Neurology Flashcards
Indications for thrombectomy in aute ischaemic stroke?
- location of lesion
- timing
Location: large vessel occlusion -> ICA, M1, proximal M2, basilar
Timing: less than 6 hours from symptom onset. Can perform up to 24 hours from last seen well if there is a large penumbra/core mismatch as identified by CT Perfusion (DAWN trial)
Still need to thrombolyse prior if eligible
Cranial nerve distribution - rule of 4s
4 above pons -> 1-4
4 in pons -> 5-8
4 in medulla -> 9-12 (bulbar)
4 medial structures in Brainstem
Start with M
Motor pathway
Medial lemniscus (part of dorsal column)
Medial longitudinal fasciculus
Motor nucleus (of CN 3,4,6,12)
4 side structures of brainstem
Starting with S
Spinocerebellar pathways
Spinothalamic pathways
Sensory nucleus of CN 5 (large, from pons to medulla)
Sympathetic tract
3rd nerve palsy
Manifestations?
Common causes?
3rd CN -> oculomotor nerve
Supplies:
- levator muscle of eyelid
- 4 extraocular muscles: medial rectus, superior rectus, inferior rectus, and inferior oblique
- contricts pupil through parasympathetic fibres
Clinical presentation:
- diplopia
- ptosis
- “down and out” position
Lesions:
- PCA aneurysms compressing pathway
- ischaemia (diabetes)
- trauma
4th nerve palsy
Manifestations?
Common causes?
4th CN -> Trochlear
Supplies superior oblique muscle -> intorts, depresses in adducted position
Clinical features:
- blurred vision / diplopia
- eye is deviated upwards and outwards
Causes:
- congenital
- trauma
- microvascular
6th cranial nerve palsy
Clinical features?
Causes?
6th CN -> abducens
Supplies lateral rectus -> abducts eye
Clinical features:
- horizontal diplopia
- horizontal gaze palsy
- strabismus
Causes:
- raised ICP causing compression
- tumours
- vascular disease
- inflammation
- trauma
What is Broca’s aphasia?
Other names for it
Where is the lesion?
Non-fluent / Expressive issue
Can’t repeat
Can comprehend perfectly, leading to intense frustration
Lesion -> dominant frontal lobe
What is Wernicke’s aphasia?
Where is the lesion?
Fluent aphasia. Receptive issue, cannot comprehend
Cannot repeat
Lesion -> Dominant temporal lobe
What is conduction aphasia?
Where is the lesion?
Mixture between Broca’s and Wernicke’s
Able to comprehend, fluent but paraphasic errors common
Not able to repeat
Lesion -> Arcute fasciculus (connection between Broca’s and Wernicke’s area)
What is transcortical motor / sensory aphasia?
What type of lesion?
Transcortical motor aphasia -> expressive aphasia but CAN repeat
Transcortical sensory aphasia -> receptive aphasia but CAN repeat
Lesion -> Classically watershed infarcts that spare main language centres of Broca’s and Wernicke’s but affect other areas
What is Horner’s syndrome?
Where is the lesion?
Triad:
Ptosis
Miosis
Anhydrosis
Lesion = in sympathetic tract. Runs with lower brachial plexus around lung apex up to brainstem
Internucleur ophthalmoplegia
What is the clinical finding?
Where is the lesion?
Causes?
INO = impaired horizontal eye movements with weak adduction of the affected eye, and abduction nystagmus of the contralateral eye
Convergence is NORMAL.
Lesion = in medial longitudinal fasciculus (usually in pons, can be midbrain). MLF connects 6th CN on one side to 3rd CN on contralateral side so eyes move in same direction horizontally
Eye that cannot adduct = side of the lesion
Causes: MS (particularly if bilateral), stroke
Corticospinal tract:
What does it do?
Where does it travel?
-> where do the fibres cross?
Key motor pathway
Long tract that descends from primary motor cortex in frontal lobe
- through internal capsule
- crux cerebri
- basis pontis
- cross over at level of pyramids in lower medulla
- meet lower motor neurons in anterior horn
Spinothalamic tract
Major function?
Where does it run?
Responsible for pain and temperature sensation
Receives input at posterior horn
- decussates over 2-3 spinal segments while ascending
- through brainstem to thalamus
- primary sensory cortex in parietal lobe
Dorsal Column
What is it’s main function?
Where does it run?
Responsible for proprioception and vibration sensation
Input through dorsal root ganglion
- ascends entire spinal cord
- crosses over to contralateral medial lemniscus in lower medulla
- ascends to thalamus
- primary sensory cortex in parietal lobe
What is Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
Where is the lesion?
Cord hemisection
- Ipsilateral UMN weakness below level of lesion (corticospinal)
- ipsilateral proprioception/vibration loss below level of lesion (dorsal column)
- contralateral pain and temprature loss 1-2 levels below lesion (spinothalamic)
- ipsilateral LMN and sensory loss AT level of lesion
What is Central Cord Syndrome?
Where is the lesion?
Central cord lesion, usually syrinx
- suspended sensory level = loss of pain/temperature in adjacent dermatomes at level of lesion
Larger lesions -> will involve LMNs, then corticospinal tract and spinothalamic tract
What is Anterior Cord Syndrome?
Where is the lesion?
Loss of all function, except dorsal column preserved (proprioception / vibration)
Caused by occlusion of anterior spinal artery
Lacunar syndromes:
Name 5 classic lacunar syndromes
- Pure motor (internal capsule or basis pontis)
- Pure sensory (thalamic)
- Ataxic hemiparesis (internal capsule, basis pontis and corona radiata)
- Dysarthria/clumsy hand (basis pontis)
- Mixed sensorimotor (thalamus + internal capsule)
What are the absolute contraindications to thrombolysis?
Contraindications:
- extensive hypoattenuation on CT
- current or previous ICH
- intracranial tumour
- severe head trauma last 3 months
- intracranial / intraspinal surgery
- plts <100
- INR >1.7
- APTT >40
- Clexane last 24 hours
- possible endocarditis
- active GI / other bleed
- aortic arch dissection
What medication do we use for thrombolysis?
Within what time frame can it be given?
Alteplase 0.9mg/kg
Current guidelines -> within 4.5 hours of symptom onset
What should BP be before giving thrombolysis?
< 180 / 105
Thalamus =
Blood supply from which artery?
4 nuclei -> function of each?
Blood supply = PCA
Centre of all sensory input. Pure sensory loss-> classically thalamic injury
Anterior nuclei = language and memory
Lateral nuclei = motor and sensory
Medial nuclei = arousal and memory
Posterior nuclei = visual
2012 A6
63 year old man with atrial fibrillation presents with sudden onset visual changes where he is unable to recognize objects in the right lower quadrant of his visual field bilaterally. Where is the deficit?
A. Occipital lobe
B. Optic chiasm
C. Parietal lobe
D. Superior colliculus
E. Temporal Lobe
Optic Pathways =
Optic nerves from retina
Optic chiasm -> cross over
Lateral geniculate nucleus
Optic radiations -> upper = parietal (lower visual field) and lower = temporal (upper visual field)
Primary visual cortex in occipital lobe (upper and lower banks)
Answers =
A. Occipital lobe -> CORRECT (quadrantanopia usually results from lesions (especially infarcts) that damage either the inferior or superior banks of the occipital cortex. Less commonly, a quadrantanopia represents a lesion in the optic radiations in the temporal or parietal lobe
B. Optic chiasm
C. Parietal lobe
D. Superior colliculus (this is an area involved with spatial attention and eye movements)
E. Temporal Lobe
What is the indication for a hemicraniectomy in stroke?
Malignant MCA infarct
- very large infarct, which will cause significant swelling and oedema, leading to brainstem compression/herniation
Improves mortality, but patients will have significant disability
What is the drug of choice for getting BP into target prior to thrombolysis?
IV labetalol 10mg
What is the most significant risk factor for stroke?
Hypertension (both for ischaemic and haemorrhagic)
What is the BP aim post stroke for secondary prevention?
BP < 130 (120-140) / 90
Antiplatelets for secondary stroke prevention:
What are the short-term and long-term regimes?
Short-term -
Minor strokes or TIAs = DAPT with Aspirin + Clopidogrel for first 3 weeks
Intracranial large vessel atherosclerosis = DAPT for 90 days
Long-term = single antiplatelet (clopidogrel OR aspirin/dipyridamole OR aspirin alone)
What are the indications for a carotid entarterectomy?
Symptomatic carotid stenosis:
- 70-99% in everyone
- 50-99% in males
Should be done within 2 weeks of stroke/TIA
Post stroke/TIA, what would be indication for carotid stenting over CEA?
- Unfavourable anatomy
- Re-stenosis after CEA
- previous radiotherapy
- younger patients (<70)
What is the management of symptomatic intracranial atherosclerosis?
Aggressive medical management:
- DAPT for 90 days
- single APT lifelong thereafter
- statin
- BP control
No role for intracranial stenting
Which imaging modality are MS lesions best seen on?
White matter lesions -> best seen on T2 flair
What is the treatment approach for acute MS attack?
Steroids -> methylpred pulse
Plasmapheresis if severe
Following ischaemic stroke in AF, when can anticoagulation be restarted?
Warfarin - within 24 hours
NOACs - a few days
When is PFO closure indicated in the post stroke setting?
In patients <60 years, with no other cause found for stroke, who have associated atrial septal aneurysm or moderate-large R to L shunt
What is the definition of a TIA?
How do you stratify risk?
Brief episode of neurological dysfunction, resulting from focal cerebral ischaemia not associated with permanent cerebral infarction. Usually less than 1 hour in duration
Risk stratified by ABCD3 score
What is amaurosis fugax?
Where is the lesion?
Transient monocular vision loss, descending curtain
Due to hypoperfusion / blockage of ophthalmic artery from ICA
What is the classical presentation of cerebral amyloid angiopathy?
- lobar haemorrhages
- cortical microhaemorrhages
- cortical superficial siderosis (may present with positive TIA symptoms)
What is the management of ICH due to cerebral amyloid angiopathy?
Avoid anticoagulation / antiplatelets
Treat HTN
What is the treatment of cerebral venous thrombosis?
Anticoagulation
- heparin initially
- transition to warfarin (3-6 months provoked, 6-12 months unprovoked)
What may prolonged or absent F waves indicate in NCS?
Early sign of Guillian-Barre
How should patients with GBS be monitored for respiratory failure?
2 hourly FVC on ward
What are some typical nerve biopsy findings in CIDP?
Segmental demyelination + remyelination, clusters of macrophages
What is the approach to treatment of CIDP?
1st line -> IVIG, plasma exchange, steroids.
2nd line -> immunosuppressive drugs (eg mycophenolate mofetil, cyclosporin, cyclophosphamide, rituximab) may be used.
What are the favoured medical therapies for painful diabetic neuropathy?
TCAs
Duloxetine
Pregabalin
Nitrous oxide as a recreational drug can have what link with peripheral neuropathy?
Functional inactivation of B12, causing peripheral neuropathy
What are the classic histopathologic findings in MND?
Cytoplasmic eosinophilic intracellular inclusions, positive for TDP 43
What is the mode of genetic transmission in most forms of Charcot-Marie-Tooth?
Autosomal dominant
What are the 2 antibodies involved in immune-mediated necrotising myopathy?
HMG-CoA reductase Ab
Anti-SRP
What is the approach to managing a statin-associated immune-mediated myopathy?
Cease the statin
Commence immunosuppression -> stopping the medication is not enough
What is the classic histopath finding in dermatomyositis?
Perivascular inflammatory infiltrate
Which muscles are classically involved in inclusion-body myositis?
Long finger flexors
Also involves quads, ankle dorsiflexors, can involve bulbar
What antibodies are involved in myasthenia gravis?
80-90% have IgG autoantibodies against the acetyl choline receptor (AChR)
Where are the antibodies in myasthenia gravis thought to originate?
Thought to originate in hyperplastic germinal centres in the thymus
What is the key to treatment of Bell’s palsy?
Steroid treatment within 72 hours
What are the indications for thymectomy in myasthenia gravis?
Indicated if thymoma, or if <60 with AChR antibodies
What is the classic triad of Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
Encephalopathy
Oculomotor dysfunction
Gait ataxia
What is the cause of Wernicke’s encephalopathy?
Thiamine (Vitamine B1) deficiency
What are Anti-Yo ab associated with?
A paraneoplastic cerebellar syndrome
Cancers = breast, ovarian, SCLC