Neurology Flashcards
What are the causes of pes cavus?
Charcot Marie Tooth Disease Fredrick’s Ataxia Spina Bifida Muscular dystrophies Cerebral palsy Spinal muscular atrophy Spinal cord tumours
What level is the biceps and brachioradialis reflex?
C5/6
What level is the triceps reflex?
C7/8
Weakness in big toe extension suggests what?
L5 nerve lesion
What are the features of Brown Sequard Syndrome?
Ipsilateral spastic paralysis
Ipsilateral loss of vibration and proprioception
Contralateral loss of pinprick sensation
What are the causes of a small stepped gait?
Parkinson’s disease Vascular Parkinson’s disease Normal pressure hydrocephalus Multi lacunar state (Later three have wide base)
Striata hand deformity description?
Flexion of MCP
Extension of PIP
Flexion of DIP
What are the three types of horners syndrome?
First order - sympathetic tract
Second order - preganglionic
Third order - internal carotid artery
What are the cardinal signs of horners syndrome?
Ptosis
Miosis
Anhidrosis
What is the path of sympathetic fibres to the eye?
First order - Hypothalamus to first synapse C8 to T2
Second order - sympathetic trunk through brachial plexus ascending to superior cervical ganglion
Third order - ascends within adventitia of ICA and joins V1
Causes of first order neuron horners syndrome?
Lateral medullary syndrome Strokes affecting sympathetic outflow Tumours Demyelination disease Syringomyelia Cervical cord trauma
Causes of second order neuron horners syndrome?
Trauma or surgery of
- Spinal cord
- Thoracic outlet
- Lung apex
Causes of third order neuron horners syndrome?
ICA dissection
ICA thrombosis
cavernous sinus aneurysm
What are the causes of Parkinsonism?
Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease Parkinson’s plus syndromes Medications - metoclopramide Toxins - manganese Basal ganglia tumours Levy body dementia Dementia pugilistica Normal pressure hydrocephalus
What are Lewy bodies and what are they found in?
Spherical eosinophilia a-synuclein inclusions.
Can be present in
- Parkinson’s disease
- Lewy Body Dementia
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Hallervorden Spatz Disease
What is hallervorden spatz Disease?
Autosomal recessive disorder characterised by dementia, Parkinsonism and retinitis pigmentosa.
What re the features suggestive of Parkinson plus syndromes?
Symmetrical onset Vertical gaze palsy Early falls Early autonomic failure Early onset dementia Early onset hallucinations Cerebellar signs
What are the features of essential tremor that distinguish it from Parkinson’s?
Symmetrical tremor Worse with movement Not associated with bradykinesia Involves the head Writing gets larger not smaller
What are the features and types of MSA?
Parkinsonism with early autonomic failure, cerebellar and pyramidal signs.
MSA-P - Parkinson’s predominant
MSA-C - cerebellar
Shy Drager - autonomic failure
What are the features of progressive supranuclear palsy
Symmetrical Parkinson’s Axial rigidity Prominent falls Speech and swallowing difficulties Frontal symptoms Vertical gaze palsies
What are the features of corticobasal degeneration.
Limb apraxia Cortical sensory loss Alien limb phenomenon Myoclonus Dementia
What are the findings of a bulbar palsy?
Lower motor neuron disorder of cranial nerves 9-12.
Flaccid dysarthria
Reduced gag reflex
Fasciculations of the tongue
Reduced jaw jerk
What are the causes of a bulbar palsy?
Motor neurone disease Syringobulbia Poliomyelitis Myasthenia Gravis Guillain Barre Syndrome
What are the features of a pseudobulbar palsy?
UMN lesion of cranial nerves 5,7,9,10,11,12.
Features include: Spastic dysarthria Exaggerated gag reflex Shrunken and stiff tongue Exaggerated jaw jerk Emotional lability Expressionless face
What are the causes of pseudobulbar palsy?
Motor neuron disease
Bihemispheric vascular disease
Brainstem tumour
Multiple sclerosis
What are the causes of myasthenic bulbar palsy?
Botulism
Myasthenia gravis
What causes myopathic bulbar palsy?
Muscular dystrophy
Polymyositis
What is the most common phenotype of musk positive myasthenia gravis?
Female Ocular Disease Respiratory muscle weakness Bulbar myasthenia Neck weakness
What medications can worsen myasthenia?
Penicillamine Aminoglycosides Fluoroquinolones Macrolides B-blockers Quinidine Lithium
In myasthenia, what other features would you examine for?
- Immunosuppression (steroids)
- Thymectomy scar
- Autoimmune disease
- T1DM (skin pricks, neuropathy)
- hyperthyroidism (tachycardia, tremor, graves)
- rheumatoid or SLE
- hypothyroidism (slow ankle jerk, bradycardia)
What are differentials for myasthenia gravis?
Botulism Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome Mitochondrial myopathy Miller Fisher Syndrome Snake bite (cobra)
What are the features of Lambert Eaton Myasthenic SYndrome?
Antibodies against voltage gated calcium channels most commonly associated with SCLC.
Proximal muscle weakness with post exercise facilitation.
Reduced tendon reflexes
Incremental improvement with RNS
What are the indications for thymectomy in a patient with myasthenia?
- Thymoma
2. Generalised myasthenia and <60 years of age
What are the different types of CMT disease?
CMT 1 - demyelination PNS disease
CMT2 - axonal PNS Disease
What are the features clinically of CMT1?
Peripheral motor and sensory neuropathy
Classical presenting with sprained ankles, reduced reflexes, Pes cavus and reduced vibration and proprioception.
What are the features clinically of CMT2?
The classic features of CMT2 include distal weakness, atrophy, sensory loss, decreased deep tendon reflexes and variable foot deformity.
What is the most common genetic defect in Charcot Marie tooth?
Peripheral myelin protein 22 on chromosome 17
What is hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsy?
Autosomal dominant disorder related to PMP22 deletion resulting in isolated nerve palsies in areas liable to compression.
What are the causes of a positive rombergs test?
Inherited - Fredricks ataxia - ataxic neuropathies Metabolic and Toxic - B 12 deficiency - vitamin E deficiency - medication related (cisplatins, vincristine) - pyridoxine excess Immunologic - Gillian barre - CIDP Infective - Tabes dorsalis
What are the causes of unilateral pes cavus?
Malunion of calaneal fracture Burns Poliomyelitis Spinal trauma Spinal cord tumours Compartment syndrome Stroke
What are the causes of bilateral pes cavus?
Friedrichs ataxia Muscular dystrophy Spinal muscular atrophy Cerebral palsy Syringomyelia Hereditary Spastic Paraparesis Spinal cord tumours Charcot Marie tooth
What are the differential diagnosis for MND?
Syringomyelia Cervical Myelopathy Multifocal motor neuropathy Inflammatory myopathies Hyperthyroidism
What are the differentials for MND presenting with only UMN signs?
HIV related myelopathy
Spinal Cord Tumour
Syringomyelia
Cervical myelopathy
What are the differentials for MND presenting with only LMN signs?
Multifocal motor neuropathy
Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Occulopharyngeal muscular dystrophy
What are the trinucleotide repeat disorders?
Myotonic Dystrophy Fragile X syndrome Huntington’s Chorea Friedrichs Ataxia Spinocerebellar ataxia
What are the cardiovascular complications of myotonic dystrophy?
Ecg Changes Arrhythmias Conduction defects Mitral valve prolapse Cardiomyopathy
What are the endocrine complications of myotonic dystrophy?
Diabetes Mellitus
Hypogonadism
Nodular Thyroid Enlargement
What are the gastroenterological complications of myotonic dystrophy?
Dysphagia Reflux Delayed gastric emptying malabsorption Megacolon Bacterial Overgrowth
What are the respiratory complications of myotonic dystrophy?
Weakness of respiratory muscles
Respiratory failure following anaesthesia
Pneumonia
What are the differentials for distal muscle wasting and weakness?
Myotonic dystrophy Hereditary motor sensory neuropathy Inclusion body myositis Distal spinal muscle atrophy Finish distal myopathy Markesbury distal myopathy Welander distal myopathy
What are the causes of a sensorimotor polyneuropathy?
endo - diabetes, hypothyroid
Toxins - Alcohol, Uraemia
Autoimmune - GBS
Inflammatory - mononeuritis multiplex, vasculitis, paraneoplastic
Infiltrative - sarcoidosis
Hereditary - HMSN, CMT
Medications (vincristine, cisplatin, amiodarone)