Neurology Flashcards
What is cerebral palsy?
Abnormality of movement + posture –> limited activity
What 5 things is cerebral palsy associated with most?
LD (60%) Epilepsy (40%) Squints (30%) Vision problems (20%) Hearing problems (20%)
Majority (80%) causes of cerebral
Antenatal
Vascular occlusion
Structural malformation
Cortical migration disorder
2 other types of causes of cerebral palsy
Hypoxic ischaemic injury
Postnatal origin
Examples of post-natal origins of cerebral palsy (6)
Preterm Meningitis Encephalitis Trauma Hypoglycaemia Hydrocephalus
Features cerebral palsy in early childhood (7)
Abnormal limb/trunk posture Delayed motor development Slow growing head Feeding difficulties --> oromotor coordination Abnormal gait Asymmetric hand fct <12m Remaining primitive reflexes
RF for developing cerebral palsy (12)
LBW Prematurity Multiple pregnancy Placental abnormalities Birth defects Meconium aspiration Emergency CSC Birth asphyxia Neonatal seizure Resp distress Hypoglycaemia Infection in neonatal period
What are the 3 types of CP
Spastic
Dyskinetic
Ataxic
What % of CP is spastic?
90%
Why does spastic CP occur?
Damage to UMN - motor cortex
Sx Spastic CP (think, its UMN)
Uni/bilateral hypertonia (velocity dependent) hyperreflexia Extensor plantar response Hypotonia of H+N
What are the 3 types of spastic CP
Hemiplegia
Quadriplegia
Diplegia
Features of hemiplegia spastic CP (4)
Unilateral involvement arm/leg
Arms worse legs
Face spared
Fisting of hand
Features of quadriplegia spastic CP (4)
All 4 limbs affected
Often severe + assoc w/ epilepsy, microcephaly + LD
Trunk involved = opisthonus
Poor head control + decr tone
Opithonus
Extensor protrusion –> arching of back
Features of diplegia CP (4)
All 4 limbs affects
Legs > arms
Walking abnormal
Hand fct remains normal
What is associated with hemiplegia spastic CP
Neonatal stroke
What is associated with quadriplegia spastic CP
HIE
What is associated with diplegia spastic CP?
Pre-term
Periventricular brain damage
What % CP is dyskinetic
6%
What structure is affected in dyskineitc CP
Basal ganglia
Most common cause dyskinetic CP
HIE
Features dyskinetic CP (4)
Variable tone
SOmetimes chorea or athetosis
Normal intellect sometimes
Presents floppy
What is chorea
Irregular, sudden + brief non-repetitive movements
What is athetosis
Slow writing movements occuring more distally
Features Ataxic CP (4)
Hypotonia of limbs + trunk
Poor balance
Delayed motor development
May develop incoordinate movements, intention tremor + ataxic gait
How is ataxic CP acquired
Genetically determined
Brain injury
2 main goals of physiotherapy in CP
Prevent weakness
Prevent mm rigidity
2 Dx used in CP
Diazepam
Baclofen
Use of orthopaedic surgery in CP (4)
Last resort - severe spasticty/fixed contractures
Repair scoliosis
Tendon lengthening
Osteotomy to realign limb
Prevalence epilepsy?
1/200
Generalised seizures featuers (4)
Discharge from both hemi-spheres
No warning
Consciouness loss
Usually symmetrical
Features absence seziures (3)
TLOC
Abrupt start + stpo
No motor phenomenon apart from eye flickering
What brings on absence seizures?
Hyperventilation
Myoclonic seizures features
Brief, repetitive jerking movements
Tonic seizures features
Generalised increase in tone
Tonic clone seizures features
Rhythmical contraction of mm groups following tonic phase
Lasts seconds/mins following by unconsciousness/deep sleep
Tonic phase of T-C seizures
Incr tone, fall to ground, cyanosis
Clonic phase of a T-C seizure
Limb jerking, irreg breathing + tongue biting
Atonic seizure features
Loss of mm tone –> sudden fall/drop of head
Features focal seziure
Can be conscious/not
May proceed into T-C
Frontal seizure features
Motor –> clonic movements
Temporal seizure features (3)
Auditory/sensory - aura w/ smell/taste
Distortions sound + shape
Lip smacking
Impaired consciousness
Features occipital seizure
Distortion of vision
Features parietal seizure
Contra-lateral altered sensation
Which focal seizure is the most common?
Temporal
What does an EEG identify? (3)
Abnormal background
Asymmetry/slowing hence structural abnormalities
Neuronal hyperexcitability
Structural imaging for epilepsy (2)
MRI
CT
Indications for structural imaging for epilepsy (2)
Neurological signs between seizures
Focal seizure
Functional imaging for epilepsy (2)
PET
SPECT
1st line Ix for epilepsy
EEG
4 Ix for epilepsy
EEG
MRI/CT
Metabolic Ix (developmental regression/feeding issue)
Genetic study (SCNA1)
Rescue therapy in prolonged therapy epilepsy (2)
Rectal diazepam
Buccal midalozam
When should anti-epileptic medication be stopped?
If seizure free 2 years
1st line Dx TC seizures
Valporate or carbamazepine
1st line Dx absence seizures
Valporate or ethosuximide
1st line Dx myoclonic seizures
Valporate
2nd line Dx generalised seizures
Lamotrigine
1st line Dx - focal seizures
Carbamazepine, lamotrigine or valporate
SE valporate (2)
Incr W
Hair loss
Liver failure (rare)
SE carbamazepine (5)
Rash Neutropenia Decr Na Ataxia Enzyme induction