New Flashcards
Snellen
Number on each line is distance a normal person can read those size letters from.
-reporting
1st number- distance they read it from (6m)
2nd number- smallest line they read correctly
-so 6/6 vision is normal
6/5 is better than normal.
LMN
Cell bodies collect to form discrete motor nuclei of CNs in brainstem or ventral horn SC.
Axons to skeletal muscle. Leave as motor divisions of CNs or spinal segmental Ns.
Alpha or gamma types. Alpha usually constant inhibition from UMNs, especially EP (so UMN lesion= hyper). This is lifted to allow move.
Motor unit
An alpha MN and the muscle fibres it inenervates.
Get larger with age.
Fibres not reinnervated atrophy and become CT= stiff.
Lots in EO muscles= precision, less in gastrocnemius.
-classification-
S- slow, fatigue resistant, small force, oxidative metabolism, well vascularised, red.
FR- fast contracting, fatigue resistant, low force, oxidative but some glycoltyic.
FF- fast, fast fatigue, high force, glycolytic, low vascularisation, pale.
Recruit in order.
MU frequency of activation controls force
Tetany- impulses so close together= smooth contraction. Fatigue and cramp fast as compress BV.
Unfused- tremor. Asynchronous MU activation. Maintains BS as contraction AND relaxation phase.
Control muscle force
Frequency of MU activation
Number and type of MU activated
Spinal reflex proprioceptors
Muscle spindle- muscle stretch
Tendon organ- contractile tension
Joint Rs- joint movement
Skin- skin stretch
Large fibre sensory neuropathy
Large sensory afferents die.
Often post viral or AI.
Lose spindle feedback so need visual control to do a movement.
Lose reflexes so cant maintain posture.
Hughlings jackson neuro lesions
Negative- loss of function or capacity
Postive- emergence of a feature.
UMN (pyramidal and extra)
Celll body in cerebral (motor areas- motor, pre, suppmentary, somatosensory) cortex or brainstem.
Remain in CNS.
MOST ARE INHIBITORY except a few CST.
Hypertonia (spastic paralysis), hyperreflexia.
Extra pyramidal lesion- uncontrolled movement, aberrant reflexes.
Pyramidal tracts monosynaptic contact LMNs.
Extrapyramidal indirect contact with rest of MN pools.
Corticobulbar are last to mature.
Complete by 17-18yo.
Myelination and function.
Motor cortex
Not involved in planning- that is PMA and SMA, Outputs to pyramidal tracts. Inputs from PMA, SMA, SI. Codes for force of specific muscles. Active 100ms before movement.
Pre motor cortex
Active 800ms before move.
Codes motor plans nd body set.
Supplementary motor area
Active 800ms before.
Codes motor plan, especially complex movements.
UMN lesions
Damage motor tracts and SC.
Signs often widespread eg mono/ hemi paresis.
No wasting or fasciculation.
Clasp knife- resistance then sudden.
Hypertonia, hyperreflexia, clonus.
Extensor plantar response- great toe extension, other toes flare.
Weakness
Causes- stroke (hemiparetic gait), SC injury.
-pyramidal- UMN signs, impair volition of fine movement.
-extra- impair way carry out movement eg gait.
Dorsal root lesion
All modalities lost
Possible hyporeflexia
Power and tone normal
SN complete lesion eg slip disc, vertebral fracture, stab
Sensory effects- ipsilateral, in dermatome.
Motor- myotome weaknes not complete loss as other SNs supply.
LMN signs.
Entire cord level destroyed
Loss LMN bodies to segment root and secondary sensory.
LMN signs at that level.
Dorsal horn lesion eg stab
Motor- LMNs spared as ventral horn. Lateral CST spared so motor ok.
BUT proprioception affected as dorsal column damage.
Sensory- Ipsilateral loss below the lesion of DCML modalities.
At the level of lesion get dermatome loss all modalities as DH destroyed.
Central canal lesion eg tumour growing centrally
SYRINGOMYELIA
Motor- ok as not affect DH.
Some weakness and UMN signs in trunk.
Sensory- secondary neurones decussate through ventral white commisure. Loss STT modalities (pain, temo, crude touch) bilaterally at level of lesion. Classically in cervical region- CAPE loss.