Neurology Flashcards
Define MS
- Chronic autoimmune disease
- Involves CNS
- Degeneration of myelin in brain and spinal cord
- Leads to eventual demyelination and axonal loss
Sx of MS
- Patchy paraesthesia
- Optic neuritis - loss of central vision
- Internuclear opthalmoplegia
- Subacute cerebellar ataxia
- Spastic paraparesis
- Lhermitte’s sign (bend neck down they get Sx)
State the 3 classifications of MS
- Relapsing - remitting (80%)
- Primary progressive (<10%)
- Progressive-relapsing (10%)
Dx of MS
- +ve clinical Hx/exam
- MRI
- CSF
- Oligoclonal bands in CSF
Name the criteria used to diagnose MS
McDonald criteria
Tx of MS
- Acute
- 1g IV methylpred
- Chronic
- Disease modifying therapies (DMTs)
- beta-interferon
- Dimethyl fumarate
- Symptomatic therapies
- Physio
- Modafinil for fatigue
- Disease modifying therapies (DMTs)
Summarise Wilson’s disease
- Autosomal recessive impaired Cu metabolism
-> Leads to accumulation of Cu in liver + brain - Akinetic rigid syndrome, tremor, ataxia
- Ix - Serum caeruloplasmin (low = +ve)
- Tx - Chelators (Trientine)
Summarise Wernicke’s encephalopathy
- Thiamine deficiency (B1)
- Sx: Triad of Sx
- Ataxia
- Confusion
- Ocular abnormalities (nystagmus)
- Ix
- Neuro exam
- MRI head
- Bloods (low thiamine)
- Tx
- High dose IV thiamine
Summarise visual field loss
- Monocular vision loss (vision loss one eye)
- Optic nerve
- Bitemporal hemianopia
- Optic chiasm
- Homonymous heminopia
- Optic radiation
- Quadrantanopias
- Optic radiation
- Macular sparing in occipital lobe lesions (central vision spared)
- Occipital lobe
Summarise vertigo
- Perception of false sensation of movement or spinning
- Ax:
- Peripheral cause: BPPV, labyrinthitis
- Central cause: Migraine, MS
- Tx:
- Brandt-daroff exercises (BPPV)
Define Vascular dementia (VaD)
- Umbrella term
- Collection of cognitive impairment syndromes
- Cerebrovascular disease (ischaemic or haemorrhagic)
Sx of VaD
- Progressive stepwise deterioration in cognition
- Visual disturbance
- Seizures
Ddx of VaD
- Alzheimer’s
- Memory impairment
- Slow and continuous
- Lewy body dementia
- Flux in cognition
- Visual hallucination
- Parkinsonism
- Frontotemporal dementia
- Personality + behaviour changes
Ix of VaD
- Cognition screening
- Med review to exclude meds induced
- B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism
- MRI head (extensive white matter change)
Tx of VaD
- Address cardio rf
- Sx Tx
Trigeminal neuralgia
- Chronic pain
- Severe, sudden and brief bouts
- Shooting/stabbing pain
- Distribution of one or more divisions of trigem
Ax of trigeminal neuralgia
- Malignancy
- MS
- Sarcoidosis
- Lyme disease
Tx of trigeminal neuralgia
- Carbamazepine
- Phenytoin
- Gabapentin
Define TIA
- Sudden onset
- Focal neuro deficit
- Vascular aetiology
- Resolving Sx within 1h
Sx of TIA
Sudden onset of focal neuro deficits
- Dysphasia (speech)
- Arm or leg weakness
- Sensory changes
- Ataxia, vertigo
- Visual disturbance
Ix of TIA
- MRI
- Carotid USS
- ECHO
- 24h tape
- Bloods (glucose, lipid, clotting)
Tx of TIA
- Lifestyle mods
- Control vasc. rf
- Aspirin + clopidogrel
- Stenting
Summarise Status epilepticus
- Seizure >5 minutes OR multiple seizures over 5 minutes without returning to full level of consciousness
- Tx
- Premonitory stage (0-10mins)
- Diazepam 10-20mg
- Early status (0-30mins)
- Buccal/rectal Diazepam (community)
- 0.1mg/kg Lorazepam (IV)
- Established status (0-60mins)
- Phenytoin
- Premonitory stage (0-10mins)
State caveat to hypo management (glucose) in alcohol abuse pt
IV pabrinex PRIOR to glucose
- Avoid precipitation of Wernicke’s encephalopathy (B1 deficiency)
Define SDH
- Accumulation of blood
- Between dura mater and arachnoid mater
Ax of SDH
- Trauma
- Bleeding disorder
- Anticoag therapy
- Chronic alcohol
Sx of SDH
- Headache
- N+V
- Confusion
- Diminished eye, verbal or motor response
- Focal neuro signs
- Sub-acute presentation (3d ->3w)
- Chronic presentation (>3w)
Ix of SDH
- Hyperacute phase (<1h)
- Isodense clot + cerebellar oedema
- Acute phase (<3d)
- Crescent shaped hyperdense collection
- Sub-acute phase (3d -> 3w)
- Need contrast enhanced CT/MRI
- Chronic phase (>3w)
- Hypodense haemotoma
Tx of SDH
- Acute - craniotomy
- Chronic - burr holes
Define SAH
- Bleed in subarachnoid space
- Beneath arachnoid mater
Rf for SAH
- Hypertension
- Adult polycystic kidney disease
- Xs EtOH
- Smoking
Sx of SAH
- Sudden onset severe headache
- Hx of physical exertion or coitus prior to onset
- Loss of consciousness
- Previous sentinel headache (similar but not severe)
- Meningism (stiff neck)
Ix of SAH
- CT head
- CSF if CT not definitive (CSF for xanthochromia)
- CT angiogram next line
Tx of SAH
- Medical
- Nimodipine (prevent vasospasm)
- Radio + surgical
- Coiling or stenting
Define EDH
- Bleed between dura mater and inner surface of skull
- Almost always trauma induced
Sx of EDH
- Brief loss of consciousness post initial trauma, regain then subsequent deterioration
- Headache
- N+V
- Seizures