Quesmed videos (parkinson's)

Question 1

What are key features of parkinson’s disease?

Answer 1

Resting tremor

Cogwheel rigidity

Bradykinesia

Postural instability

Question 2

What are the main 4 differentials for parkinson’s?

Answer 2

Parkinson’s disease (aka idiopathic parkinson’s disease)

Vascular parkinsonism

Drugs i.e. haloperidol

Parkinson plus syndromes

Question 3

What is a big defining feature of parkinson’s disease?

Answer 3

Parkinson’s disease is usually asymmetrical

So if the patient has a resting tremor, it would only usually affect the one hand.

Question 4

What are non-motor features of parkinson’s?

Answer 4

Anosmia (loss of smell)

Dementia

Depression

REM sleep disorder - acting out vivid dreams

Orthostatic hypotension

Restlessness

Constipation

Urinary urgency

Impulsive control disorders (usually secondary to dopamine agonists i.e. ropinirole)

Question 5

What are the main 4 types of parkinson-plus syndromes?

Answer 5

Progressive supranuclear palsy

Multiple system atrophy

Corticobasal degeneration

Dementia with lewy bodies

Question 6

What is progressive supranuclear palsy?

Answer 6

The progressive degeneration of nerve cells in certain areas of the brain, particularly the basal ganglia and brainstem.

Question 7

What are key features of progressive supranuclear palsy?

Answer 7

Key features include difficulty with balance and coordination, stiffness or rigidity, slow movements (bradykinesia), and problems with eye movements, including difficulty looking up or down.

Question 8

What protein accumulation is progressive supranuclear palsy associated with?

Answer 8

Associated with the accumulation of abnormal tau protein in brain cells.

Question 9

What is multiple system atrophy?

Answer 9

A rare neurodegenerative disorder that affects multiple systems of the body, including the nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and motor system.

Question 10

Key characteristics of multiple system atrophy?

Answer 10

Characterized by symptoms such as parkinsonism (similar to Parkinson’s disease), autonomic dysfunction (such as orthostatic hypotension, urinary incontinence), and cerebellar ataxia (impaired coordination and balance).

Question 11

What protein accumulation is multiple system atrophy associated with?

Answer 11

Associated with the accumulation of abnormal alpha-synuclein protein in brain cells.

Question 12

What is corticobasal degeneration?

Answer 12

A progressive neurological disorder characterized by the degeneration of nerve cells in certain areas of the brain, including the cerebral cortex and basal ganglia.

Question 13

What are common features of corticobasal degeneration?

Answer 13

Common features include asymmetric rigidity and stiffness, apraxia (loss of the ability to perform purposeful movements), dystonia (involuntary muscle contractions), and cognitive impairments.

Question 14

What protein accumulation is corticobasal degeneration associated with?

Answer 14

Associated with the accumulation of abnormal tau protein in brain cells.

Question 15

What is dementia with Lewy bodies?

Answer 15

A neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of abnormal protein aggregates called Lewy bodies in nerve cells.

Question 16

Features of dementia with Lewy bodies?

Answer 16

Shares some clinical features with both Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, including parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, visual hallucinations, and fluctuating alertness.

DLB is considered a parkinson-plus syndrome due to its overlap with Parkinson’s disease and its distinct pathological features.