Neurologic Disorders

Question 1

What is an ischemic stroke?

Answer 1

A stroke caused by deprivation of blood.

Question 2

What is a hemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 2

A stroke caused by bleeding.

Question 3

What is an infarction?

Answer 3

The death of brain tissue caused by loss of blood supply.

Question 4

What is stenosis?

Answer 4

Diminishing of an opening, as in the case of thrombosis.

Question 5

What is a lumen?

Answer 5

The opening in an artery. It can become occluded through thrombosis.

Question 6

What is a RIND (Reversible Ischemic Neurologic Deficit)?

Answer 6

A TIA lasting more than 24 hours, but resolving completely within a few days.

Question 7

What is a PRIND (Partially Reversible Ischemic Neurologic Deficit)?

Answer 7

A TIA lasting more than 24 hours, but leave only minor deficits after a few days.

Question 8

What is Hypoperfusion?

Answer 8

Insufficient blood supply to the brain caused not by occlusion, but by insufficient blood volume. It is caused most often by a hemorrhage at another location, or insufficient cardiac pumping capacity (usually due to heart disease).

Question 9

What is Diaschisis?

Answer 9

A phenomenon in which brain function is disrupted in regions away from the site of injury but connected to it by neuronal pathways.

Question 10

Where do extracerebral hemorrhages occur?

Answer 10

Within the meninges or on the surface of the brain.

Question 11

What is the most common cause of epidural and subdural hemorrhages?

Answer 11

Traumatic head injury.

Question 12

What is the most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhages?

Answer 12

Aneurysm

Question 13

What are the most common cites for intracerebral hemorrhages?

Answer 13

Thalamus and basal ganglia (sometimes pons and cerebellum).

Question 14

At what point post stroke is the greatest period of recovery from ischemic strokes?

Answer 14

2-4 weeks post stroke.

Question 15

At what point post stroke is the greatest period of recovery from hemorrhagic strokes?

Answer 15

Not until a few weeks post stroke. The increased cerebral swelling may explain this delay.

Question 16

Which type of stroke ultimately results in the most recovery (most of the time)?

Answer 16

Hemorrhagic. Hemorrhagic strokes do not destroy white matter (nerve fiber tracts) which may explain why they tend to experience better recovery.

Question 17

What is a primary tumor?

Answer 17

A tumor which originates at its intracranial location.

Question 18

What is a secondary tumor?

Answer 18

A tumor which migrates to an intracranial location from a separate site of origin. This migration is called metastasis, giving these tumors the name of metastatic tumors.