Neurologic Disorders Flashcards
What are the lobes of the cerebellum?
- anterior
- posterior
- flocculonodular (in-between anterior/posterior)
What does the cerebellum do and what does it control?
- regulates muscle tone & coordinates muscle groups
- controls stance, gait & posture
What are two possible clinical presentations will you see in a pt who has a lesion or damage to the cerebellum?
- ataxia (due to a dec. in motor activities)
- dysmetria (overshoot/undershoot of voluntary motor activity)
What is ataxia?
uncoordinated gait
Describe the presentation of a pt with ataxia:
wide stance, flinging arms/legs out
(“drunk”)
Polyglutamine ataxia is a genetic mutation that causes dysfunction of the cerebellum. Why does this occur?
genetic mutation causes excess glutamine
T/F the pathway of excess glutamine in polyglutamine ataxia is known:
FALSE - it is unknown
Tentorium cerebelli is the fold of what meningeal layer?
fold of the dura mater
In tentorium cerebelli, where does the fold of dura mater occur in the brain?
in the fold separating the cerebellum from inferior part of occipital lobe
Supratentorial lesions develop where?
superior to the tentorium
Is the manifestations of supratentorial lesions narrow or widespread?
narrow (very localized)
If a pt has a supratentorial lesion, what sx are they most likely to have?
paresthesias in fingers of one hand (localized)
Infratentorial lesions develop where?
below the tentorium
Is the manifestations of infratentorial lesions narrow or widespread?
widespread
If a pt has a infratentorial lesions this can also affect what part of the brain?
brain stem
What are 3 motor neuron diseases?
- UMN disease
- LMN disease
- ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis)
The corticospinal pathway contains what primary tract?
the primary voluntary motor tract
The corticospinal tract extends from where to where?
cortex to spine
Is the corticospinal pathway longer or shorter than the corticobulbar pathway?
longer (goes to spine!)
The corticobulbar tract extends from where to where?
cortex to medulla
Is the corticobulbar pathway longer or shorter than the corticospinal pathway?
shorter (stops at medulla!)
The upper motor neurons contain what two tracts?
- corticospinal
- corticobulbar
If a pt has damage or a lesion to the upper motor neurons, what sx will they present?
- weakness
- paralysis
- hyperreflexia
- spastic paralysis
Damage or lesions to the upper motor neurons may cause paralysis. Is this paralysis ipsilateral or contralateral?
contralateral paralysis = UMN
What is hyperreflexia?
increase in muscle tone + reflexes
Why does hyperreflexia occur if there’s damage or lesions to the upper motor neurons?
spinal cord is still carrying out reflexes, no inhibition from cortex
Damage to the lower motor neurons in the anterior horns of the spinal cord causes what?
- weakness or paralysis on same side at or below lesion
- hyporeflexia
- flaccid paralysis
Does paralysis occur on the same side or contralateral side of a lesion in upper motor neuron disease?
contralateral
Damage or lesions to the lower motor neurons may cause weakness and paralysis. Is this paralysis ipsilateral or contralateral?
ipsilateral or below lesion = LMN
A pt with ataxia may not always have a lesion or damage to the cerebellum. Polyglutamine ataxia is one etiology that can cause dysfunction of the cerebellum due to degeneration. Why does this happen?
cerebellum is degenerating bc of xs glutamine = ataxia
What is hyporeflexia?
no muscle tone/little to no reflexes
What does ALS stand for and what’s another name for ALS?
ALS = amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
ALS = Lou Gehrig’s disease
What does amyotrophic mean? (hint: ALS)
amyotrophic = muscle atrophy
What does “lateral sclerosis” in ALS mean?
sclerosis or ‘hardening’ of the lateral corticospinal tracts
T/F ALS is the most common form of motor neuron degenerative disease:
TRUE
T/F ALS affect upper and lower motor neurons:
TRUE
ALS involves problems with two tracts, what are they?
corticospinal & corticobulbar
ALS involves the bulbar muscles. What are these muscles and what function is affected?
- muscles of mouth, neck, throat
- affects speech/swallowing
In ALS, death usually occurs 3-5 years after diagnosis due to what?
respiratory failure
ALS primarily affects who?
men 40-60 y/o
Why did Dr. Stephen Hawking live so long with ALS?
possibly due to sheer determination and early diagnosis
What is the cause of ALS?
unknown but possibly due to glutamate pathway
What percent of ALS cases are familial?
10%
What type of neurotransmitter is glutamate?
excitatory
Describe the mechanism of glutamate (hint: how does glutamate release calcium?)
- released from presynaptic terminal
- activates ion channels or PLC
- uses IP3 as second messenger
- causes release of calcium from cytoplasmic reticulum
Increased glutamate causes increased calcium. What does this cause?
death of muscle cells
Glutamate should be removed by transport proteins on ______.
astrocytes
What happens when astrocytes don’t remove glutamate?
- increase in glutamate
- glutamate remains in environment
- neurons begin to die
What is the function of neurofilaments in large motor neurons?
structure & transport
What degenerates in ALS?
neurofilaments in large motor neurons
Large motor neurons have neurofilaments that degenerate in ALS. What happens as a cause of this? (hint: 4 steps)
- decrease transport of factors necessary for motor neuron survival
- plaques/scleroses develop due to neuron degeneration
- neurons can’t innervate muscles
- muscle begins to atrophy including respiratory muscles
T/F in ALS cognitive function and the body decline:
FALSE - no cognitive decline while body is declining
What are some clinical presentation in ALS?
- hyperreflexia + spastic paralysis (UMN)
- hyporeflexia + flaccid paralysis (LMN)
- fasciculations = muscle twitch
ALS has no cure but what medication can be given to slow the progression of this disease?
Rilutek - riluzole (glutamate inhibitor)
What can cause ICP?
trauma, infection, hemorrhage, tumors
Will ICP cause an increase or decrease in blood flow?
decrease
What will the body do to decrease pressure in the skull?
shunt CSF down into the spinal cord
In an effort to decrease ICP, will the body increase or decrease venous return?
increase
What is autoregulation?
where every organ’s blood vessels will take care of own organ
(body will restrict or dilate for own organ)
If a pt has ICP and no medical intervention is taken, brain tissue will eventually start to die. When this happens, the body’s last attempt is to bring more O2 to the brain. What happens to the blood vessels and what does this cause?
- body brings more O2 to brain and blood vessels DILATE
- dilation increases ICP
How does the body compensate for ICP in an effort to shunt blood to the brain?
systemic vasoconstriction
Explain systemic vasoconstriction due to ICP:
- increase BP = increase pulse pressure
- decrease HR
- decrease CO2 in blood
- chemo receptors detect decrease in blood CO2
- causing a decrease in respiratory rate (less CO2)
If the body cannot compensate for ICP, ischemia can occur. What brain center does this damage?
respiratory center in medulla
Some pt’s with increased ICP will develop Cheyenne-Stokes respiration. Explain this:
pt’s will breathe deeply, then breathe fast, then breathe slow, then stop
What is it called when a pt stops breathing for a period of time?
apnea
What is pulse pressure?
systolic - diastolic = pulse pressure
What are the first signs of ICP?
- lethargy
- papilledema
- headaches + vomiting
If you suspect a pt has ICP, what quick exam can you do to check for this?
eye exam - you’ll see edema of optic nerve from light of ophthalmoscope (papilledema)
Why do some pt’s with increased ICP present with emesis?
pressure on brain increases pressure on medulla oblongata (emetic center)
ICP can affect which cranial nerve? What can this lead to?
- CN 3 (oculomotor)
- ptosis & pupil constriction
(affected eye will be ipsilateral to lesion)
How can you measure CSF?
manometer
What is an abnormal ICP level? What is normal? (hint: mmHg)
abnormal = >20 mmHg
normal = 9-14 mmHg
What does cloudy, pink, and yellow/light green CSF indicate?
cloudy = many WBC
pink = many RBC
yellow/light green = infection
What is Parkinson’s disease and what does it affect?
= progressive degenerative disorder
affects motor branch of nervous system & extrapyramidal neurons
What part of the brain is degenerating in Parkinson’s?
basal ganglia
Parkinson’s is known as the disease of _______.
bradykinesia (slow movement)
Parkinson’s is caused by what?
a decrease in dopamine from the substantia nigra
What percent of neurons are lost in the substantia nigra in Parkinson’s?
50-70% of neurons
What type of neurotransmitter is dopamine?
inhibitory
In Parkinson’s dopamine is decreased. What does this do to muscle?
increases muscle tone & muscle activity
What are the clinical presentations of a pt with Parkinson’s disease?
resting tremors, muscle rigidity & instability
(dec. dopa = inc. muscle tone/activity = sx)
What nerves will eventually be affected in Parkinson’s?
corticospinal nerves
(cortex won’t be able to inhibit impulses from spine)
Who does primary Parkinson’s disease affect?
male & female >60 y/o
What percent of primary Parkinson’s is familial?
5%
T/F Parkinson’s disease is multifactorial:
TRUE but not proven
What are some causes of secondary Parkinson’s disease?
trauma & drugs
(happens in young people - Michael J. Fox)
What is found scattered in neurons of pt’s with Parkinson’s?
Lewy bodies
What are Lewy bodies composed of?
α-synuclein & other proteins
Lewy bodies are also found in what other disease?
Lewy body dementia
How is Lewy body dementia diagnosed?
autopsy
Failure of what system is a theory of Parkinson’s?
failure of UPS (ubiquitin-proteasome system)
What should the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) be doing, but fails to do in Parkinson’s?
should be removing damaged/misfolded proteins & amino acids that haven’t folded into proteins
Failure of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) causes what?
aggregation of neurons in brain
What are the sx of Parkinson’s?
- weakness
- muscle aches
- facial expressions change
- tremors in hand
- pill rolling movement of fingers
- festination (short shuffling steps)
Festination is seen in pt’s with Parkinson’s disease. Describe this:
festination = short shuffling steps that accelerate as pt goes on
Facial expressions change in Parkinson’s disorder. This is known as “Parkinson’s mask”. Describe this:
Parkinson’s mask = pt can’t smile/frown bc voluntary motion is lost
Pt’s with Parkinson’s will present with tremors in hands. What does this look like?
tremors at rest, tremor stops when reaching for something
There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease but there are several treatments available. What medication is a precursor of dopamine that you can give to pt’s with Parkinson’s?
Levodopa (L-dopa) = dopamine precursor
If pt’s with Parkinson’s need dopamine, why can’t we just give them dopamine?
dopamine can’t cross the BBB
What are three medications you can give pt’s with Parkinson’s to treat their sx?
- Levodopa (L-dopa)
- dopamine agonists
- MOA-B inhibitors (monoamine oxidase)
T/F L-dopa can cross the BBB and treat pt’s with Parkinson’s disease:
TRUE
What does L-dopa metabolize to when it crosses the BBB?
dopamine
Dopamine agonists are one of the treatments available for pt’s with Parkinson’s. What does a dopamine agonist do?
stimulates dopamine receptors
What does the enzyme ‘MAO’ stand for and what does it do?
MAO = monoamine oxidase
breaks down dopamine
MAO-B inhibitors are used for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and prevents the degradation of what neurotransmitter?
dopamine (keeps dopamine off receptors longer)
Pt’s with Parkinson’s will benefit from what two kinds of therapies?
physical & occupational therapy
Name two MAO inhibitors and their function:
Selegiline & Rasagiline
(keeps dopamine off receptors longer)
What is the most common cause of ICP
brain tumors (benign or malignant)
What is the most common malignant brain tumor that causes ICP?
gliomas
Gliomas are developed from what type of brain cell?
glial cell (NOT neurons)
Gliomas are classified as what type of glial tumor?
astrocytoma
What is the function of glial cells?
they are supporting cells
What is the most abundant and largest glial cell?
astrocyte
You are doing an autopsy on a pt who died of a brain tumor and notice flattening of the gyri. What tumor does the pt have?
astrocytoma
A tumor that develops from the meninges is called a what?
meningioma
What are the meninges?
pia mater, arachnoid mater, dura mater
What is an adenoma?
a tumor developed from a gland
(e.g. pituitary gland)
What is a secondary brain tumor and give an example:
a brain tumor that developed as a RESULT of cancer elsewhere in the body
e.g. = lung/breast cancer that metastasized to brain
The growth of a brain tumor can cause ICP. What can happen to the brain as a result of this pressure?
can herniate through foramen magnum due to pressure
What are the two most common brain tumors in children?
brain stem & cerebellar
T/F brain tumors in adults are most common than brain tumors in children:
FALSE - children are affected the same % as adults
What is the most common brain tumor in adults?
cerebral
What are the S&S of a brain tumor?
- headaches
- lethargy
- unexplained nausea/vomiting
- vision problems
- problems with gait
Name 3 ways to treat a brain tumor:
- chemo
- radiation
- drugs to dec. blood to tumor (not many cross BBB)
What is Myasthenia Gravis?
an autoimmune disease where the body produces IgG antibodies against own acetylcholine receptors
What is the only neurotransmitter for skeletal muscles?
acetylcholine
If your body is destroying Ach receptors, like in pt’s with Myasthenia Gravis, what else is it destroying as a result?
skeletal muscles
Pt’s with Myasthenia Gravis have muscle weakness that ______ with exercise/movement and _______ with rest.
increases, decreases
What muscles are affected the most in pt’s with Myasthenia Gravis?
muscles with small motor units
What is the first sx of Myasthenia Gravis?
problems involving the ocular muscles
(e.g. ptosis)
What muscle can be affected in severe cases of Myasthenia Gravis and lead to death?
diaphragm (muscle of primary inspiration)
In Myasthenia Gravis, receptors on postsynaptic muscle membranes are decrease by how much?
70-90%
T/F pt’s with Myasthenia Gravis have enough acetylcholine:
TRUE - Ach is not affected, ONLY Ach receptors
T/F acetylcholine and acetylcholine receptors are destroyed in Myasthenia Gravis:
FALSE - ONLY Ach receptors
90% of pt’s with Myasthenia Gravis have antibodies against what?
Ach receptors
Who does Myasthenia Gravis affect and what is the onset?
women more than men (onset = 20-30 y/o)
What are some sx of Myasthenia Gravis?
- ptosis
- weakness of skeletal muscles