Neuropathology Flashcards
What are neurons?
Nuclei
Ganglia
List the glia
Ependymal cells Astrocytes Oligodendrocyte Microglia Satellite cells Schwann cells
What is hydrocephalus?
Obstruction to CSF flow
Impaired resorption at arachnoid granulations
What are the two types of hydrocephalus?
Communicating
Non-communicating
What happens when hydrocephalus occurs in infants?
Hydrocephalus occurring
Before fusion of the cranial
sutures causes enlargement
of the head circumference.
What pathology is dementia?
Shrinking of brain tissue ex vacuo
What is normal CSF pressure?
Less than 200mmH20
What causes CSF pressure to increase?
Increased CSF volume
Intracranial occupying lesion (neoplasm, haemorrhage and abscess)
Cerebral odema
What is the consequence of increased CSF?
Herniation
What may tonsillar/cerebellar herniation cause?
Tonsillar/cerebellar herniation may cause compression of the medulla with impairment of vital respiratory and cardiac functions.
List the types of herniation present
Subfalcial (cingulate)
Central/transtentorial
Tonsillar/cerebellar
Which type of herniation is the most important?
Tonsillar/cerebellar
What is a sign of tonsillar herniation at autopsy?
Duret hemorrhages
List types of space occupying lesions
Extradural/epidural haemorrhage
Subdural haemorrhage
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Intracerebral haemorrhage
Ischaemic infarct with subsequent oedema or haemorrhage
Neoplasm
Abscess
What can happen as a result of head trauma
Skull fracture
Parenchymal injury
Coup and contrecoup
Vascular injury
List the ways parenchymal injury can occur
Contusion (bruising) Concussion is a clinical term/syndrome
Laceration (penetration or tearing)
Diffuse axonal injury
What is meant by extradural?
Severe trauma with arterial laceration (m. mening. a.)
What is meant by subdural?
Occurs in veins - rupture
Trauma is minor in atrophy (bridging veins)
What causes a subarachnoid haemorrhage?
Rupture of saccular (berry) aneurysm (circle of Willis)
What does spinal cord compression at C4 cause?
Paralysis of diaphragm
What does the height of the spinal cord compression cause?
Clinical symptoms - different prognosis for patient
What is a vasogenic cerebral odema?
Increased vascular permeability
What is cytotoxic cerebral oedema?
Neuronal, glial or endothelial cell damage
What are the two types of infarction?
Haemorrhagic
Ischaemic
When does haemorrhagic infarction occur?
Emboli
When does ischaemic infarction occur?
Thrombosis
Describe the histology of an ischaemic infarct
Acute neuronal injury ‘Red neurons’ Pyknosis of nucleus Shrinkage of the cell body Loss of nucleoli Intense eosinophilia of cytoplasm
Owing to irreversible
hypoxic/ischaemic insult
