Neurology

Question 1

What type of cells make up the choroid plexus?

Answer 1

Simple columnar or cuboidal cells

Question 2

What cellular features differentiates mycoplasma pneumoniae from other organisms?

Answer 2

Lack of a cell wall

Question 3

What are the symptoms of syringomyelia?

Answer 3

Limb weakness
Fasciculations

Question 3

What is syringomyelia?

Answer 3

Cyst/syrinx forms within the spinal cord and widens to compress adjacent nerves

Question 4

What symptoms occur in Brown-Sequard syndrome?

Answer 4

Ipsilateral weakness, loss of vibration and position sense
Contralateral loss of temperature and pain

Question 5

What is Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome?

Answer 5

Hereditary sensory and motor neuropathy

Question 5

How is congenital myasthenic syndrome diagnosed?

Answer 5

Repetitive nerve stimulation with a decremental response

Question 5

On which part of the nephron does acetazolamide act upon?

Answer 5

Proximal tubule

Question 6

How does congenital myasthenic syndrome present?

Answer 6

Fatigable weakness of skeletal muscle with onset shortly after birth or in early childhood

Question 7

What typically causes hypertension in patients with NF1?

Answer 7

Renal artery stenosis or pheochromocytoma

Question 8

What is the typical CSF picture in Guillain-Barre syndrome?

Answer 8

High protein
Normal WCC

Question 9

If a lesion is affecting both the facial nerve pathway and the corticospinal tract - where is the lesion likely located?

Answer 9

Within the pons

Question 10

Which gene is associated with ataxic telangiectasia?

Answer 10

ATM gene

Question 11

What is the embryological structure which is affected by ataxic telangiectasia?

Answer 11

Metencephalon - develops into pons and cerebellum

Question 12

What are the symptoms of ataxic telangiectasia?

Answer 12

Ataxia
Telangiectasia
Recurrent infections
Predisposition to cancer

Question 13

What syndrome is associated with SCN1A gene mutations?

Answer 13

Dravet syndrome

Question 14

What is Dravet syndrome?

Answer 14

Infantile epilepsy syndrome where seizures are often triggered by fever
Usually will have some DD

Question 15

What would EEG findings show in SSPE?

Answer 15

Burst suppression

Question 16

What is the first line treatment in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy?

Answer 16

Levetiracetam

Question 17

What genetic abnormality is associated with Friedreich’s ataxia?

Answer 17

GAA trinucleotide repeat expansions in the noncoding region of the gene coding for the frataxin protein

Question 18

What is the pattern of inheritance in adrenoleukodystrophy?

Answer 18

X-linked recessive

Question 19

How does the cerebral form of adrenoleukodystrophy typically present?

Answer 19

Change in behaviour
Alteration in gait e.g. toe walking
Typically starts between 4-8 years

Question 20

Where does medulloblastoma usually present within the brain?

Answer 20

Posterior fossa

Question 21

What are the typical presenting features of a posterior fossa tumour?

Answer 21

Headache
Vomiting
Ataxia
All due to blockage of CSF flow at 4th ventricle

Question 22

Which prostaglandin is responsible for altering the hypothalamic set point for body temperature?

Answer 22

E2

Question 23

What are the symptoms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease?

Answer 23

Distal muscle weakness
Difficulties walking and running
Hammer toes
Pes cavus
Areflexia
Muscle atrophy

Question 23

How is Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease inherited?

Answer 23

AD

Question 23

Which 2 nerves converge at the cerebellopontine angle?

Answer 23

VII and VIII

Question 24

What is the typical EEG findings in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome?

Answer 24

Widespread background slowing and slow-spike wave bursts with generalised paroxysmal fast activity during sleep

Question 24

In Bells palsy, inflammation of the facial nerve occurs as it passes through which bone?

Answer 24

Temporal

Question 24

Which antibody is produced against the myelin sheath in GB syndrome?

Answer 24

IgG

Question 25

Which cranial nerve derives from the pons?

Answer 25

Trigeminal

Question 25

Which branch of the trigeminal nerve has both sensory and motor components?

Answer 25

Mandibular