Neuromuscular Disorders Flashcards
neuromuscular diseases
disorders that adversely affect muscle function either primarily or via nerve or neuromuscular junction abnormalities
upper motor neurons
- motor pathways completely contained within the CNS
- begin in the cerebral cortex and end in the ventral horn of the spinal cord
- generally form synapses with interneurons which then form synapses with lower motor neurons before projecting to the periphery
primary roles of upper motor neurons
-directing, influencing, and modifying reflex arcs, lower-level control centers and motor neurons and some sensory
corticospinal tract
- supply the voluntary muscles of the trunk and extremities
- synapses with SPINAL nerves
- originates in precentral gyrus
- goes through the internal capsule, midbrain and pons
- two tracts come from this –> lateral corticospinal and ventral corticospinal
lateral corticospinal tract
- 75-90% of neurons from corticospinal tract
- decussate in medulla
- each cord level, fibers leave and enter ventral horn to synapse with lower neurons
ventral corticospinal tract
- 10-25% that of neurons from corticospinal tract
- do NOT decussate in the medulla
- travel to spinal cord
- decussate before synapsing with lower motor neurons
corticobulbar tract
- supply the voluntary muscles of the head and follow the corticospinal tract until they reach the brainsetm
- synapses with CRANIAL nerves
- originate in the precentral gyrus next to the lateral fissure of Sylvius
- innervates cranial motor nuclei III, IV, VI, IX, X and XI bilaterally
- involved in precise motor movements
which cranial nerves does the corticobulbar tract not innervate bilaterally
- facial VII
- hypoglossal XII
lower motor neuron functions
- neurons located in brainstem or spinal cord
- responsible for direct influence on muscles
- send axons out through nerves in PNS to synapse on and control skeletal muscle cells
lower motor neurons that pass through spinal nerves
control muscles of the limbs and trunk
lower motor neurons that pass through cranial nerves
control skeletal muscles of the head and neck
neuromuscular junction (NMJ)
- AP arrives an initiates synaptic transmission
- Na+ channels open, depolarizing axon terminal membrane
- depolarization of terminal causes VG-Ca2+ channels to open
- calcium enters cell and triggers fusion of vesicles filled with ACh to presynaptic membrane
- ACh diffuses across synpatic cleft and binds with nAChR on post-synaptic membrane
- nAChR oepn, Na+ floods in, depolarizing postsynaptic membrnae
- spreading depolarzation fires AP in post-synaptic membrane
- ACh broken down by acetylcholinesterases and components taken back up by presynaptic cell to reuse
- after synaptic transmission ACh and vesciles recycled
UMN lesions (pyramidal cells of motor cortex)
- corticospinal and corticobulbar
- muscle groups are affected
- mild weakness
- minimal disuse muscle atrophy
- no fasiculations
- increased muscle stretch reflex
- hypertonia
- spasticity
- pathological reflexes
- positive babinski
LMN ventral horn (spinal cord) and motor nuclei (brainstem) lesions
- individual muscles may be affected
- mild weakness
- marked muscle atrophy
- fasiculations
- decreased muscle stretch reflex
- hypotonia
- flaccidity
- no babinski sign
UMN diseases
- cerebral palsy
- multiple sclerosis
- cerebrovascular accident
- parkinson’s
- huntington’s
cerebral palsy
- non-progressive disorder caused by injury or abnormal development in the immature brain before, during or after birth up to 1 year of age
- damage that affects the corticospinal pathway
S/S cerebral palsy
- symptoms are very heterogenous
- muscle weakness, loss of fine motor control
- impaired speech
- drooling
- exaggerated deep tendon reflexes
- spasticity
- rigidity of extremities
- scoliosis, contractures, joint dislocation
associated problems with cerebral palsy
- vision and hearing impairment
- swallowing problems
- seizures
- intellectual disability
- reflex disease
CP treatment
- no cure, treat symptoms to help increase ADLs
- surgical - ortho, dental, general, opthomology, ENT; dorsal rhizotomy (to treat muscle spasticity), antireflux operation, intrathecal baclofen pumps
- medications - botulinum toxin
- physical and occupational therapy
CP anesthetic considerations
- hold pre-op sedatives and caution with opioids
- difficult IV access
- difficult airway (dentition, increased secretions, TMJ ankylosis, contractures)
- consider RSI (secretions etc)
- succ does not produce increase K release
- caution in admin of NDMR (some anticonvulsant may interact and make more resistant to NDMRs)
- decreased MAC need (20-30%)
- prone to bleeding, hypothermia, and intravascular depletion
- slow emergences
- caution with positioning
- regional = difficult
- increase chance of latex allergy
multiple sclerosis
- autoimmune disease characterized by combination of demyelination, inflammation and axonal damage of the CNS
- peripheral nerves not affected
multiple sclerosis S/S
- paresthesias - face, legs, arms, fingers
- muscle fatigue/weakness
- painful muscle spasms
- visual problems (optic neuritis and diplopia)
- autonomic instability
- bulbar muscle dysfunction
- cognitive dysfunction (ADVANCED stages)
MS treatment
- decrease spasticity, tremors, and bladder spasticity
- diazepam, dantrolene, or bacloflen
- glucocorticoids
- immunosuppressants
- CD20 monoclonal antibody, interferon B1a or glatiramer acetate
MS situations that exacerbate the symptoms
- stress
- increase body temperature
- infection
- hyponatremia
MS anesthetic considerations
- avoid succinylcholine, scopolamine, atropine
- NDMR - use cautiously
- surgery avoided during flare
- avoid spinal block
- epidural safe
- aspiration risk
- increased risk of DVT
- stress dose steroids
- exaggerated hypotensive effects
cerebrovascular accident
stroke is characterized by sudden neurologic deficits resulting from ischemia (88% of cases) or hemorrhage (12% of cases)
anterior cerebral artery
contralateral leg weakness
middle cerebral artery
- contralateral hemiparesis and hemisensory deficit (face & arm > leg)
- aphasia
- contralateral visual field deficit
posterior cerebral artery
contralater visual field deficit and hemipareis
penetrating arteries
- contralateral hemiparesis
- contralateral hemisensory deficits
basilar artery
- oculomotor deficits and/or ataxia
- crossed sensory and motor deficits
vertebral artery
- lower cranial nerve deficits
- and/or ataxia with crossed sensory deficits
CVA treatment
- aspirin
- TPA (IV or direct infusion right into area where the clot is)
- surgery (crani/cerebellar resection)