by parkinsonism, dementia, and hallucinations?
Lewy body dementia
Name the pathologic proteins responsible for Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.
Prions
The intracellular neurofibrillary tangles found in patients with Alzheimer;s disease are commonly made up of abnormally phosphorylated _____ protein.
τ (tau)
What proportion of patients with Alzheimer;s disease have the familial form?
Approximately 10%
What potentially treatable forms of dementia must be ruled out before diagnosing a patient with Alzheimer;s disease?
Wilson;s disease, vitamin B12deficiency, syphilis, and HIV
What will cerebrospinal fluid studies of a patient with multiple sclerosis show?
Increased immunoglobulin G protein; oligoclonal bands are considered diagnostic of multiple sclerosis
A patient presents with sudden loss of vision, internuclear ophthalmoplegia, hemiparesis, and bladder incontinence. What disease does she most likely have?
Multiple sclerosis
Histologically, what are the periventricular plaques seen in multiple sclerosis?
Areas of oligodendrocyte loss and reactive gliosis
Name five classic symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Use the mnemonic, SIN.
Scanning speech, Intention tremor, Incontinence, Internuclear ophthalmoplegia, Nystagmus
What is the treatment for multiple sclerosis?
β-Interferon or immunosuppressant therapy, as well as symptomatic treatment for incontinence, pain, and spasticity
Which imaging modality is considered diagnostic of multiple sclerosis if it has a characteristic appearance?
MRI
Multiple sclerosis causes damage to which of the following: axons, neuron cell bodies, myelin?
Myelin only
What demographic group is most likely to be affected by multiple sclerosis (race, sex and age)?
White women 20-40 years of age
Is the course of multiple sclerosis usually rapidly progressive, chronic, insidious, or relapsing and remitting?
Relapsing and remitting
What syndrome is characterized by symmetric ascending muscle weakness that begins in the distal lower extremities and that typically occurs after or concurrent with an infection?
Guillain-Barr syndrome
What is the mechanism by which the immune system is induced to destroy myelin in Guillan-Barr syndrome?
Molecular mimicry
How long does it generally take patients to recover from Guillan-Barr syndrome?
Most patients recover in weeks to months
Findings in Guillain-Barr syndrome include a(n) _____ (elevated/low/normal) cerebrospinal fluid protein level with a(n) ______ (elevated/low/normal) cell count.
Elevated; normal
What causes Guillain-Barr syndrome?
An autoimmune attack on the myelin sheath due to molecular mimicry with a precipitating infection
What is the prognosis for patients with Guillain-Barr syndrome?
Almost never fatal, with most patients making a full recovery
How is Guillan-Barr treated?
Respiratory support is critical during paralysis; plasmapheresis and intravenous immune globulins are given
In Guillan-Barr syndrome, what tissue is the target of autoimmune attack?
Peripheral myelin
Which gastrointestinal bacterial infection is a common inciting event for Guillain-Barr syndrome?
Campylobacter jejuni
Which rapidly progressive disease is characterized by demyelination of the central nervous system due to destruction of oligodendrocytes in AIDS patients?
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
Which virus has been implicated in progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy?
JC virus; almost all individuals have evidence of infection, but the virus is latent except in severely immunocompromised patients
In what percentage of AIDS patients is PML seen?
2-4%
Which demyelinating disease may occur after infections with chickenpox or measles, or with rabies and smallpox vaccinations?
Acute disseminated (postinfectious) encephalomyelitis
Which demyelinating disease is characterized by multifocal perivenular inflammation and demyelination?
Acute disseminated (postinfectious) encephalomyelitis
What is the mode of inheritance of metachromatic leukodystrophy?
Autosomal recessive
In metachromatic leukodystrophy, what is the consequence of sulfatide accumulation in cells?
Impaired production of the myelin sheath
In metachromatic leukodystrophy, which enzyme is deficient?
Arylsulfatase A
Which group of hereditary nerve disorders is characterized by defective production of proteins involved in the structure and function of peripheral nerves or the myelin sheath?
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
How do partial seizures differ from generalized seizures?
Partial seizures affect one area of the brain and are often preceded by an aura; generalized seizures affect the brain diffusely
How do complex and simple partial seizures differ?
Simple partial seizures do not impair consciousness, but can have motor, sensory, autonomic, or psychic effects; complex partial seizures impair consciousness
Name five possible causes of new-onset seizures in the elderly.
Stroke, tumor, trauma, infection, or metabolic abnormalities
From which part of the brain do partial seizures most commonly originate?
Mesial temporal lobe
What is epilepsy?
A disorder of recurrent unprovoked seizures
How does neuronal firing differ in seizure activity compared to normal function?
Firing is synchronized and high-frequency during a seizure
What are common causes of seizures in children?
Genetic disorders, fever (febrile seizures), trauma, congenital malformations, and metabolic insults
A young girl sometimes lapses into a blank stare and then resumes her conversation as if nothing had happened. What kind of seizure may this child be experiencing?
Absence seizure
What type of seizure is characterized by quick, repetitive jerks?
Myoclonic seizure
What are common causes of seizures among adults?
Tumors, trauma, stroke, and infection