Neuro Shorts Flashcards

1
Q

What are saccades?

A

Small, fast movements of the eyes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Which phase of nystagmus is pathological?

A

Slow phase

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Pattern of cerebellar nystagmus

A

Unilateral or bilateral, causes eye to drift back (slow phase) to centre, with fast phase in direction of gaze. Also called gaze-evoked nystagmus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is Alexander’s law?

A

Phenomenon in which the spontaneous nystagmus of a patient with a vestibular lesion is more intense when the patient looks in the quick-phase than in the slow-phase direction.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Pattern of peripheral vestibular nystagmus

A

Unidirection, frequently horizontal although sometimes tortional, follows ALexander’s law

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Causes of monocular nystagmus

A

CN III, IV, or VI palsy

INO

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is Bell’s phenomenon?

A

With ipsilateral 7th nerve palsy, eye on side of the lesion may roll superiorly with the corneal stimulus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Causes of Horner’s syndrome

A
  1. Carcinoma of lung apex
  2. Neck - thyroid malignancy, trauma
  3. Carotid arterial lesion - aneurysm or dissection, tumour, cluster headache
  4. Brain stem lesions - vascular disease (esp lateral medullary syndrome), syringobulbia, tumour
  5. Retro-orbital lesions
  6. Syringomyelia (rare)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Causes of bilateral anosmia

A
  1. URTI
  2. Meningioma of olfactory groove (late)
  3. Ethmoid tumour
  4. Head trauma (including cribriform plate fracture)
  5. Meningitis
  6. Hydrocephalus
  7. Congenital - Kallmann’s
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Causes of unilateral anosmia

A
  1. Meningioma of olfactory groove (early)

2. Head trauma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Causes of absent light reflex but in tact accommodation reflex

A
  1. Midbrain lesion (e.g. Argyll Robertson pupil)
  2. Ciliary ganglion lesion (e.g. Adie’s pupil)
  3. Parinaud’s syndrome
  4. Bilateral anterior visual pathway lesions (bilateral afferent pupil deficits)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Causes of absent convergence but intact light reflex

A
  1. Cortical lesion (e.g. cortical blindness)

2. Midbrain lesions (rare)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is one and a half syndrome?

A
  1. Horizontal gaze palsy (both eyes unable to look ipsilateral to side of lesion)
  2. INO
    - Means only contralateral eye can ABduct (with nystagmus)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Location of lesion causing upper quadrant homonymous hemianopia

A

Temporal lobe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Location of lesion causing lower quadrant homonymous hemianopia

A

Parietal lobe

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Causes of pupillary constriction:

A
  1. Horner’s syndrome
  2. Argyll Robertson pupil
  3. Pontine lesion (often bilateral, but reactive to light)
  4. Narcotics
  5. Pilocarpine drops
  6. Old age
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Causes of pupillary dilatation

A
  1. Mydratics, atropine poisoning, cocaine
  2. 3rd nerve lesion
  3. Adie’s pupil
  4. Iridectomy, lens implant, iritis
  5. Post-trauma,
  6. Congenital
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Sign’s of Adie’s syndrome

A
  1. Dilated pupil
  2. Decreased or absent reaction to light (direct and consensual)
  3. Slow or incomplete reaction to accommodation with slow dilation afterwards
  4. Decreased tendon reflexes
  5. Patients are commonly young women
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Causes of Argyll Robertson pupil

A
  1. Syphilis
  2. Diabetes
  3. Alcoholic midbrain degeneration (rare)
  4. Other midbrain lesions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Signs of Argyll Robertson pupil

A
  1. Small, irregular, unequal pupil
  2. No reaction to light
  3. Prompt reaction to accommodation
  4. If tabes associated, decreased reflexes
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Causes of optic neuropathy

A
  1. Multiple sclerosis
  2. Toxic (ethambutol, chloroquine, nicotine, alcohol)
  3. Metabolic - B12 def.
  4. Ischaemia (DM, temporal arteritis, atheroma)
  5. Familial - Leber’s disease
  6. Infective - infection mononucleosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Causes of cataract

A
  1. Old age
  2. Endocrine - DM, steroids
  3. Hereditary or congenital - dystrophia myotonica, Refsum disease
  4. Ocular disease - glaucoma
  5. Irradiation
  6. Trauma
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Causes of ptosis with normal pupils:

A
  1. Senile ptosis (common)
  2. Myotonic dystrophy
  3. Fascioscapulohumeral dystrophy
  4. Ocular myopathy e.g. mitochondiral myopathy
  5. Thyrotoxic myopathy
  6. Myasthenia gravis
  7. Botulism, snake bite
  8. Congenital
  9. Fatigue
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Causes of ptosis with constricted pupils:

A
  1. Horner’s

2. Tabes dorsalis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Causes of ptosis with dilated pupils:

A
  1. CN III lesion
26
Q

What does superior oblique muscle do?

A

INtorts the eye, supplied by IV nerve

27
Q

Central causes of CNIII lesion

A
  1. Vascular (brain stem stroke)
  2. Tumour
  3. Demyelination (rare)
  4. Trauma
  5. Idiopathic
28
Q

Peripheral causes of CNIII lesion

A
  1. Compressive:
    - Aneurysm (PCOM)
    - Tumour causing raised ICP (dilated pupil occurs early)
    - Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
    - Orbital lesions - Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (superior orbital fissue syndrome- painful lesion of 3rd/4th/6th and V1)
    - Basal meningitis
  2. Infarction - DM, arteritis (pupil usually spared)
  3. Trauma
  4. Cavernous sinus lesions
29
Q

Cause of bilateral CN VI lesions

A
  1. Trauma (head injury)
  2. Wernicke’s encephalopathy
  3. Raised ICP
  4. Mononeuritis multiplex
30
Q

Cause of unilateral CN VI lesions

A
Central:
1. Vascular
2. Tumour
3. Wernicke's
4. MS (rare)
Peripheral:
1. DM, other vascular lesions
2. Trauma
3. Idiopathic
4. Raised ICP
31
Q

Upbeat vertical nystagmus suggests

A

Lesion in floor of fourth ventricle

32
Q

Downbeat vertical nystagmus suggests

A

Foramen magnum lesion

33
Q

Toxic causes of vertical nystagmus

A

Phenytoin, alcohol (may be multidirectional)

34
Q

Central causes of Parinaud’s syndrome

A
  1. Pinealoma
  2. MS
  3. Vascular lesions
35
Q

Peripheral causes of Parinaud’s syndrome

A
  1. Trauma
  2. DM
  3. Other vascular lesions
  4. Idiopathic
  5. Raised ICP
36
Q

Central causes of CN V palsy

A

Pons, medulla, upper cervical cause

  1. Vascular
  2. Tumour
  3. Syringobulbia
  4. MS
37
Q

Peripheral causes of CN V palsy

A
Posterior fossa
1. Aneurysm
2. Tumour (skull base, acoustic neuroma)
3. Chronic meningitis
Trigeminal ganglion - petrous temporal bone
1. Meningioma
2. Fracture of middle fossa
38
Q

Cavernous sinus causes of CN V palsy (associated CN III, IV, VI palsy)

A
  1. Aneurysm
  2. Thrombosis
  3. Tumour
39
Q

Other causes of CN V palsy

A
  1. Sjogren’s
  2. SLE
  3. Toxins
  4. Idiopathic
40
Q

If loss of CN V pain but preservation of touch, consider lesion where?

A

Brain stem or upper cervical cord

41
Q

If loss of CN V touch but preservation of pain, consider lesion where?

A

Pontine nucleus lesion

42
Q

Cause of UMN CN VII palsy

A
  1. Vascular

2. Tumour

43
Q

Cause of LMN CN VII palsy

A
  1. Pontine (vascular, tumour, syringobulbia, MS)
  2. Posterior fossa (acoustic neuroma, meningioma)
  3. Petrous temporal bone (Bell’s, Ramsay Hunt, OM, fracture)
  4. Parotid (tumour, sarcoid
44
Q

Causes of bilateral LMN facial weakness

A
  1. GBS
  2. Bilateral parotid disease (e.g. sarcoidosis)
  3. Mononeuritis multiplex (rare)
  4. Myopathy (usually genetic)
  5. Myasthenia
45
Q

Causes of sensorineural deafness:

A
  1. Degeneration (presbycusis)
  2. Trauma (high noise exposure, fracture of petrous temporal bone)
  3. Toxic (aspirin, EtOH, streptomycin)
  4. Infection (congenital rubella, congenital syphilis)
  5. Tumour (acoustic neuroma)
  6. Brain stem lesion
  7. Vascular disease of internal auditory artery
46
Q

Causes of conductive deafness:

A
  1. Wax
  2. Otitis media
  3. Otosclerosis
  4. Paget’s disease of bone
47
Q

Central causes of CN IX/X palsy

A
  1. Vascular (lateral medullary due to vertebral or PICA disease)
  2. Tumour
  3. Syringobulbia
  4. MND (vagus nerve only)
48
Q

Peripheral/posterior fossa causes of CN IX/X palsy

A
  1. Aneurysm
  2. Tumour
  3. Chronic meningitis
  4. GBS (X only)
49
Q

Aetiology of UMN CN XII lesion

A
  1. Vascular
  2. MND
  3. Tumour
  4. MS
50
Q

Aetiology of unilateral LMN CN XII lesion

A

Central:

  1. Vascular - thrombosis of vertebral artery
  2. MND
  3. Syringobulbia

Peripheral (posterior fossa):

  1. Aneurysm
  2. Tumour
  3. Chronic meningitis
  4. Trauma
  5. Arnold-Chiari malformation
  6. Fracture or tumour of base of skull
51
Q

Causes of bilateral LMN CN XII lesion

A
  1. MND
  2. Arnold chiari malformation
  3. GBS
  4. Polio
52
Q

Diagnoses to consider with multiple CN palsies

A
  1. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
  2. Chronic meningitis (carcinoma, TB, sarcoid)
  3. GBS (spares I/II/VIII), including Millfer-Fisher
  4. Brain stem lesions - look for crossed signs
  5. Arnold-Chiari malformation
  6. Trauma
  7. Base of skull lesion (Paget’s, large meningioma, metastasis)
  8. Mononeuritis multiplex (rare) secondary to DM for e.g.
53
Q

What are the features of Gerstmann’s syndrome?

A

Acalculia, agrapha, left-right disorientation, finger agnosia

54
Q

Causes of peripheral neuropathy

A
  1. Drugs - isoniazid, vincristine, phenytoin, nitrofurantoin, cisplatinum, amio, high dose B6, heavy metals
  2. Alcohol, amyloidosis
  3. Metabolic - diabetes, uraemia, hypothyroidism, porphyria
  4. Immune-mediated - GBS
  5. Tumour - lung Ca
  6. Vit B12 / B1 deficiency, or B6 excess
  7. Idiopathic
  8. CTD or vasculitis - SLE, PAN
  9. Hereditary
55
Q

Causes of predominantly motor neuropathy

A
  1. GBS, CIDP
  2. HMSN (CMT)
  3. Acute intermittent porphyria
  4. Diabetes
  5. Lead poisoning
  6. Multifocal motor neuropathy
56
Q

Causes of predominantly sensory neuropathy

A
  1. Diabetes
  2. Carcinoma (lung, ovary, breast) - may be neuronopathy, length independent
  3. Paraproteinaemia
  4. Vit B6 intoxication
  5. Sjogren’s (often neuronopathy)
  6. Syphilis
  7. Vit B12 deficiency
  8. Idiopathic
57
Q

Causes of painful peripheral neuropathy

A
  1. Diabetes
  2. EtOH
  3. Vit B12/B1 deficiency
  4. Carcinoma
  5. Porphyria
  6. Arsenic or thallium poisoning
  7. Hereditary (although most not painful)
58
Q

Nerve conduction study findings in demyelinating neuropathy (diabetes, paraprotein, CMT, CIDP)

A

Velocity < 75%, distal latency > 130%, normal amplitude

59
Q

Nerve conduction study findings in axonal neuropathy (diabetes, toxins, metabolic, paraneoplastic)

A

Amplitude < 50%, velocity > 70%

60
Q

Causes of acute mononeuritis multiplex

A

Diabetes, CTD, PAN

61
Q

Causes of chronic mononeuritis multiplex

A
  1. Multiple compressive neuropathies
  2. Sarcoidosis
  3. Acromegaly
  4. Leprosy
  5. Lyme disease
  6. Carcinoma (rare)
  7. Idiopathic
62
Q

Causes of thickened nerves

A
  1. HMSN
  2. Acromegaly
  3. CIDP
  4. Amyloidosis
  5. Leprosy
  6. Others - sarcoid, neurofibromatosis