Neuropathology

Question 1

What are neurons?

Answer 1

Nuclei

Ganglia

Question 2

List the glia

Answer 2

Ependymal cells
Astrocytes
Oligodendrocyte
Microglia
Satellite cells 
Schwann cells

Question 3

What is hydrocephalus?

Answer 3

Obstruction to CSF flow

Impaired resorption at arachnoid granulations

Question 4

What are the two types of hydrocephalus?

Answer 4

Communicating

Non-communicating

Question 5

What happens when hydrocephalus occurs in infants?

Answer 5

Hydrocephalus occurring
Before fusion of the cranial
sutures causes enlargement
of the head circumference.

Question 6

What pathology is dementia?

Answer 6

Shrinking of brain tissue ex vacuo

Question 7

What is normal CSF pressure?

Answer 7

Less than 200mmH20

Question 8

What causes CSF pressure to increase?

Answer 8

Increased CSF volume
Intracranial occupying lesion (neoplasm, haemorrhage and abscess)
Cerebral odema

Question 9

What is the consequence of increased CSF?

Answer 9

Herniation

Question 10

What may tonsillar/cerebellar herniation cause?

Answer 10

Tonsillar/cerebellar herniation
may cause compression of the
medulla with impairment of
vital respiratory and cardiac
functions.

Question 11

List the types of herniation present

Answer 11

Subfalcial (cingulate)
Central/transtentorial
Tonsillar/cerebellar

Question 12

Which type of herniation is the most important?

Answer 12

Tonsillar/cerebellar

Question 13

What is a sign of tonsillar herniation at autopsy?

Answer 13

Duret hemorrhages

Question 14

List types of space occupying lesions

Answer 14

Extradural/epidural haemorrhage
Subdural haemorrhage
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
Intracerebral haemorrhage

Ischaemic infarct with subsequent oedema or haemorrhage

Neoplasm
Abscess

Question 15

What can happen as a result of head trauma

Answer 15

Skull fracture
Parenchymal injury
Coup and contrecoup
Vascular injury

Question 16

List the ways parenchymal injury can occur

Answer 16

Contusion (bruising) Concussion is a clinical term/syndrome
Laceration (penetration or tearing)
Diffuse axonal injury

Question 17

What is meant by extradural?

Answer 17

Severe trauma with arterial laceration (m. mening. a.)

Question 18

What is meant by subdural?

Answer 18

Occurs in veins - rupture

Trauma is minor in atrophy (bridging veins)

Question 19

What causes a subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 19

Rupture of saccular (berry) aneurysm (circle of Willis)

Question 20

What does spinal cord compression at C4 cause?

Answer 20

Paralysis of diaphragm

Question 21

What does the height of the spinal cord compression cause?

Answer 21

Clinical symptoms - different prognosis for patient

Question 22

What is a vasogenic cerebral odema?

Answer 22

Increased vascular permeability

Question 23

What is cytotoxic cerebral oedema?

Answer 23

Neuronal, glial or endothelial cell damage

Question 24

What are the two types of infarction?

Answer 24

Haemorrhagic

Ischaemic

Question 25

When does haemorrhagic infarction occur?

Answer 25

Emboli

Question 26

When does ischaemic infarction occur?

Answer 26

Thrombosis

Question 27

Describe the histology of an ischaemic infarct

Answer 27

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