Rapid Review: Neurology

Question 1

Unilateral, severe periorbital headache with tearing and conjunctival erythema (and other autonomic signs)

Answer 1

Cluster headache

Question 2

Prophylactic treatment for migraine

Answer 2

Antihypertensives (usually beta blockers), antidepressants, anticonvulsants, dietary changes

Question 3

The most common pituitary tumor. Treatment

Answer 3

Prolactinoma. Dopamine agonists (like bromocriptine)

Question 4

A 55 year old patient presents with acute “broken speech.” What type of aphasia? What lobe and vascular distribution?

Answer 4

Broca’s aphasia. Frontal lobe, left MCA distribution

Question 5

The most common cause of SAH

Answer 5

Trauma; the second most common is berry aneurysm

Question 6

A crescent-shaped hyperdensity on CT that does not cross the midline

Answer 6

Subdural hematoma–bridging veins torn

Question 7

A history significant for initial altered mental status with an intervening lucid interval. Diagnosis? Most likely source? Treatment?

Answer 7

Epidural hematoma. Middle meningeal artery. Neurosurgical evacuation.

Question 8

CSF findings with SAH.

Answer 8

Elevated ICP, RBCs, xanthochromia.

Question 9

Albuminocytologic dissociation

Answer 9

Guillain-Barre syndrome (increased protein in CSF without a significant increase in cell count)

Question 10

Cold water is flushed into a patient’s ear, and the fast phase of the nystagmus is toward the opposite side. Normal or pathologic.

Answer 10

Normal

Question 11

The most common primary souces of metastases to the brain

Answer 11

Lung, breast, skin (melanoma), kidney, GI tract

Question 12

May be seen in children who are accused of inattention in class and confused with ADHD

Answer 12

Absence seizures

Question 13

The most frequent presentation of intracranial neoplasm

Answer 13

Headache. Primary neoplasms are much less common that brain metastases

Question 14

The most common cause of seizures in children (2-10 years old)

Answer 14

Infection, febrile seizures, trauma, idiopathic

Question 15

The most common cause of seizures in young adults (18-35)

Answer 15

Trauma, alcohol withdrawal, brain tumor

Question 16

First line medication for status epilepticus

Answer 16

IV benzodiazepine

Question 17

Confusion, confabulation, ophthalmoplegia, ataxia

Answer 17

Wernicke’s encephalopathy due to a thiamine deficiency

Question 18

What percent lesion is an indication for carotid endarterectomy?

Answer 18

70% if symptomatic

Question 19

The most common cause of dementia.

Answer 19

Alzheimer’s and multi-infarct

Question 20

A combined UMN and LMN disorder

Answer 20

ALS

Question 21

Rigidity and stiffness with unilateral resting tremor and masked facies

Answer 21

Parkinson’s disease

Question 22

The mainstay of Parkinson’s therapy

Answer 22

Levodopa/carbidopa

Question 23

Treatment for Guillain-Barre syndrome

Answer 23

IVIG or plasmapheresis. Avoid steroids

Question 24

Rigidity and stiffness that progress to choreiform movements, accompanied by moodiness and altered behavior

Answer 24

Huntington’s disease

Question 25

A 6 year old girl presents with a port wine stain in the V1 distribution as well as with mental retardation, seizures, and ipsilateral leptomeningeal angioma

Answer 25

Sturge-Weber syndrome. Treat symptomatically. Possible focal cerebral resection of the affected lobe.

Question 26

Multiple cafe au lait spots on skin

Answer 26

NF1

Question 27

Hyperphagia, hypersexuality, hyperorality, hyperdocility

Answer 27

Kluver-Bucy syndrome (amygdala)

Question 28

May be administered to a symptomatic patient to diagnose myasthenia gravis

Answer 28

Edrophonium