Neurology Flashcards
Notochord induces overlying ectoderm to
Notochord induces overlying ectoderm to differentiate into neuroectoderm and form neural plate
Neural plate gives rise to
Neural plate gives rise to neural tube and neural crest cells
Notochord becomes
Notochord becomes nucleus pulposus of intervetebral disc in adults
Prosencephalon gives rise to
Telencephalon and diencephalon
Mesencephalon (of the 3 primary vesicles) gives rise to
Mesencephalon
Rhombencephalon gives rise to
Metencephalon and myelencephalon
Telencephalon gives rise to
Cerebral hemispheres and lateral ventricles
Diencephalon gives rise to
Thalamus, hypothalamus, and third ventricle
Mesencephalon gives rise to
Midbrain and aqueduct
Metencephalon gives rise to
Pon, cerebellum, and upper part of 4th ventricle
Myelencephalon gives rise to
Medulla and lower part of 4th ventricle
Neuroectoderm
- CNS neurons
- Ependymal cells (inner lining of ventricles, make CSF)
- Oligodendroglia
- Astrocytes
Neural crest
- PNS neurons
- Schwann cells
Mesoderm
Microglia
When do neuropores normally fuse
4th week
Confirmatory test for neural tube defect after AFP
↑ acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in amniotic fluid
Anencephaly
- Malformation of anterior neural tube → no forebrain, open calvarium
- Clinical findings: ↑ AFP, polyhydramnios (no swallowing center in brain)
- Associated with maternal type 1 diabetes
- Maternal folate supplementation ↓ risk
Holoprosencephaly
- Failure of right and left hemispheres to separate
- Usually occurs during weeks 5-6
- May be related to mutations in sonic hedgehog signaling pathway
- Moderate form has cleft lip/palate, most severe form results in cyclopia
- Seen in Patau syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome
Anencephaly is associated with
Maternal type 1 diabetes
Holoprosencephaly is associated with
Patau syndrome and fetal alcohol syndrome
Chiari II malformation
- Herniation of low-lying cerebellar vermis through foramen magnum with aqueductal stenosis → hydrocephalus
- Usually associated with lumbosacral meningomyelocele (paralysis/sensory loss at and below the level of the lesion)
Dandy-Walker syndrome
- Agenesis of cerebellar vermis with cystic enlargement of 4th ventricle (fills the enlarged posterior fossa)
- Associated with noncommunicating hydrocephalus, spina bifida
Chiari I malformation
- Cerebellar tonsillar ectopia > 3-5 mm
- Congenital, usually asymptomatic in childhood, manifest with headaches and cerebellar symptoms
- Associated with syringomyelia
Tongue development
- 1st and 2nd branchial arches form anterior 2/3 (thus sensation via CN V3, taste via CN VII)
- 3rd and 4th branchial arches form posterior 1/3 (thus sensation and taste mainly via CN IX, extreme posterior via CN X)
- Motor innervation is via CN XII to hyoglossus (retracts and depresses the tongue), genioglossus (protrudes tongue) and styloglossus (draws sides of tongue upward to create a trough for swallowing)
- Motor innervation is via CN X to palatoglossus (elevates posterior tongue during swallowing)
- TASTE → CN VII, IX, X (solitary nucleus)
- PAIN → CN V3, IX, X
- MOTOR → CN X, XII
What forms multinucleated giant cells in the CNS of HIV infected patients
HIV-infected microglia fuse to form multinucleated giant cells in the CNS
How does myelin change the space constant, conduction velocity and time constant
- ↑ space constant
- ↑ conduction velocity
- ↓ time constant
What is the embryologic derivation of Schwann cells and oligodendrocytes
Oligodendrocytes → neuroectoderm
Schwann cells → neural crest
Oligodendroglia are injured in what disease processes
- MS
- Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML)
- Leukodystrophies
Free nerve endings
- C → slow, unmyelinated fibers
- A-delta → fast, myelinated fibers
- All skin, epidermis, some viscera
- Pain, temperature
Meissner corpuscles
- Large, myelinated fibers; adapt quickly
- Glabrous (hairless) skin
- Dynamic, fine/light tough, position sense
Pacinian corpuscles
- Large myelinated fibers; adapt quickly
- Deep skin layers, ligaments, joints
- Vibration, pressure
Merkel discs
- Large, myelinated fibers; adapt slowly
- Finger tips, superficial skin
- Pressure, deep static touch (eg shapes, edges)
Ruffini corpuscles
- Dendritic endings with capsule; adapt slowly
- Fingertips, joints
- Pressure, slippage of objects along surface of skin, joint angle change
What must be rejoined in microsurgery for limb reattachment
Perineurium
Epineurium
Dense connective tissue that surrounds entire nerve (fascicles and BLOOD VESSELS)
Location of acetylcholine synthesis
Basal nucleus of Meynert
Location of dopamine synthesis
Ventral tegmentum, SNpc
Location of GABA synthesis
Nucleus accumbens
Location of norepinephrine synthesis
Locus ceruleus
Location of serotonin synthesis
Raphe nucleus
Neurotransmitters in anxiety
- ↓ GABA
- ↑ norepinephrine
- ↓ serotonin
Neurotransmitters in depression
- ↓ dopamine
- ↓ norepinephrine
- ↓ serotonin
Neurotransmitters in schizophrenia
↑ dopamine
Neurotransmitters in Alzheimer disease
- ↓ acetylcholine
- ↑ glutamate
Neurotransmitters in Huntington disease
- ↓ acetylcholine
- ↑ dopamine
- ↓ GABA
Neurotransmitters in Parkinson disease
- ↑ acetylcholine
- ↓ dopamine
- ↑ serotonin
Blood-brain barrier formed by what 3 structures
- Tight junctions between nonfenestrated capillary endothelial cells
- Basement membrane
- Astrocyte foot processes
How do glucose and amino acids cross the BBB
Slowly by carrier mediated transport mechanisms
What kinds of substances cross the BBB rapidly via diffusion
Nonpolar/ lipid-soluble substances
Vasogenic edema
Infarction and/or neoplasm destroys endothelial cell tight junctions causing vasogenic edema
What is the hypothalamus responsible for
- Thirst and water balance
- Adenohypophysis control (regulates anterior pituitary)
- Neurohypophysis releases hormones hormones produced in the hypothalamus
- Hunger
- Autonomic regulation
- Temperature regulation
- Sexual urges
“TAN HATS”
What are input areas of the hypothalamus
- Organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT) → senses changes in osmolarity
- Area postrema (found in medulla) → responds to emetics
Lateral area of hypothalamus
- Hunger
- Destruction → anorexia, failure to thrive (infants)
- Stimulated by ghrelin
- Inhibited by leptin
Ventromedial area of hypothalamus
- Satiety
- Destruction (eg craniopharyngioma) → hyperphagia
- Stimulated by leptin
Anterior hypothalamus
- Cooling
- Parasympathetic
Posterior hypothalamus
- Heating
- Sympathetic
Suprachiasmatic nucleus
Circadian rhythm
Sleep physiology
- Circadian rhythm controls nocturnal release of ACTH, prolactin, melatonin, norepinephrine
- SCN → norepinephrine release → pineal gland → melatonin
- SCN is regulated by environment
Extraocular movements during REM sleep are due to
Activity of PPRF (paramedian pontine reticular formation/ conjugate gaze center)
Increase in what neurotransmitter occurs during REM sleep
Acetylcholine
What drugs are associated with ↓ REM sleep
- Alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates → ↓ REM sleep, ↓ delta wave sleep
- Norepinephrine → ↓ REM sleep
In which stage of sleep do bruxisms occur
N2
In what stage of sleep do night terrors, sleepwalking and bedwetting occur
N3
Ventral posterolateral nucleus of thalamus
- Input from spinothalamic and dorsal columns/medial lemniscus
- Senses pain, temperature, touch, vibration and propioception
- Destination is primary somatosensory cortex
Ventral posteromedial nucleus of thalamus
- Input from trigeminal and gustatory pathway
- Senses face sensation and taste
- Destination is primary somatosensory cortex
“Makeup goes of the face”
Lateral geniculate nucleus of thalamus
- Input from CN II
- Vision
- Destination is calacrine sulcus
“Lateral = light”
Medial geniculate nucleus of thalamus
- Input from superior olive and inferior colliculus of tectum
- Hearing
- Destination is auditory cortex of temporal lobe
“Medial = music”
Ventral lateral nucleus of thalamus
- Input from basal ganglia and cerebellum
- Motor
- Destination is motor cortex
Limbic system
- Collection of neural structures involved in emotion, long-term memory, olfaction, behavior modification, ANS function
- Structures include hippocampus, amygdala, fornix, mammillary bodies, cingulate gyrus
- Responsible for “Feeding, Fleeing, Fighting, Feeling and Fucking”
Dopaminergic pathways
- Mesocortical
- Mesolimbic
- Nigrostriatal
- Tuberoinfundibular
Mesocortical dopaminergic pathway
- ↓ activity → “negative” symptoms (eg flat affect, limited speech)
- Antipsychotic drugs have limited effect
Mesolimbic dopaminergic pathway
- ↑ activity → “positive” symptoms (eg delusions, hallucinations)
- Primary therapeutic target of antipsychotic drugs → ↓ positive symptoms (eg schizophrenia)
Nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway
- ↓ activity → extrapyramidal symptoms (eg dystonia, akathisia, parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia)
- Major dopaminergic pathway in brain
- Significantly affected by movement disorders
Tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic pathway
- ↓ activity → ↑ prolacting → ↓ libido, sexual dysfunction, galactorrhea, gynecomastia (in men)
Input to cerebellum
- Contralateral cortex via middle cerebellar peduncle
- Ipsilateral propioceptive information via inferior cerebellar peduncle from spinal cord
Output from cerebellum
- Sends information to contralateral cortex to modulate movement
- Output nerves: Purkinje cells → deep nuclei of cerebellum → contralateral cortex via superior cerebellar peduncle
- Deep nuclei (lateral to medial): dentate → emboliform → globose → fastigial (“Don’t Eat Greasy Foods”)
Lateral lesions to cerebellum
- Affect voluntary movement of extremities
- When injured, propensity to fall toward injured (ipsilateral) side