Neuropsychology Flashcards
What are the 4 main pathologies of the brain?
- Tumour
- Meningitis
- Neurodegenerative diseases
- Cerebrovascular disorders
What is a meningioma?
Tumour resulting from the covering of the brain near the scalp, growing into the brain tissue. Can result in specific motor/cognitive impairments due to pressure exerted
What is an astrocytoma?
Tumour that infiltrates the brain, with border between tumour and unaffected tissue so it is difficult to detect
What can cancer in the pituitary glands lead to?
Sudden growth of hands, face and ribcage. Can also compress the optic chiasm and lead to visual impairment.
What are metastatic tumours?
When tumours travel by the blood from other parts of the body to the brain
What is a medullablastoma?
Most common in children. Accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid can within hours lead to a high increase of pressure within the brain.
What are some initial symptoms of meningitis?
Fever, headaches, stiff neck, nausea, sensitivity to light, confusion and sleepiness
What areas of the brain does Parkinson’s disease affect?
Dopamine containing neurones in the substantia nigra targeting striatal and cortical regions
What are the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
Tremor at rest, muscular rigidity, akinesis (slowness of movement)
Name 2 treatments of Parkinson’s disease
- Medication (e.g L-Dopa)
2. Insertion of electrodes into the basal ganglia
What is the cause of Huntington’s disease?
- Mutations to the Huntingtin gene located on chromosome 4 causing mutant form of HTT referred to as mHTT with >36 glutamine molecules
- Autosomal dominant (does not skip generations)
What are the psychological symptoms of Huntington’s disease?
Cognitive decline and personality changes such as increased irritability, mood swings and apathy
What are the motor symptoms of Huntington’s disease?
Spontaneous movements, a loss of smoothness of coordinated movements
What medications are available for those with Huntington’s disease?
- SSRI’s for depression
- Tetrabenazine for motor disturbances
- Neuroleptics for psychiatric disturbances
What brain changes are associated with the following symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease: a) deficits in autobiographical memory b) language and navigational deficits
a) changes in temporal lobes
b) changes in cortical structure
What are the 4 classes of haematoma?
- Epidural
- Subdural
- Subarachnoidal
- Intracerebral
What can result from a Subarachnoidal H.?
Damage to hippocampus/temporal lobes resulting in memory impairment
What produces an ischemic stroke?
Cerebrovascular occlusions
What are the 3 main arteries that supply the brain?
- Middle cerebral artery
- Posterior cerebral artery
- Anterior cerebral artery
Name 3 tests assesing memory
- Corsi block taping test (working memory)
- Benton visual retention test
- Wechsler Memory Scale
What is angioma?
uncontrolled capillary growth causing decline of cognitive function over time
What is alexia?
- ability to write on command, but being unable to read the words just written
- visual system unable to communicate with the language system
What is neglect?
- patient is unaware of meaningful stimuli in the space opposite to their lesion
- can be found in the auditory, visual and somesthetic domain
What is a common test for neglect?
Behavioural inattention test - BIT
