Neuropathology

Question 1

Give 3 mechanisms that infections can enter the CNS

Answer 1

Direct-spread eg. through middle ear
Blood-bourne eg. sepsis
Iatrogenic eg. lumbar puncture

Question 2

What is meningitis?

Answer 2

Inflammation of the pia mater and arachnoid mater

Question 3

What is the main causative organism of meningitis in neonates?

Answer 3

E. coli

L. monocytogenes

Question 4

What is the main causative organism of meningitis in 2-5 years old?

Answer 4

H. influenzae

Question 5

What is the main causative organism of meningitis in 5-30 years old?

Answer 5

N. meningitidis

Question 6

What is the main causative organism of meningitis in >30 years old?

Answer 6

S. pneumoniae

Question 7

What is the causative organism in chronic meningitis?

Answer 7

Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Question 8

What are some complications of meningitis?

Answer 8

Cerebral infarction, epilepsy, cerebral abscess, death

Question 9

What is encephalitis?

Answer 9

(Viral) Infection of the brain parenchyma

Question 10

Which virus commonly affects the spinal cord in encephalitis?

Answer 10

Polio

Question 11

Which virus commonly affects the temporal lobe in encephalitis?

Answer 11

Herpes

Question 12

Which virus commonly affects the brain stem in encephalitis?

Answer 12

Rabies

Question 13

Who is at risk of cytomegalovirus?

Answer 13

HIV sufferers

Question 14

What are prions?

Answer 14

Normal molecules found in a synapse

Question 15

How can prions cause neurological disease?

Answer 15

Mutate and misfold to aggregate and cause neuronal death

Question 16

What is Variant Creutzfeld-Jacob Disease?

Answer 16

Ingested meat causing unique mutations in prions leading to disease

Question 17

What is dementia?

Answer 17

Acquired, global impairment of interllect, reason and personality without impairment of consciousness

Question 18

What is a neurofibrillary tangle?

Answer 18

Intracellular twisted filaments of tau proteins

Question 19

What is a senile plaque?

Answer 19

Misfolded amyloid protein aggregates

Question 20

What is the normal intracranial pressure?

Answer 20

0-10mmHg

Question 21

Why is an expanding lesion in the brain an increasing problem?

Answer 21

Brain can be shifted causing herniation

Question 22

What is a subfalcine herniation?

Answer 22

The cingulate gyrus is pushed under the falx cerebri

Question 23

What can a subfalcine herniation result in?

Answer 23

Ischaemia of the medial parts of the frontal and parietal lobes and corpus callosum due to compression of the anterior cerebral artery

Question 24

What is a tentorial herniation?

Answer 24

Uncus moves through the tentorial notch

Question 25

What can a tentorial herniation result in?

Answer 25

Oculomotor nerve damage
Occlusion of the posterior cerebral artery
Secondary haemorrhage into the brainstem

Question 26

What is a tonsillar herniation?

Answer 26

Cerebellar tonsils pushed into the foramen magnum which compresses the brainstem

Question 27

Why are brain tumours rare?

Answer 27

Cells do not divide quickly

Question 28

Give an example of a benign brain tumour

Answer 28

Meningioma

Question 29

Give an example of a malignant brain tumour

Answer 29

Astrocytoma

Question 30

Give 3 risk factors for a cerebral stroke

Answer 30

Hyperlipidaemia
Hypertension
Diabetes

Question 31

What is an intracerebral haemorrhage normally associated with?

Answer 31

Hypertensive damage to blood vessels

Question 32

What structure ruptures to form a subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 32

Berry anurysms

Question 33

What is a diagnosing symptom of a subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 33

Thunderclap headache