Neurology Flashcards
What is hemiballismus and what lesion causes it?
Uncontrolled flailing of limbs
Subthalamic lesion
Features of migraine?
Throbbing Unilateral Inner side of eye Worse on movement Light and noise sensitivity \+/- aura (20-60mins)
Triggers of migraine + aura?
Sleep Diet Hormones Stress Physical exertion
How do migraines occur?
Stress= change to brain= serotonin release
Blood vessels constrict + chemicals irritate nerves–> pain
Acute treatment of migraine?
Aspirin or Naproxen or Ibuprofen +/- anti-emetic
Triptans (e.g. rizatriptan, sumatriptan)- 5hT agonist
Prophylactic treatment of migraine?
3+ attacks/month:
Propranolol
Topiramate (carbonic anhydrase inhibitor)
Amitriptyline
Features of tension-type headache?
Bilateral, tight band sensation
Pressing/tingling
Treatment of tension-type headache?
Relaxation
Simple analgesia
Ice packs
Features of cluster headaches?
Mostly young people Around sleep Unilateral Worse headache ever Retro-orbital pain Tearing Cluster of months then disappear
Treatment of cluster headaches?
High flow O2
sub/cute Sumatriptan
Steroids
Prophylaxis for cluster headaches?
Verapamil
What is paroxysmal hemicrania?
Elderly
Unilateral severe pain + unilateral autonomic symptoms (e.g. headache, nasal congestion etc.)
Treatment of paroxysmal hemicrania?
ABSOLUTE response to Indomethicin
Common presentation of idiopathic intracranial hypertension?
Overweight/obese
Headaches
Worse in morning/ lying down
Morning N+V
What can idiopathic intracranial hypertension lead to?
Papilloedema + blindness/visual defects
Investigation of idiopathic intracranial hypertension?
MRI brain- normal
Lumbar puncture
Fundoscopy + VFs
Treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension?
Weight loss
Diuretics
Acetazolamide
Features of trigeminal neuralgia?
Unilateral STABBING pain
Triggered by touch
Usually V2/3
Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia?
Carbamazepine, Gabapentin, Phenytoin
Nerve ablation
Decompression
Presentation of brain tumours?
Progressive neurological deficit (correlate to location)
Weakness
Headache- wakes from sleep, valsalva, N+V
Seizures
A tumour in the parietal lobe may present with what neurological deficit?
Dyspraxia
Neglect (ignore one side)
A tumour in the frontal lobe may present with what neurological deficit?
Perserveration (stuck on one word)
Investigations of brain tumours?
CT MRI LP PET Lesion biopsy Angiogram Fundoscopy
What is the commonest tumour in the brain?
METASTASES
breast, bronchus, kidney, thyroid, colon, melanoma
Most common primary tumour in brain?
Glioblastoma multiforme (grade 4 astrocytic tumour)
Glioblastoma multiforme can spread via…?
White matter tracking
CSF pathways
Management of glioblastoma multiforme?
Surgery (non-curative)
Chemo
Radiotherapy post-op
Where do oligodendroglial tumours occur, and how do they present?
Front lobes
Seizures
Pathology of oligodendroglial tumours (to distinguish for astrocytic)
Calcification
Cysts
Haemorrhage in tumour
Treatment of oligodendroglial tumours?
Chemotherapy- procarbazine
Surgery
Where do meningiomas arise form and what kind of tumour is it?
Arachnoid meningeal cells (outside brain)
BENIGN
Symptoms of meningiomas?
Mostly asymptomatic
Some headache, CN neuropathies
What are meningiomas associated with?
Breast cancer
Neurofibromatosis type 2
Treatment of meningiomas?
Surgery
Radiotherapy
Important role of the hippocampus?
Memory formation
Important role of the amygdala?
Regulating fear responses
What is the frontal lobe responsible for?
Planning, executive function and personality
What is the parietal lobe responsible for?
Sensation + language
What is the temporal lobe responsible for?
Speech and language
Brain lesions in the frontal lobe will produce what symptoms?
Disinhibition, flippant Short attention span Personality, mood + insight changes Urinary incontinence Paraparesis Magnetic gait Expressive dysphagia Seizures
Brain lesions in the temporal lobe will produce what symptoms?
Memory problems (esp episodic) Temporal epilepsy- deja vu, strange smells Headache Speech/language difficulties Auditory dysfunction
Brain lesions in the parietal lobe will produce what symptoms?
Loss of temp, proprioception etc. Agnosia (can't identify objects eyes closed) Apraxia (gestures + complex motor) Inattention Visual field defects Sensory dysfunction
Symptoms of spontaneous intracranial hypotension?
Orthostatic headache + dizziness Neck/arm pain Diplopia Muffled hearing Galactorrhoea Impaired SPHINCTER control
Side effects of sodium valproate?
Weight gain Hair loss Fatigue Teratogenic REDUCE EFFICACY of oral contraceptive + emergency pill
Features of non-REM sleep?
Start of night
Decreased HR, BP, tidal volume
For protein synthesis, cell division and growth
Features of REM sleep?
End of night Atonic muscles (relaxed) Dreaming Fast activity on EEG Early brain development, consolidates memory and maintains immune system
What is a circadian rhythm?
Endogenous factor regulates sleep-wake cycle- roughly 25 hours
What can interfere with normal circadian rhythm?
Light (esp blue light)
Symptoms of sleep deprivation?
Irritability Lethargic Visual illusions Suspicion Microsleeps (2-30 secs) Concentration lapses
How much sleep does someone need?
7-7.5 hours acceptable
4 hours NOT enough
15 min nap= 90 mins overnight
When do non-REM parasomnias occur, and why?
Between stages of sleep and waking
Activation of motor, cognitive or autonomic systems
Examples of non-REM parasomnias?
Confusional arousals Sleep walking Sleep terrors/paralysis Bruxism (teeth grinding) Restless legs Complex- shouting, weird movements, vivid dreams etc
Presentation of narcolepsy? (5)
Daytime sleepiness- esp eating/talking
Cataplexy- loss of muscle tone due to emotion
Hypnagogic hallucinations- at sleep onset
Sleep paralysis
REM sleep Behaviour Disorder (RBD)
Investigations of narcolepsy? (COMMON EXAM QUESTION)
Overnight polysomnography
Sleep latency tests
LP- low CSF hypocretin = narcolepsy
What do peripheral neuropathies affect?
Nerves outside brain + spinal cord
LMN + sensory + CN + autonomics
Classic presentation of a peripheral neuropathy?
Gloves + stocking distribution (affects hands + feet first then moves up the limb)
Altered sensation and diminished reflexes
What is a mononeuropathy?
involvement of a single nerve- focal nerve dysfunction
usually due to trauma or entrapment