Peripheral Neuropathic Disorders Flashcards
What are three ways peripheral nerves can be affected?
1) Axonal degeneration
2) Demyelination
3) Vascular nerve damage
What causes axonal degeneration?
toxic, metabolic, nutritional, physical factors
what are the symptoms of axonal degeneration?
wasting, distal weakness, sensory loss
What is Guillian Barre Syndrome?
- acute generalized neuropathy
- affects the limb and cranial nerves
- weak reflexes
- weakness
- cardiac arrhythmia
what is the most common distal symmetric neuropathy?
diabetes
what type of neuropathy is carpal tunnel syndrome?
mononeuropathy
what is carpal tunnel syndrome?
the compression of the median nerve by the transverse carpal ligament
what is Charcot-marie-tooth?
- progressive weakness and wasting (atrophy) of the legs, hands, forearms
- due to demyelination or axonal degeneration
ALS causes the degeneration of …
UMN and LMN
what are the symptoms of ALS?
- wasting
- fasciculations
- stiffness and weakness of hands
- muscle cramps
- brisk reflexes
- positive babkinski sign
what are the symptoms of progressive bulbar palsy?
- Dysarthria – trouble speaking due to muscle weakness
- Difficulty swallowing
- Tongue is wasted, fasciculations
what is polio/post-polio syndrome?
- Polio is a viral infection by poliovirus
- Causes denervation of muscles, impaired skeletal development
- Post-polio syndrome: survivors may experience new/increased weakness many years after attack -> post-polio muscle atrophy
What is a fasciculation and what does it indicate?
- Involuntary muscle twitch
- fatigue, overexertion
- May indicate LMN weakness
what is myasthenia gravis?
autoimmune disease where antibodies attack the NMJ and bind to Ach receptors, preventing Ach from binding
what are the symptoms of myasthenia gravis?
o Muscle weakness, fatigue
o Diplopia (double vision)
o PTOSIS – drooping of eyelids
o Fatiguability from repetitive stimulus
