Peripheral Nerve Diseases Flashcards
Patient has flu-like illness, which begins to have acute ascending paralysis starting in their legs.
What do you begin to suspect?
Guillain-Barre Syndrome!
Usually resolves with time
What is the pathogenesis of Guillain Barre?
Real simple-like….
Some type of infection occurs.
T cells and macrophages fight off infection, but then sort of accidentally attack myelinated nerves.
The demyleination just occurs in a few segments, not the whole nerve usually.
Remyelination will occur after
What is leprosy?
Infection of skin and nerves Cuased by Mycobacterium leprae Transmitted by respiratory droplet Endemic in poor tropical countries Causes disabling deformities
What are the two forms of leprosy?
Tuberculoid Leprosy
less severe, localized in scaly skin lesions, nerves
Good T-cell response to bacteria
Lepromatous Leprosy
Severe and widespread. Skin, nerves, eye, moth, testes, hands, feet
Immune system DOES NOT respond well
Not clear why some have the more severe kind or why some are completely immune to both.
What is leprous autoamputation
Basically some of the peripheral tissues can be resorbed over a very long time
What is a characteristic pathological finding of the herpes zoster virus?
Multinucleated giant cells!
What is hereditary Motor and Sensory Neuropathy Type 1?
Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
Disease involving repetitive demyelination and remyelination
Muscle loss, loss of sensation but pain intact
High arches, hammer toes, muscle atrophy
Normal life span
What is a pathological finding common to Charcot-Marie-Tooth?
Onion bulb formation in nerves
indicative of the myelination and demyelination
What kind of neuropathy is associated with diabetes?
Peripheral neuropathy, usually in hands and feet
lack sensation
What is a paraneoplastic effect?
A tumor causes 2ndary effects in the body. SOmtimes they can be recognized and can help identify the fact that there is a tumor at all
What two ways can malignancies cause neuropathy?
Mononeuropathy caused by pressure from actual mass on nerves
Polyneuropathy caused by a neoplasm’s paraneoplastic effects.
What is leonine facies?
Not a very nice term for the effects of lepromatous leprosy. The nodules on the face begin to make it have a lion-like appearance
