Neuroscience Flashcards
What is Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s palsy is an acute unilateral peripheral facial nerve palsy in patients for whom physical examination and history are otherwise unremarkable, consisting of deficits affecting all facial zones equally that fully evolve within 72 hours.
What are the risk factors for Bell’s Palsy?
> Intranasal influenza vaccine> Pregnancy> URTI> FHx> Diabetes
What are the signs and symptoms of bells palsy?
> Single episode> Unilateral> Involvement of all nerve branches> keratoconjunctivitis sicca> Pain> Synkinesis> Ipsilateral hyperacusis or dysgeusia
What is the epidemiology of bell’s palsy?
The reported incidence is 23 to 32 cases per 100,000 per year.
What investigations would you do for bell’s palsy?
> Clinical diagnosis> electroneuronography or eEMG> EMG (absence of voluntary motor unit potentials)> Serology for Borrelia burgdorferi (neg)
What is the management of Bell’s Palsy?
> Corticosteroids (e.g. prednisolone)> Eye protection> Concurrent antiviral therapy
What are the complications of Bell’s Palsy?
> keratoconjunctivitis sicca, exposure keratopathy, and ulcerative keratitis> Ectropion (saggy eyelid)> Contracture and synkinesis> Gustatory hyperlacrimation
What is the prognosis of Bell’s palsy?
The extent of facial palsy following complete evolution of Bell’s palsy (i.e., within 72 hours of onset) is the parameter most predictive of ultimate recovery outcome. Of those who present with incomplete paralysis on clinical examination, 94% will fully recover, as compared to 61% of those who present with complete paralysis.
What are the types of CNS tumours?
GlioblastomaAstrocytomaPituitary adenomaAcoustic neuromaMeningiomaOligodendrogliomaHaemangioblastomaCNS lymphomaCraniopharyngiomaSpinal cord tumour
What is the most common types of brain tumour?
- Gliomas2. Meningiomas
How do you grade tumours? (WHO grading)
Grade 1- low proliferating, discrete, non invasiveGrade 2- moderately proliferating, partly invasiveGrade 3- Fast proliferating, invasuveGrade 4- Rapidly proliferating, highly invasive
What are the risk factors for braing tumours?
> Age> Male> Exposure to solvent/ pesticide/ oil products/ rubber/ vinyl chloride> FHx> Infections, viruses, allergens (e.g. EBV, CMV)> Electromagnetic fields> Ionizing radiation> Head injury/ seizures> N-nitroso compounds
What are some signs and symptoms of brain tumours?
> Focal deficits e.g. personality, memory changes, loss of balance, vision, speeche changes, lactation> Headache> Nausea and vomiting> Fatigue> Drowsiness> Seizures
What investigations might you do for a brain tumour?
> MRI head/ pituitary MRI (mass with oedema)> CT head> Angiogram> Spinal tap> Biopsy> Bloods- inflammation, tumour markers, hormonal imbalance
What is a cluster headache?
Cluster headache is considered one of the most painful conditions known to humanity.
What are the risk factors for a cluster headache?
> Male> FHx> Head injury> cigarette smoking> heavy drinking
What are the signs and symptoms for a cluster headache?
> Repeated attacks of unilateral pain> Excruciating pain> lacrimation, rhinorrhoea, parital Horner’s syndrome> agitation> Nauseas and vomiting> Photophobia and phonophobia> Migrainous aura
What is the epidemiology of a cluster headache?
This is one of the few primary headaches that affect men predominantly (male-to-female ratio varies between 2.5:1 and 3.5:1).Studies suggest the prevalence of cluster headache is likely to be at least one person per 500
What investigations would you use for a cluster headache?
> Brain CT or MRI (normal)> ESR (normal)> Pituitray function test (normal)
What is encephalitis?
Encephalitis is defined as inflammation of the brain parenchyma associated with neurological dysfunction such as altered state of consciousness, seizures, personality changes, cranial nerve palsies, speech problems, and motor and sensory deficits.
What are the signs and symptoms of encephalitis?
> Fever> Rash> Altered mental state> Focal deficits> Meningismus> cough> GI infection> Seizures
What is the epidemiology of encephalitis?
Around 2500 cases of encephalitis occur in England each year.
What are the risk factors of encephalitis?
> Age <1 or >65> Immunodeficiency> Post inefction> Blood or body fluid exposure> Organ transplantation> Animal or insect bite> Location> Season> Swimming in warm freshwater
What investigations are important for encephalitis?
> Bloods»FBC, U/E, LFTs, cultures (high WBC, hyponatraemia, raised LFTS, systemic bacteria)> Nasopharyngwal aspirate (infection)> Sputum culture (infection)> CXR (infection/ other)> CT/ MRI brain (lesions)> EEG (slow)> CSF analysis/ culutre/ serology/ PCR (High WBC/ protein/ blood/ low glucose- infectious cause)
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is considered to be a disease of the brain defined by any of the following conditions:1. At least two unprovoked (or reflex) seizures occurring more than 24 hours apart2. One unprovoked (or reflex) seizure and a probability of further seizures similar to the general recurrence risk (at least 60%) after two unprovoked seizures, occurring over the next 10 years3. Diagnosis of an epilepsy syndrome.
What are the types of sezures?
General Seizures:Tonic-clonic seizures: loss of consciousness -> muscle stiffening -> jerking/twitching -> deep sleep -> wakes upAbsence seizures: brief staring episodes with behavioural arrestTonic/atonic seizures: sudden muscle stiffening/sudden loss of muscle controlMyoclonic seizures: sudden, brief muscle contractionsStatus epilepticus: > 5 min of continuous seizure activityPartial/ focal SeizuresSimple: retained awareness/consciousness Complex: impaired awareness/consciousness
What are the risk factors for epilepsy?
> Age (young)> FHx> Head injury> Stroke> Brain infection> Dementia> Tumours
What are the treatments for the different types of seizures?
> Tonic clonic/ partial- carbamazepine/ lamotrigine> Absence- ethosuximide> Myoclonic- Levetriacetam/ topiramate> Status epilepticus- diazepam> Valproate- all
What are the signs and symptoms of epilepsy?
Temporary confusion.A staring spell.Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs.Loss of consciousness or awareness.Psychic symptoms such as fear, anxiety or deja vu
How would you investigate epilepsy?
> EEG> MRI brain> CT brain
What are the complications of epilepsy?
> Learning difficulty> Aspiration pneumonia> Injury> Permanent brain damage> Anti convulsants side effects > Status epilepticus
What is the prognosis of people with epilepsy?
The overall prognosis for people with newly diagnosed epilepsy is good, with 60−70% becoming seizure-free, many of whom doing so in the early course of the condition.
What is the epidemiology of epilepsy?
Prevalence between 2-7% of the populationIncidence increased over the last 30-40 years
What is an extradural haemorrhage?
A hihg pressure haemorrhage from an artery occuring between the sura mater and the skull.
What are the risk factors for an extradural haemorrhage?
> Head injury> Spontaneous haemorrhage> Severe thermal burn
What are the signs and symptoms of an extradural haemorrhage?
> LOC followed by regainig consciousness then loss again (lucid interval)> Headache> confusion> vomiting> parasthesia/ paralysis> seizures
What is the epidemiology of an extradural haemorrhage?
Most common = pterion region over middle meningeal arteryAbout 2 percent of head injuries and 15 percent of fatal head injuries involve an epidural hematoma.
What investigations would you do for an extradural haemorrhage?
> CT> MRI Shows convex mass that is translucent (clotted blood is darker though)
What is Guillain Barre?
Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is a type of acute inflammatory neuropathy.
What are the risk factors for Guillain Barre?
> preceding viral illness> preceding bacterial infection> preceding mosquito-borne viral infection> hepatitis E infection
What are the signs and symptoms of Guillain Barre?
It is a clinically defined syndrome characterised by motor difficulty, absence of deep tendon reflexes, paraesthesias without objective sensory loss, and increased CSF albumin with absence of cellular reaction (albuminocytological dissociation).Motor and sensory difficulty includes:> Weakness, Dysarthria, dysphagia, dysautonomia, diplopia, drooped face, oropharyngeal weakness> Parasthesia, pain
What is the epidemiology of Guillain Barre?
Population-based studies give crude mean annual incidence rates varying from 0.6 to 1.9 per 100,000 population.
What investigations would you do for Guillain Barre?
> Nerve conduction studies (slow)> Lumbar Puncture (elevated protein in CSF/ WBC)> LFTs (high AST/ ALT)> Spirometry (reduced VC and pressure)> Antiganglioside antibodies (Acute neuropathy markers)
What is Horner’s Syndrome?
Unilateral Sympathetic Dysfunction in the face
What are the risk factors for Horner’s Syndrome?
> Pancoast Tumour> Tumours compressing sympathetic outflow> Diseases> Iatrogenic> Repeated minor head trauma> Stroke> Vascular damage (carotids/ jugular/ cluster headaches)
What are the signs and symptoms of Horner’s Syndrome?
> Miosis> Ptosis> Anhidrosis > (enopthalmos)
What is the epidemiology of Horner’s Syndrome?
Rare
What investigations would you do for Horner’s Syndrome?
> Investigations to rule out other causes (e.g. CXR for tumours/ Doppler US/ CT/ MRI)> Using eye drops to dilate the affected eye as compared to the unaffected eye
What is the management of Horner’s syndrome?
> Treatment of underlying cause>
What are the complications of horner’s syndrome?
> Dizziness> Vision problems> Pain> Muscular weaknesses or involuntary movements
What is the prognosis of Horner’s syndrome?
> Being or Fatal depends on cause (e.g. tumours are more likely to lead to death than minor trauma)
What is Huntington’s disease?
Huntington’s disease is a slowly progressive, neurodegenerative disorder characterised by chorea, incoordination, cognitive decline, personality changes, and psychiatric symptoms, culminating in immobility, mutism, and inanition.It is autosomal dominant.
What are the risk factors for Huntington’s disease?
> CAG expansion on huntingtin gene> FHx
What are the signs and symptoms of Huntington’s disease?
> Impaired performance> Personality change> Irritability and impulsivity> Choreic movements> Loss of coordination> Deficit in fine motor coordination> Slowed rapid eye movements> Motor impersistence> Impaired tandem walking
What is the epidemiology of Huntington’s disease?
The prevalence of Huntington’s disease in European populations is estimated at 4 to 8 per 100,000.
What investigations would you do for Huntington’s disease?
No real testsClinical diagnosisCAG repeat testingMRI/ CT- caudate or striatal atrophy
What is Hydrocephalus?
Hydrocephalus is a condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) occurs within the brain which typically increases pressure inside the brain.
What are the risk factors for Hydrocephalus?
> Congenital- malformations, aqueduct stenosis, neural tube defects etc. > Acquired- infections, meningitis, brain tumours, toxoplasmosis or intracranial haemorrhages
What are the signs and symptoms of Hydrocephalus?
Vomiting.Sleepiness.Irritability.Poor feeding.Seizures.Eyes fixed downward (sunsetting of the eyes)Deficits in muscle tone and strength.Poor responsiveness to touch
What is the epidemiology of Hydrocephalus?
Prevalence estimates for infantile hydrocephalus vary between one and 32 per 10,000 births
What investigations would you do for Hydrocephalus?
MRICTMight show increased CSF or pressure