neuro to work on COPY Flashcards
What investigations might you do on someone with encephalitis?
- MRI - shows areas of inflammation, may be midline shifting
- EEG - periodic sharp and slow wave complexes
- lumbar puncture
- blood and CSF serology
what are the symptoms of MS?
TEAM T = tingling E = eyes - optic neuritis A = ataxia M = motor - spastic paraparesis, pyramidal weakness (UL = extensors, LL = flexors)
DEMYELINATION D = Diplopia E = Eye movement painful M = Motor weakness and spasticity Y = nYstagmus E = Elevated temperature L = Lhermittes phenomenon N = Neuropathic pain A = Ataxia T = Talking slurred I = Impotence O = Overactive bladder N = Numbness
Define epileptic seizure
Paroxysmal event in which changes of behaviour, sensation or cognitive processes are caused by excess, hypersynchronous neuronal discharge in the brain
Give 5 causes of epilepsy
- Idiopathic (2/3)
- cortical scarring
- tumour
- stroke
- alzheimers dementia
- alcohol withdrawal
What is the treatment for focal epileptic seizures?
Lamotrigine = 1st line Carbamazepine = 2nd line
What is the treatment for generalised epileptic seizures?
Sodium valproate = 1st line
Lamotrigine = 2nd line
How does sodium valproate work?
Inhibits voltage gated Na+ channels and increases GABA production
Give 4 potential side effects of anti-epileptic drugs (AED’s)
- Cognitive disturbances
- Heart disease
- Drug interactions
- Teratogenic
Give 4 differential diagnosis’s of epilepsy
- Syncope
- Non-epileptic seizure
- Migraine
- Hyperventilation
- TIA
Define non-epileptic seizure
Mental processes associated with psychological distress causes paroxysmal changes in behaviour, sensation and cognitive processes
1-20 minute duration
Closed eyes and mouth
Briefly describe the pathophysiology of a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- tissue ischaemia - less blood, O2 and nutrients can reach the tissue due to bleeding loss -> cell death
- raised ICP - fast flowing arterial blood is pumped into the cranial space
- space occupying lesion - puts pressure on the brain
- brain irritates meninges - these inflame causing meningism symptoms. This can obstruct CSF outflow -> hydrocephalus
- vasospasm - bleeding irritates other vessels -> ischaemic injury
Describe the treatment for a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- NIMODIPINE for 3 weeks -> CCB which prevents vasospasm so reduces cerebral ischaemia
- surgery = endovascular coiling
- IV fluids - maintain cerebral perfusion
- ventricular drainage for hydrocephalus
Give 3 possible complications of a subarachnoid haemorrhage
- Rebleeding (common = death)
- Cerebral ischaemia
- Hydrocephalus
- Hyponatraemia
Give 3 risk factors of a subdural haematoma?
- Elderly - brain atrophy, dementia
- Frequent falls - epileptics, alcoholics
- Anticoagulants
- babies - traumatic injury (“shaking baby syndrome”)
Name 3 differential diagnosis’s of a subdural haematoma
- Stroke
- Dementia
- CNS masses (tumour vs abscess)
Give 3 things that modulate LMN action potential transmission to effectors
- Cerebellum
- Basal ganglia
- Sensory feedback
Give 3 disease that are associated with motor neurone damage
- Motor neurone disease
- Spinal atrophy
- Poliomyelitis
- Spinal cord compression
Give 3 pathologies that are associated with ventral spinal root damage
- Prolapsed intervertebral disc
- Tumours
- Cervical or lumbar spondylosis
Describe the pyramidal pattern of weakness in the upper limbs
Flexors are stronger than extensors
Describe the pyramidal pattern of weakness in the lower limbs
Extensors are stronger than flexors
Give 3 causes of UMN weakness
- MS
- Brain tumour
- Stroke
- MND
Give 4 sites of UMN damage
- Motor cortex lesions
- Internal capsule
- Brainstem
- Spinal cord
Define motor neurone disease (MND)
A group of neuro degenerative disorders that selectively affect the motor neurons
Most in the anterior horn, cells of the spinal cord and the motor cranial nuclei
There are no sensory problems
What is the clinical presentation of MND?
- results in mixed UMN and LMN presentation (LMN symptoms predominate)
- wrist drop/foot drop
- change in appearance of hands - wasting
- gait disorders/tendencies to trip
- excessive fatigue
What investigations might you do in someone you suspect to have MND?
Head/spine MRI Blood tests = muscle enzymes, autoantibodies Nerve conduction studies EMG Lumbar Puncture
What is the treatment for MND?
- MDT care
- anti-glutaminergic drugs - ORAL RILUZOLE - Na+ channel blocker, inhibits glutamate release
- Drooling - ORAL PROPANTHELINE or ORAL AMITRIPTYLINE
- Dysphagia: NG tube
- Spasms: ORAL BACLOFEN
- Non-invasive ventilation
- Analgesia e.g. NSAIDs - DICLOFENAC
Give 3 limb onset symptoms of MND
- Weakness
- Clumsiness
- Wasting of muscles
- Foot drop
- Tripping
What are the 4 cardinal presenting symptoms of brain tumours?
- Raised ICP –> headache, decrease GCS, n+v, papilloedema
- Progressive neurological deficit –> deficit of all major functions (motor, sensory, auditory, visual) + personality change
- Epilepsy
- lethargy/tiredness - caused by pressure on brainstem
Name 2 differential diagnosis’s for a brain tumour
- Aneurysm
- Abscess
- Cyst
- Haemorrhage
- Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Where might secondary brain tumours arise from?
- non-small cell lung cancer
- small cell lung cancer
- breast
- melanoma
- renal cell carcinoma
- GI
Give 3 risk factors of dementia
- Family history
- Age
- Down’s syndrome
- Alcohol use, obesity, HTN, hyperlipidaemia, DM
- Depression
- ? Head injury
what is the clinical presentation of Alzheimer’s Disease
● Memory - episodic and semantic ● Language - difficulty understanding or finding words ● Attention and concentration issues ● Psychiatric changes, e.g. withdrawal, delusions ● Disorientation, e.g. time and surroundings
What does vascular dementia often present with?
● Characterised by stepwise progression - Periods of stable symptoms, followed by a sudden increase in severity
● Presentation varies massively but can include:
- Visual disturbances,
- UMN signs (e.g. muscle weakness, overactive reflexes, clonus),
- attention deficit,
- depression,
- incontinence,
- emotional disturbances
○ If infarct was subcortical, then expect to see dysarthria and parkinsonisms
what are the clinical features of Lewy body dementia
● Dementia is often presented initially
○ Memory loss, spatial awareness difficulties,
loss of cognitive function
● Parkinsonisms, e.g. tremor, rigidity, change in gait
● Visual hallucinations
● Sleep disorders, restless leg syndrome
Give 3 symptoms of Fronto-temporal dementia
● Onset tends to be insidious and progressive
● Present with 3 main symptoms:
○ Behavioural issues, e.g. loss of inhibition/empathy, compulsive behaviours, difficulty planning
○ Progressive aphasia, e.g. slow, difficult speech, grammatical errors
○ Semantic dementia, e.g. loss of vocabulary, problems understanding
Name the staging system that classifies the degree of pathology in AD
Braak staging
Stage 5/6 = high likelihood of AD
Stage 3/4 = intermediate likelihood
Stage 1/2 = low likelihood
what are the clinical features of myasthenia gravis?
- Muscle weakness
- Increasing muscular fatigue
- Ptosis
- Diplopia
- Myasthenic snarl
- Tendon reflexes normal but fatigable
● Weakness is more marked in proximal muscles ● Weakness might be seen in: ○ Small muscle of the hands ○ Deltoid and triceps muscles ○ Bulbar muscles ○ Muscles involved in chewing ● No muscle wasting, sensation is unimpaired ● Seizures can occur
What can weakness due to myasthenia gravis be worsened by?
Pregnancy Hypokalaemia Infection Emotion Exercise Drugs (opiates, BB, gentamicin, tetracycline)
Give 3 possible differential diagnosis’s for myasthenia gravis
- MS
- Hyperthyroidism
- Acute Guillain-Barre syndrome
- Lamert-Eaton myasthenia syndrome
What is treatment for myasthenia gravis?
Anti-cholinesterase = pyridostigmine
Immunosuppression = prednisolone (with alendronate - bisphosphonate)
Steroids can be combined with azathioprine or methotrexate
Thymectomy
Give a complication of myasthenia gravis
Myasthenic crisis
Weakness of respiratory muscle during relapse
Treatment = plasmapheresis and IV immunoglobulin
what are the clinical features of Parkinson’s disease
● Often an insidious onset
- impaired dexterity,
- fixed facial expressions,
- foot drag
● Common associated symptoms:
- dementia,
- depression,
- urinary frequency,
- constipation,
- sleep disturbances
What investigations might you do in someone you suspect to have PD?
DaTscan
Functional neuroimaging - PET
Can confirm by reaction to levodopa
Describe the pharmacological treatment for Parkinson’s disease
young onset + fit
- Dopamine agonist (ropinirole)
- MAO-B inhibitor (rasagiline)
- L-DOPA (co-careldopa)
frail + co-morbidities
- L-DOPA (co-careldopa)
- MAO-B inhibitor (rasagiline)
How do dopamine agonists work in the treatment of PD and give an example of one?
Reduced risk of dyskinesia
First line in patient <60
Ropinirole, pramipexole
How do MAO-B inhibitors work in the treatment of PD and give an example of one?
Inhibit MAO-B enzymes which breakdown dopamine -> increases amount of dopamine available
Rasagiline, selegiline
How do COMT inhibitors work in the treatment of PD and give an example of one?
Inhibit COMT enzymes which breakdown dopamine
Entacapone, tolcapone
What surgical treatment methods are there for Parkinson’s disease?
Deep brain stimulation of the sub-thalamic nucleus
Surgical ablation of overactive basal ganglia circuits
Name the cardinal features of Huntington’s disease
● Main sign is hyperkinesia
● Characterised by:
○ Chorea, dystonia, and incoordination
● Psychiatric issues
● Depression
● Cognitive impairment, behavioural difficulties
● Irritability, agitation, anxiety
Name 3 signs of Huntington’s disease
- Abnormal eye movements
- Dysarthria
- Dysphagia
- Rigidity
- Ataxia
Describe the treatment of Huntington’s disease
poor prognosis - no treatment - reserpine = chorea ● Benzodiazepines/valproic acid - chorea ● SSRIs = depression ● Haloperidol = psychosis
what are the causes/risk factors of carpal tunnel syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Obesity
- RA
- DM
- Hypothyroidism
- Acromegaly
What can cause Guillain-Barre syndrome?
Bacteria
- Camplylobacter jejuni
- Mycoplasma
Viruses
- CMV
- EBV
- HIV
- Herpes zoster
Describe the pathophysiology of Guillain-Barre syndrome
Same antigens on infectious organisms as Schwann cells (PNS) –> autoantibody mediated nerve cell damage -> via molecular mimicry
Schwann cell damage consists of demyelination, which results in a reduction in peripheral nerve conduction –> causes acute polyneuropathy
spreads from proximal to distal
what are the clinical features of Guillain-Barre syndrome
Breathing problems Back pain Sensory disturbance Sweating Urinary retention
- Ascending symmetrical muscle weakness 1-3 weeks post-infection (proximal muscles most affected - trunk, respiratory, CN) TOES TO NOSE WEAKNESS
- Pain in legs, back is rare
- sensory loss in lower extremities
- Reflexes lost early on (LMN sign)
- Autonomic features =
- reduced sweating
- reduced heat tolerance
- paralytic ileus - intestinal obstruction w/o blockage
- urinary hesitancy
What investigations might you do in someone you suspect has Guillain-Barre syndrome?
- Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS) = diagnostic -> shows slowing of conduction
- Lumbar Puncture at L4 = raised protein and normal WCC (cyto-protein dissociation)
- bloods - FBC, U&E, LFT, TFT
- Spirometry = respiratory involvement
- ECG
Describe the treatment for Guillain-Barre syndrome
- If FVC <1.5L/80% = ventilate and ITU monitoring
- IV immunoglobulin (IvIg) for 5 days = decrease duration and severity of paralysis
- Plasma exchange
- Low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) - SC ENOXAPARIN
- Analgesia
What are the causes of an ischaemic stroke?
- small vessel occlusion by thrombus
- atherothromboembolism (e.g. from carotid artery)
- cardioembolism (post MI, valve disease, IE)
- hyper viscosity
- hypoperfusion
- vasculitis
- fat emboli from a long bone fracture
- venous sinus thrombosis
What are the causes of an haemorrhagic stroke
Bleeding from the brain vasculature
- Hypertension - stiff and brittle vessels, prone to rupture
- Secondary to ischaemic stroke - bleeding after reperfusion
- Head trauma
- Arteriovenous malformations
- Vasculitis
- Vascular tumours
- Carotid artery dissection
what are the risk factors for ischaemic stroke?
- Age
- Male
- Hypertension
- Smoking
- Diabetes
- Recent/past TIA
- Heart disease - IHD, AF, valve disease
- Combined oral contraceptive
Give 3 signs of an ACA stroke
- Leg weakness - contralateral
- Sensory disturbance in legs
- Gait apraxia
- Incontinence
- Drowsiness
- Akinetic mutism - decrease in spontaneous speech (in a stupor)
- truncal ataxia - can’t sit or stand unsupported
Give 3 signs of a MCA stroke
- Contralateral arm and leg weakness and sensory loss
- Hemianopia
- Aphasia
- Dysphasia
- Facial droop
Give 3 signs of a PCA stroke
visual issues
- Contralateral homonymous hemianopia
- Cortical blindness
- Visual agonisa
- Prosopagnoisa
- Dyslexia
- Unilateral headache
Give 3 differential diagnosis’s for a stroke
- Hypoglycaemia
- Intracranial tumour
- Head injury +/- haemorrhage
What is the treatment for an ischaemic stroke?
Immediate management:
- CT/MRI to exclude haemorrhagic stroke
- aspirin 300mg
Antiplatelet therapy
- aspirin 300mg for 2 weeks
- clopidogrel daily long term
Anticoagulation (e.g. warfarin) for AF
thrombolysis
- within 4.5 hrs of onset
- IV alteplase
- lots of contraindications (can cause massive bleeds)
mechanical thromboectomy
- endovascular removal of thrombus
What is primary prevention of strokes?
Risk factor modifcaiton
- Antihypertensives for HTN
- Statins for hyperlipiaemia
- Smoking cessation
- Control DM
- AF treatment = warfarin/NOAC’s
What is secondary prevention of strokes?
2 weeks of aspirin –> long term clopidogrel
Give 3 causes of a TIA
- Artherothromboembolism of the carotid - main cause (can hear carotid bruit)
- Cardioembolism - in AF, after MI, valve disease/prosthetic valve
- Hyperviscosity - polycythaemia, sickle cell, high WBCC
- hypoperfusion - postural hypotension, decreased flow
what are the signs of a carotid TIA?
- Amaurosis fugax = retinal artery occlusion –> vision loss
- Aphasia
- Hemiparesis
- Hemisensory loss
- hemianopia
what are the signs of a vertebrobasilar TIA?
- Diplopia, vertigo, vomiting
- Choking and dysarthria
- Ataxia
- Hemisensory loss
- Hemianopic/bilateral visual loss
- tetraparesis
- loss of consciousness
what are the differential diagnosis’s for a TIA
- Migraine aura
- Epilepsy
- Hypoglycaemia
- Hyperventilation
- retinal bleed
- syncope - due to arrhythmia
What investigations would you do in someone who you suspect to have a TIA?
first line = diffusion weighted MRI or CT
second line = carotid imaging (doppler ultrasound followed by angiography if stenosis is found)
Bloods
- FBC - look for polycythaemia
- ESR - raised in vasculitis
- U&Es, glucose
ECG
echocardiogram
What is it essential to do in someone who has had a TIA?
Assess their risk of having stroke in the next 7 days = ABCD2 score
What is the ABCD2 score?
Assesses risk of stoke in the next 7 days for those who have had a TIA
- age
- BP
- clinical features - unilateral weakness, speech disturbance
- duration of TIA
- presence of diabetes mellitus
What classifies as a high risk stroke patient?
- have ABCD2 score >4
- have AF
- > 1 TIA in a week
What is the treatment for a TIA?
immediate treatment = aspirin 300mg and refer to specialist within 24hrs
control CV risk factors
- BP control - ACEi (RAMIPRIL) or ARB (CANDESARTAN)
- smoking cessation
- statin - SIMVASTATIN
- no driving for 1 month
antiplatelet therapy
- ASPIRIN 75mg daily (With Dipyridamole)
or
- CLOPIDOGREL daily
anticoagulation (e.g. WARFARIN) for patients with AF
carotid endarterectomy
- if >70% carotid stenosis
- reduces stroke/TIA risk by 75%
Give 3 causes of spinal cord compression
- trauma,
- tumours - most common spinal metastases are
breast, prostate and lung cancer - central disc protrusion,
- prolapsed disc (L4-5 and L5-S1 most common),
- epidural haematoma,
- infection,
- cervical spondylitic myelopathy
Give 3 signs and symptoms of spinal cord compression
Red flag signs: - Loss of bladder or bowel function, - UMN signs in the lower limbs (e.g. clonus, hyperreflexia), - LMN signs in the upper limbs (e.g. atrophy)
● Symptoms depend on the injury type and site
- Can include paraplegia,
- pain,
- paraesthesia,
- changes to tendon reflexes
Give 3 causes of cauda equina syndrome
- Lumbar disc herniation at L4/5 or L5/S1
- Tumour
- Trauma
- Infection
- late-stage ankylosing spondylitis
- post-operative haematoma
- sarcoidosis
what are the clinical features of cauda equina syndrome
● Sudden onset - hours ● Saddle paraesthesia ● bilateral sciatica ● Bladder/bowel dysfunction ● erectile dysfunction ● Motor problems ● Lower back pain ● Bilateral LMN weakness, absent ankle reflex (flaccid and areflexic)
What investigations might you do to see if someone has cauda equina syndrome?
● Medical emergency
- immediate referral
● Rectal exam - loss of anal tone/sensation
● MRI spine
● knee flexion (L5-S1) and ankle plantar flexion (S1-S2)
How do you treat cauda equina syndrome?
● Surgical decompression is essential ● Immobilise spine ● Anti-inflammatory agents ● Antibiotics if infection present ● Chemotherapy if indicated
- Microdiscectomy - removal of part of the disc - may tear dura!
- Epidural steroid injection - more effective for leg pain
- Surgical spine fixation - if vertebra slipped
- Spinal fusion - reduces pain from motion and nerve root inflammation
Define spondyloisthesis
Slippage of vertebra over the one below
Define spondylosis
Degenerative disc disease
what are the risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease?
- Down’s syndrome,
- ApoE E4 allele homozygosity,
- reduced cognitive activity,
- depression/loneliness