Neurological Examination I Flashcards
Sudden disruption of the brain’s normal electrical activity accompanied by altered consciousness and/or other neurological and behavioral manifestation
Seizures
Rhythmic, involuntary, oscillatory movements of body parts
Tremors
Behavior if cerebrum is affected
Dull, wandering, vocalizing, loss of cognitive function/ demented
behavior if diencephalon is affected
Increased/decreased appetite, water intake
neurologic history | brain stem, cerebrum
Stupor, obtunded < full mental capacity
is a decreased level of consciousness in which a patient requires vigorous physical stimuli to awaken.
stupor
True or false?
Cerebellar lesions, usually on the same side as the tremor in the lateral zone, which controls visually guided movements
True
occurs when the affected body part maintains position against gravity.
-not necessarily caused by neurologic disease but it can be due to neurologic weakness or pain
Postural/ action tremors
tonic spasm or temporary rigidity of one or more muscles. The inability of muscles to relax after contraction.
Myotonia
Seen as sudden, involuntary jerking of a muscle or group of muscles in the limbs, pelvis or face. (in response to noise, flickering light, and sudden movement in the visual field.
Myoclonus
Frequent causes of myoclonus in dogs
Canine Distemper, lead poisoning, Lafora’s disease in Dogs
The test checks if the brain responds to noise and is a reliable way to see if a dog is deaf and to what extent.
BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) hearing test
Oral dysphagia (mouth)
jaw/tongue paralysis, dental disease, swelling or wasting of chewing muscles, inability to open mouth
Dog can grab food but show repeated attempts to swallow while flexing and extending head and neck, chewing excessively and gagging.
Pharyngeal dysphagia (pharynx)
Dog may succeed at swallowing after several attempts, but later gags, coughs and forcibly throws its food back up
Cricopharyngeal dysphagia (distal pharynx, near esophagus)
A brainstem pathway which receives sensory input (vision, auditory and somatic)
-directs these stimuli to the thalamus as part of the reticular activating system
Reticular Activating System (RAS)
Patient is responsive to environmental stimuli but is lethargic
Depression
Patient is unresponsive to environmental stimuli but responds to painful stimuli
Stupor
Patient is not responsive to environmental or painful stimuli
Coma
Patient is alert, overactive, but responds inappropriately to stimuli
Delirium
(lesions) Opisthotonus
Lesions in brain stem or rostral cerebellum
(Lesions) Vetroflexion in cats
Brain stem or neuromuscular lesion
Dorsal curvature of the spine
Kyphosis
Ventral curvature of the spine
Lordosis
Lateral deviation of the spine
Scoliosis
Twisting of the neck (Posture assessment)
Torticollis
Limbs | Wide based stance is often seen?
with ataxia, abnormal conscious proprioception, and generalized weakness
limbs | Knuckling is a result of?
proprioceptive deficit, LMN/UMN
Increased tone in forelimbs with flaccid paralysis in hind limbs (Lesion between T2 and L4)
Schiff-Sherrington
Increased tone in flexors and extensors (Strychnine poisoning and tetanus)
Tetany
Opisthotonos, extension of thoracis limbs, flexion of pelvic limbs
Decerebellate rigidity
Opisthotonos, Extension of all limbs, severely altered mentation
Decerebrate rigidity
- Painful limbs are _____?
- Weak limbs are _____?
- carried
- dragged
(strictly neurological) Inability to coordinate voluntary muscles movements
Ataxia
Weakness related to a neurological condition, partial deficit of motor function
Paresis
Complete loss of voluntary movement (-plegia) ( paraplegia, tetraplegia)
Paralysis
Loss of sensitivity to the positions of joint and body parts which usually occurs when spinal cord is slowly compressed.
- crossing of the limbs, dragging of the toes, knuckling
Proprioceptive (Sensory) Ataxia
Signs of sensory ataxia
Abnormal standing posture
- wobbly appearance
- Proprioceptive deficits
- limbs may swing to the side or cross beneath trunk
Abnormality in the vestibular system - CN VIII. changes in head and neck position, as affected animal may feel a false sense of movement or may be having problems with hearing.
Vestibular ataxia
Uncoordinated motor activity of the limbs, head, and neck, taking large neck, body tremors and body swaying
-Characterized dysmetria
Cerebellar Ataxia
Inability to judge the rate, range, and force of muscular actions
Dysmetria
Describes the action of overreaching, or high stepping, the intended object or location
Hypermetria
Fine tremors present on initiation of voluntary movements
Intention tremors
Refers to the complex series of responses that maintain an animal in an upright position
Postural Reactions
Postural Reactions that may be assessed in Dogs and Cats
- Conscious proprioception
- Hopping
- Wheelbarrowing
- Hemiwalking
- Extensor postural thrust
- Tactile & visual placing reactions
- Tonic neck responses
Ability to sense body position, locations, orientation, & movement of the body and its parts
Proprioception
(Cerebral cortex)
(Test) Dorsal part of the paw is placed on flat surface
-normal: return to normal position
Knuckling Test
A progressive disease of the spinal cord in older dogs (onset 7-14 years old)
-mutated gene
- initially affects the back legs and causes muscle weakness and loss and lack of coordination
Degenerative Myelopathy
(No conscious proprioception)
A test where the animal is held as such that most of its weight is borne on one limb and the animal is moved laterally.
-normal: animal hops on the limb while keeping the foot under the body for support
Hopping test
Is done by supporting patient under the abdomen so pelvic limbs do not touch the floor and moving the patient forward.
Wheelbarrow test
Is done by lifting limbs on one side and moving patient laterally
Hemiwalking/Hemistanding test
The patient is supported by the thorax as its pelvic limbs are lowered to the floor.
- as the px’s limbs are lowered the animal extends the limbs.
Extensor Postural Thrust Reaction
is performed by supporting the animal under the thorax and obscuring its vision. the distal thoracic limbs are brought in contact with the edge of the table
Tactile Placement
Is tested by allowing the animal to see the table surface.
Visual placement
Elevating dog’s head when it is standing increases tone in forelimbs and decreases tone in rear limbs
Tonic Neck Reaction
