Neuro Things I Can't Remember Flashcards
Describe decerebrate posturing
Extension of both upper and lower extremities
Damage to the midbrain (red nucleus)
Describe decorticate posturing
Damage to the cerebral hemisphere
Arm flexed and leg extended in response to pain
What drugs may be used to slow Alzheimer’s Disease?
Central acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, or galantamine)
May add Memantine in later course
What test may be used premortem to diagnosis Alzheimers?
Pittsburgh Compound B to bind Beta amyloid
Agnosia occurs when there is damage to…
Sensory association cortex
Perivascular Pseudorosettes are seen in what primary brain tumor?
Ependymoma
After fixing an aneurysm, the patient may develop cerebral vasospasm in the next few days. How is this minimized (3 Hs)?
Hypertension (vasopressors)
Hypervolemia (IV hydration)
Hemodilution (phlebotomy)
When is carotid endarterectomy indicated?
Symptomatic atheromatous lesion of 70-99% stenosis at origin of ICA
Cheynes strokes breathing is indicative of what kind of damage to the brain?
Bilateral cortical involvement due to metabolic encephalopathy
Two ways to reduce intracranial pressure
Hyperventilation and mannitol (osmotic diuretics)
What is the preferred method of determining brain death now?
Radioisotope brain scan at the bedside
If there is no cerebral blood flow for 10 minutes, they are braindead
How should essential tremor be treated?
Beta blockers or barbiturates
How should choreoathesosis, hemiballismus, and tics be treated?
Dopamine antagonist drugs
How should dystonia be treated?
Antichoinergics
Benzodiazepines
Botulinum toxin injections
Fibrillary astrocytes are located where?
White Matter
Protoplasmic astrocytes are located where?
Grey matter
Describe satellitosis
Oligodendrocytes surrounding a neuron cell body in the CNS
Describe cell appearance in Central Chromatolysis
What causes it?
Neuron cell body swells and pushes the nucleus to the side
In response to axonal destruction or transection
Describe cell appearance in Neuronophagia
What causes it?
Neuron is surrounded by microglial cells
Caused by viral encephalitis
Describe cell appearance in Acute Neuronal Injury
What causes it?
Cell body shrinkage, Red Dead Neurons
Cytoplasm is eosinophilic
Pyknotic nuclei
Loss of Nissl substance
Caused by hypoxia, ischemia, infarct, hypoglycemia
Describe cell appearance in Ballooned Neurons
What causes it?
Neuronal cell body has swollen, but the nucleus is still in the center of the cell
Seen in neurodegenerative diseases
When are Negri bodies seen?
Rabies
When are Hirano bodies seen? What are they?
Alzheimer’s or CJD
Aggregations of alpha-actin
When are Lewy bodies seen?
Parkinson’s
Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Methanol poisoning causes atrophy of the…
Putamen
CO poisoning causes hemorrhage of the…
Glubus pallidus
Central Pontine Myelinolysis is caused by…
Rapid correction of hyponatremia
Multiple System Atrophy
What is the pathology seen? What part of the brain is involved?
Parkinsonism
Cerebellar ataxia
Autonomic dysfunction
Expect to see glial cytoplasmic inclusions of alpha synuclein
May see putamen, SN, pons, cerebellum, olive atrophy
