Neurology Flashcards
What is a dermatome?
Area of skin supplied by a single spinal nerve
What is a myotome?
Volume of muscle supplied by a single spinal nerve
Where does light touch travel in the brain to?
Fasciculus gracilis and cuneatus on both sides
What % of strokes are embolic?
85%
What can embolus at a vertebral artery cause?
- Deafness
- Dizziness
- Cerebral disease
- Problems with motor coordination
What are the types of intercranial haemorrhage?
- Extradural
- Subdural
- Subarachnoid
- Intracerebral
What layer of the meninges forms part of the BBB?
Pia mater
Where does the circle of Willis lie?
Subarachnoid space
What can cause extradural haemorrhage?
- Trauma
- Fractured skull
- Bleeding from middle meningeal artery
What are the signs of extradural haemorrhage?
- Lucid period
- Rapid rise in ICP
- Coma
What is the pathophysiology of subdural haemorrhage?
- Bleeding from bridging veins, low pressure so stops soon
- Days later haematoma starts to autolyse
- Increase in oncotic and osmotic pressure sucks water into haematoma
- Gradual rise in ICP
Who is at risk of subdural haemorrhage?
- Alcoholics
- Dementia
- Shaken babies
What can cause subarachnoid haemorrhage?
Berry aneurysms
What is the pathophysiology of subarachnoid haemorrhage?
Rupture of arteries forming circle of Willis
What are the symptoms of subarachnoid haemorrhage?
- Sudden onset severe headache
- Photophobia
- Reduced consciousness
- Thunderclap headache
What methods can be used to investigate vessels?
- Angiogram
- CT
- MRI
What level do common carotid arteries bifurcate?
C3-C4
Where does the cervical ICA run?
Behind and then medial to ECA
Where does the petrous ICA run?
Penetrates temporal bone and runs horizontally in carotid canal
Where does the cavernous ICA run?
In cavernous sinus
What does cavernous ICA supply?
- Dura mater
- CN 3-6
- Posterior pituitary
What are the key branches of the supraclinoid ICA?
- Ophthalmic artery
- Superior hypophyseal arteries
- Posterior communicating artery
- Anterior choroidal artery
Which MCA branches run laterally to limen insulae?
Lateral lenticulostriate branches (M1)
Why are the lateral lenticulostriate branches a key territory for infarct?
They are terminal branches with no anastomoses
What do lateral lenticulostriate arteries supply?
- Lentiform nucleus
- Caudate nucleus
- Internal capsule
Where do most strokes occur?
Middle cerebral artery
What does the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) supply?
Medulla and inferiore cerebellum
What artery is usually blocked in strokes of young people?
Basilar artery
What supplies primary visual cortex?
Posterior cerebral artery
What are the primary headache types?
- Migraine
- Cluster
- Tension type
What are the secondary headache types?
- Meningitis
- SAH
- GCA
- Idiopathic intracranial HTN
- Medication overuse headache
What are the risk factors for secondary headache?
- > 50
- Hx of HIV/cancer
- Changing personality or cognitive dysfunction
- Vomiting without other obvious cause
What is seen on examination for secondary headache?
- Fever
- Altered consciousness
- Neck stiffness
- Other abnormal neurological exam e.g. weakness
What are the red flags for brain tumours?
- New headache with Hx cancer
- Cluster headache
- Seizure
- Significantly altered consciousness, confusion
- Papilloedema
- Other abnormal nerve exam
How long do migraines last?
4-72hr
Describe a migraine
- Unilateral
- Pulsing
- Moderate/severe
- Aggravation by routine physical activity
What other symptoms can occur during a migraine?
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Photophobia
- Phonophobia
How many migraine pt. have auras?
20%
What can auras consist of?
- Fully reversible visual symptoms with positive +/- negative features
- Fully reversible dysphasic speech disturbance
How long do tension headaches last?
30 mins to 7 days
Describe a tension headache
- Bilateral
- Pressing/tightening quality
- Mild or moderate intensity
- Not aggravated by routine physical activity
What other symptoms are present with a tension headache?
- Anorexia
2. Photophobia OR phonophobia
Describe a cluster headache
- Severe or very severe
- Unilateral
- Orbital, supraorbital and/or temporal pain
- 15-180 min if untreated
What are the accompanying features of cluster headaches?
- Ipsilateral cranial autonomic features
2. Sense of restlessness or agitation
What happens in episodic cluster headaches?
> 2 cluster periods lasting 7 days to 1 year separated by pain free periods lasting >1 month
What happens in chronic cluster headaches?
Attacks occur for >1 year without remission or with remission lasting <1 month
What are the characteristics of trigeminal neuralgia?
- Recurring in paroxysmal attacks from a fraction of a second to 2 mins
- Severe intensity
- Electric shock like, shooting, stabbing or sharp
- Precipitated by innocuous stimuli to affected side of face
What is the Rx for primary headache?
- Oral triptan and NSAID/paracetamol
- Anti-emetic
- Topiramate
- Propranolol
- Amitriptyline
What are the symptoms of meningitis?
- Headache
- Pyraxial
- Photophobia
- Neck stiffness + pyrexia
- Rash
What is the Ix for SAH?
- CT
- LP
- Angiography
What is the Rx for SAH?
- Resuscitation
- Nimodipine
- Intervention to prevent re-bleeding
What are the symptoms of raised ICP?
- Worse on waking
- Worse coughing, sneezing
- Worse lying down
- N&V
- Papilloedema
What are the risk factors for idiopathic intracranial HTN?
- Obesity
2. Drugs e.g. tetracycline
What is the symptoms for idiopathic intracranial HT?
- Raised ICP headache
- Visual disturbance
- Papilloedema
What are the Ix for idiopathic intracranial HTN?
- CT
- LP (high opening pressure)
- MRI
What is the Rx for idiopathic intracranial HTN?
Acetazolamide, topiramate, diuretics
What are the criteria for giant cell arteritis (GCA)?
- > 50
- New headache
- Temporal artery abnormality (tender, decreased pulsation)
- ESR >50
- Biopsy abnormality
What are the red flags for GCA?
- > 50
2. Jaw claudication
What are the main causes of a chronic daily headache?
- Chronic migraine
2. Medication overuse headache
How often does medication overuse headache occur?
> 15 days/month
Describe medication overuse headache
Developed or markedly worse during drug use
Give 3 types of drugs that can cause medication overuse headache
- Ergotamine
- Opioids
- Triptans
What is the pathophysiology of meningitis?
- Bacteria enter CSF and replicate as no immune system
- Leaky blood vessels let WBC into CSF
- Inflammation causes brain swelling
What are the symptoms of meningitis?
- Headache
- Neck stiffness
- Photophobia
- Fever
- Altered consciousness
Which age is most at risk of bacterial meningitis?
Children <5 years
What are the complications of bacterial meningitis?
- Skin scars
- Amputation
- Hearing loss
- Seizures
- Brain damage
What is the Rx for bacterial meningitis in primary care?
Benzylpenicillin
What is the immediate management for bacterial meningitis in hospital?
- Stabilise ABCs
- Assess Glasgow coma score
- Blood cultures
- Broad spectrum Abx
- Steroids (dexamethasone)
What Abx are given for bacterial meningitis?
- Ceftriaxone
2. Cefotaxime
What are the indications for neuroimaging before LP?
- Focal neurological signs
- Presence of papilloedema
- Continuous or uncontrolled seizures
- GCS <12
What are the contraindications to LP?
- Respiratory or cardiac compromise
- Abnormal clotting
- Severe sepsis or rapidly evolving rash
- Raised ICP
- Infection at site of LP
What is the most common meningitis bug?
Neisseria meningitidis
Describe neisseria meningitidis
Gram negative diplococci (N for Negative)
What is the Dx if Neisseria meningitidis is found in blood culture?
Meningococcal septicaemia
Give 3 other common causes of bacterial meningitis
- Strep. pneumonia
- Listeria spp.
- Group B strep
What viruses can cause acute meningitis?
- Herpes simplex virus
- Varicella zoster virus
- Enterovirus
What can cause chronic meningitis?
- Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- Syphilis
- Cryptococcal
What are the risk factors for bacterial meningitis?
- Students
- Travel
- Immunosuppressed
What is the CSF appearance in bacterial meningitis?
Cloudy
What is the DDx for meningitis?
- SAH
- Primary headache
- Flu/viral illness
- Sinusitis
- Brain abscess
What is given to close contacts of a meningitis pt.?
Ciprofloxacin
What is encephalitis?
Inflammation of brain parenchyma
What is the most common cause of encephalitis?
Herpes simplex virus
What are the early symptoms of encephalitis?
- Flu like illness
- Headache
- Fever
- Confusion
- N&V
What are the late symptoms of encephalitis?
- Altered GCS (confusion, coma)
- Fever
- Cognitive impairment
- Seizures
What are the Ix for encephalitis?
- MRI head
- EEG
- LP
- HIV test
What is the Rx for encephalitis?
- Physio and neuro rehab
2. Aciclovir
What are the long term effects of encephalitis?
- Severe amnesic syndrome
- Neurological deficit
- Personality change
- Speech problems
What causes tetanus infection?
Inoculation through skin with Clostridium tetani spores
What toxins are produced by Clostridium tetani?
- Tetanolysin
2. Tetanospasmin
What is the pathophysiology of tetanus?
- Tetanospasmin travels up axons via retrograde flow
- Interferes with inhibitory NT release
- Excitatory neurons act unopposed (more firing)
- Continuous muscle contraction/spasm
What is the incubation period of tetanus?
3 to 21 days
What are the signs of generalised tetanus?
- Risus sardonicus (Satanic smile)
2. Opisthotonos (whole body spasm)
What is the management of tetanus?
- Vaccine
- Muscle relaxants
- Paracetamol
- Immunoglobulin
- Metronidazole
What are the symptom of rabies?
- Flu-like symptoms
- Paraesthesia at bite site
- Cerebral dysfunction
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Agitation
- Hydrophobia
- Insomnia
What is the Rx for rabies?
- Supportive
2. Prophylaxis (vaccine, immunoglobulin)
What is the key sign of 3rd nerve palsy?
Fixed dilated pupil
What type of thrombosis is OCP a risk for in the venous sinuses?
Sagittal sinus thrombosis
What are the names of the holes that allow CSF from ventricles into subarachnoid space?
Magendie (midline) and Luschka (lateral)
What is the result of the Magendie and Luschka holes being blocked?
Obstructive hydrocephalus
What are the symptoms of cerebellar syndrome?
- Ataxia
- Nystagmus
- Drunken feeling
What are the structures associated with the brainstem?
- CN III-XII
- Descending motor tracts (pyramidal)
- Ascending sensory tracts (Lemnisci)
- Reticular activation
- Cerebellar peduncles
What does the reticular activating system control?
- Alertness
- Sleep/wake
- REM/non REM sleep
- Respiratory centre
- Cardiovascular drive
What are the sights of cavernous sinus syndrome?
- Facial numbness
- Paralytic squint
- Fixed dilated pupil
What are the consequences of middle ear infection?
- Deafness
2. Facial palsy
What is the condition associated with rapid changes in serum Na?
Central pontine myelonecrosis
What are the criteria for brainstem death?
- Pupils
- Corneal reflex
- Caloric vestibular reflex
- Cough reflex
- Gag reflex
- Respirations
- Response to pain
What part of the NS is affected in MS?
CNS
What is the common age of onset for MS?
20-40
What are the risk factors for MS?
- Caucasian
- Female
- Latitude
- Low Vit D
- Genetics
What is the pathophysiology of MS?
Exposure to antigen which drives system to produce auto reactive lymphocytes which are detrimental and cause demyelination and inflammation
What is Eutoph’s phenomenon?
Remyelinated cells will have thin myelin and pt. never fully recover
What are the most common patterns of MS?
- Macrophage mediated
2. Antibody mediated
What are the typical symptoms of MS?
- Optic neuritis
- Spasticity
- Sensory symptoms
- Lhermitte’s sign
- Nystagmus, double vision
- Bladder and sexual dysfunction
What are the diagnostic criteria for MS?
- 2+ CNS lesions disseminated in time and space
2. Exclusion of conditions giving a similar clinical picture
What are the Ix for MS?
- MRI
2. CSF - inflammatory proteins
What is the DDx for MS?
- SLE
- Syphilis
- Lyme disease
- Sjogren’s syndrome
What are the Rx for MS?
- Steroids - betaferon
- Methylprednisolone
- Nataluzimab
- Diazepam
- Treat symptoms
Describe fatigue in MS
- Exacerbated by heat
- Improved by cool temperatures
- Makes other symptoms appear worse
What is the DDx for epilepsy?
- Hypoglycaemia
- Migraine
- Postural syncope
- TIA