neuropsychology week 1 Flashcards
How can you get a neurological disorder (3 ways)?
Disease, Physical trauma, Genetic predisposition causing irreversible damage to brain and CNS
What is grey matter largely for?
Cognitive processes
What is White matter largely for?
Connectivity processes
Name 3 types of cerebral infections
Encephalitis, Meningitis, Mad cow disease
How can viruses enter the Central nervous system?
Through blood brain barrier (haematogenous). Or by travelling axon (retrograde axonal transport)
How can you confirm if the infection in brain is viral?
Lumbar puncture- do a cell count of lymphocytes, glucose and protein. Can also test for specific viruses using PCR or serology or by growing a viral culture.
Name two brain imaging processes
MRI with contrast, EEG (measures electrical activity)
Symptoms of encephalitis
Headaches, high temperature, confusion, drowsiness, aversion to bright lights, seizures
Autoimmune encephalitis
Psychosis, hallucinations
How does brain injury occur?
Injury can occur when brain comes into contact with a hard surface (body decelerates yet brain keeps going). Or stretching and jarring due to rapid changes in motion.
Name 2 types of traumatic brain injury
Closed head TBI ( Skull intact) Open head TBI (both skull and brain penetrated)
Phineas B Gage
Pole went through their head. Changes in behaviour, went from a god fearing man to an alcoholic.
What is a stroke
Blockage or breaking of blood vessels in the brain. This occlusion leads to ischaemia (blood/ oxygen shortage)
What are symptoms of stroke
Sudden numbness or weakness on one side of body (hemiplegia), sudden confusion , speech deficits, dizziness, loss of coordination
Name 3 types of stroke treatment
Acute stroke therapies- stops stroke as its happening by dissolving blood clots.
Post stroke rehabilitation- helps individuals overcome disabilities that result from stroke damage (speech therapists)
Drug therapy with blood thinners (daily aspirin)
FAST acronym
Face starts to droop
Arm weakness and legs (occasionally)
Speech (slurring, trouble understanding)
Time (call 999 immediately)
What are 4 modifiable risk factors of stroke?
High blood pressure
smoking doubles risk for stroke
diabetes damages blood vessels
High cholesterol leads to narrowing of blood vessels
depression (May et al 2002)
What impairments result from Vascular dementia.
Impairments of attention, executive functioning, speed of functioning
What is vascular dementia a result of
post stroke dementia or cumulative impact of lots of mini strokes
What is pseudobulbar effect
Uncontrollable laughing/ crying. (JOKER)
What are the 5 main types of neurological disorder?
Cerebral infections (encephalitis, viral infection of the brain or CNS)
Traumatic brain Injury (brain coming into contact with hard surface or stretching/jarring of skull)
Neurodegenerative disease (stepwise deterioration of brain areas due to ageing or dementia)
Cardiovascular accidents ( strokes, blood clots in the brain, must be tackled immediately)
Brain tumours (abnormal and uncontrolled cell division)
What are the three main types of intervention?
Cognitive rehabilitaition, biological intervention and caregiver support programmes
What are the three main types of treatment (Zangwill version)
Substitution ( Teaching usage of another sense or using technology to do tasks previously accomplished by the sense or skill that is in deficit) E.g. Tactile kinaesthetic feedback
Compensation (Reorganisation of psychological function so as to minimise or avoid a particular disability. E.g. memory aid
direct retraining- restoring performance of the damaged function. e.g. movement via physiotherapy
Brain tumours
Caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division in brain or meninges, depression is a cause and consequence. some people can get acquired sociopathy
What is a degenerative disorder?
Slow general deterioration in cognitive, physical and emotional functioning. Usually a feature of old age (accelerated in degenerative). memory often impaired
Difficulties in diagnosis of degenerative disorders
Distinguishing from ageing.
distinguishing from other degenerative disorders
found in elderly (compounded with psychological problems associated with ageing, (depression)
Individual differences in cognitive reserves (buffer to impairments of ageing)