Neurology Flashcards
what is the largest part of the brain
- cerebrum
- it has two hemispheres
cerebrum
- intellectual function (memory, speech and language, complex perception, judgment)
- interpretation of sensory experiences (touch, pain, vibration, position, heat, cold, hearing)
- control of motor functions
cerebellum
- small brain
- movement and control center
- has many connections with the cerebrum and the spinal cord
- ipsilateral referent innervations
ipsilateral
same side
contralateral
opposite side
which group of people is it common to have an injury to the cerebellum
-alcoholics (they will have this distinct way of walking)
the brain stem
rely info from the cerebrum to the spinal cord and the cerebellum and vice versa
what autonomic centers are in the brain stem
- breathing
- consciousness
- control of body temperature
cranial nerves
- 12 pairs of them
- they arise from the brain stem and innervate the head (mostly)
meninges
three protective membranes around the brain
- dura mater
- arachnoid mater
- pia mater
Dura Mater
-this is the hard outer layer
-leather like consistency
the tough elastic bag that surrounds the brain and spinal cord
arachnoid mater
this has a consistency resembling a spider web
what is between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater
brain fluid
the ventricular system
the fluid filled caverns and canals inside the brain constitute the ventricular system
(this is the fluid that an infection would be present in if someone has meningitis)
the spinal cord
- encased in the bony vertebral column
- very compact at the cervical level
- spinal nerves exit the spinal cord through notches between each vertebra of the vertebral column
describe a spinal nerve
- composed of two roots dorsal and ventral)
- dorsal root (back) is sensory (afferent to the brain)
- the ventral root (front) is somatic to the brain (efferernt)
what are the five sections of the spinal column
- cervical
-thoracic
-lumbar
-sacrum
-coccygis
all of them are incased in strongwomen ligaments
Peripheral nervous system
there are two types:
- somatic
- visceral (the autonomic functions that the body does that you don’t need to think about Ex. digestion, innervation of internal organs, glands, blood vessels)
somatic PNS
spinal nerves that innervate the skin, joints, and muscles that are under voluntary control
somatic motor neurons
- command muscle contraction
- the cell bodies if the motor neurons lie within the CNS and the axons are mostly in the PNS
- they have a ventral root
somatic sensory neurons
- innervate and collect info from the skin, muscles, and joins
- cell bodies are outside the CNS
- dorsal roots
Which nervous system controls the flight or fight/ rest and digest
this is the Visceral PNS
what is it referring to when it says first or second neurons
the first neuron is located in the brain and then goes out and is able to modulate a second neuron that is then controlling something
-THEY ARE BOTH EFFERENT
Upper motor neuron lesion
this causes:
- decreased or lack of strength and motor control
- changes in muscle tone (will be hypotonic at first and then get hypertonic
- increased reflex arch
- will have spasticity (will cause slight loss of muscle tone to to less use of muscles
lower motor neuron lesions
- fasciculations
- paralysis
- decreased strength
- atrophy due to loss of innervation
- decreased or absent reflex
fasciculations
twitches in muscles and cause content movement
what are some important things to know about the spinal cord
- different functions are placed at different parts of the spine
- motor pathways change sides
- sensory pathways do not change sides
- pain and temp change sides of at the level where they exit
complete spinal cord lesions
loss of all somatic, sensory and automatic function at the level and below where the lesion occurred
incomplete spinal cord injuries
- less specific symptoms
- depending upon where the damage is located and how much damage occurred
central cord syndrome
loss of motor function and sensation in the upper extremities
brown- sequared syndrome
damage to half of the spinal cord
-causes ipsilateral weakness or paralysis to one side of the body and then contralaterial loss of sensation (temp/pain) to the other side of the body
what is something that is lost ipsilaterally with brown squared syndrome
you lose proprioception which is the ability to close your eye and recognize and know where you hands are (or other body parts)
anterior spinal cord syndrome
- this is damage to 2/3 of the spinal cord
- caused by ischemia o the anterior spinal artery
- loss of motor function, pain, temp sensation
- loss of autonomic function –> hypotension
ischemia
inadequate blood supply
spinal shock
- this occurs in both 1st and 2nd neurons
- acute paralysis, loss of reflexes
- lasting hours to weeks
- caused by trauma or ischemia to the spinal cord
- will gradually regain sensation
cauda equine syndrome
- something in the spine is compressing it and causing them to lose feeling (could be a slipped disk or a tumor or stenosis[calcification of the cord making it smaller and most likely will be an older patient)
- emergency CAT/MRI and emergency surgery
what are potential effects of cauda equine syndrome?
- loss of bladder function (cannot urininate)
- loss of splinter function with fecal incontinence
- focal symptom from legs
- loss of sensation in the shorts area
localized spinal injury or compression
lesser and sometimes localized symptoms
what are below injuries referring to?
-things that are lost below the spinal cord injury due to lack of connection through the nerves
-examples:
loss of sweating
loss of temp regulation
failing regulation of circulation
hypotension
bradycardia
orthostatic hypotension
loss of bowel and badder reflexes
pia mater
a thin membrane that adheres closely to the surface of the brain
-separated from the arachnoid by fluid filled space
