brain dysfunction and neurological disorders

Question 1

What is brain dysfunction?

Answer 1

Any impairment of the normal functioning of the brain.

Question 2

What are the two types of brain dysfunction?

Answer 2

Structural dysfunction and functional dysfunction.

Question 3

Define structural dysfunction.

Answer 3

Individual brain areas are damaged, such as in stroke, dementia, or traumatic brain injury.

Question 4

Define functional dysfunction.

Answer 4

Each brain area individually works fine, but the overall behavior of the brain is impaired, as seen in conditions like Autism, OCD, and major depression.

Question 5

Can disorders be purely functional or structural?

Answer 5

No, disorders are usually a mixture of both.

Question 6

What is an acquired brain injury?

Answer 6

Brain damage that occurs after birth.

Question 7

What are the two groups of causes for acquired brain injury

Answer 7

Traumatic brain injury
(TBI)
Non-traumatic brain injury

Question 8

What is traumatic brain injury (TBI)?

Answer 8

Brain damage caused by external physical force leading to structural brain damage.

Question 9

What are the two subtypes of traumatic brain injury?

Answer 9

Open injury and closed brain injury.

Question 10

What is Non traumatic brain injury

Answer 10

brain damage caused by internal factors such as lack of oxygen (anoxia), exposure to toxins or pressure from a tumor

Question 11

What is one of the most common causes of death and disability in the Western world?

Answer 11

Stroke

Question 12

What are the long-term symptoms of a stroke?

Answer 12

Hemiplegia (paralysis on one side)
Language impairment
Executive dysfunction (inhibition)

Question 13

What percentage of strokes are ischemic?

Answer 13

Approximately 80%.

note: Ischaemic – reduction in blood flow to a particular area of the body

Question 14

What causes an ischemic stroke?

Answer 14

Loss of blood flow via vessel blockage.

Question 15

What is a thrombotic stroke?

Answer 15

A blood clot formed within a blood vessel, often building up around atherosclerosis.

approximately 60%

Question 16

What is an embolic stroke?

Answer 16

A clot formed elsewhere in the body (often the heart) and travels to the brain

• Could be cholesterol build-ups (atherosclerosis: build up of fats, cholesterol and other substances in artery walls) coming from neck blood vessels and travel to brain

Question 17

What is hemorrhagic stroke?

Answer 17

Blood builds up inside the skull, compressing brain tissue.

Question 18

Effects of the anterior cerebral artery being blocked (ACA)

Answer 18

can affect some medial parts of the pre/postcentral gyrus. Executive dysfunction

Question 19

Effects of the posterior cerebral artery being blocked (PCA)

Answer 19

can affect occipital lobe, object recognition problems, memory problems

Question 20

What is the treatment for acute ischemic stroke?

Answer 20

Special clot-busting drugs administered within 3-4 hours. Early intervention to reduce extent of stroke

Question 21

What is the treatment for chronic ischemic stroke?

Answer 21

• Therapy for physical disabilities, language/cognitive difficulties
• Adaptation to the body. cognitive limitations
• Natural recovery, especially in young people

Question 22

What is the treatment for haemorrhagic stroke

Answer 22

Aneurysm clip (microsurgery in which a metal surgical clip is used to close off an aneurysm in the brain). The clip stays in the brain forever

Question 23

What does FIM stand for, and what does it assess?

Answer 23

Functional Independence Measure: used in inpatient rehabilitation settings and in residential brain injury programs to assess disability

Question 24

What does FAM stand for and what does it assess?

Answer 24

Functional assessment measure
How brain dysfunction affects an individual’s overall functioning in various domains of life.

Question 25

What is a common cause of traumatic brain injury?

Answer 25

An external force to the head.

Question 26

What is a closed head injury?

Answer 26

Often happens because of rapid acceleration/deceleration, nerve fibers stretched and torn, which can result in diffuse brain damage

Question 27

What are the two types of brain tumors?

Answer 27

Glioma (non cancerous, slow growing) Meningioma (cancerous, more aggressive)

Question 28

What is dementia?

Answer 28

An acquired persistent impairment of intellectual function with memory compromise and at least two other cognitive domains affected.

Question 29

What is neurodegeneration?

Answer 29

An automatic process where neuronal circuits progressively degenerate.

Question 30

List two types of neurodegenerative disorders.

Answer 30

Alzheimer's disease Frontotemporal dementia/picks disease

Question 31

What are some examples of non degenerative disorders

Answer 31

- Toxins - Infection - Alcohol

Question 32

What are cognitive deficits in Alzheimer's disease?

Answer 32

- Profound memory loss - Language impairment - Visuospatial disturbance.

Question 33

What are behavioral deficits in Alzheimers disease

Answer 33

- no significant early changes in personality - unawareness or denial of illness - psychosis

Question 34

What is anomic aphasia?

Answer 34

A language disorder that leads to trouble naming objects.

Question 35

What characterizes Parkinson's disease?

Answer 35

Hypokinetic movement and muscle rigidity due to disruption in the basal ganglia.

Question 36

What is the typical onset age for Huntington's disease?

Answer 36

Around 40 years old.

Question 37

What is chorea?

Answer 37

Involuntary movements of the face, neck, and limbs associated with Huntington's disease.

Question 38

What is the genetic transmission rate for Huntington's disease?

Answer 38

50% chance for children if a parent has the disease.

Question 39

What is the role of dopamine in Parkinson's disease?

Answer 39

Dopamine levels in the brain are significantly reduced, leading to movement-related symptoms

Question 40

What does 'resting tremor' refer to?

Answer 40

A common early sign of Parkinson's disease that often improves with purposeful function.

Question 41

What is the primary neurotransmitter affected in movement disorders?

Answer 41

Dopamine

Question 42

What are the main components of the basal ganglia?

Answer 42

- Striatum - Globus pallidus - Ventral pallidum - Substantia nigra - Subthalamic nucleus.

Question 43

What is the typical progression duration for Parkinson's disease?

Answer 43

10-20 years.

Question 44

What are the behavioral changes associated with Huntington's disease?

Answer 44

- Depression - Mood swings.

Question 45

Highlight the key differences in cause, age, sex and symptoms for parkinsons disease and huntingtons disease

Answer 45

- Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Cause: Genetic and environmental factors Age: Usually over 60 years old Sex: More common in males Symptoms:Tremor, Slowed movements (bradykinesia), Rigid muscles, Speech and swallowing difficulties, Depression, Cognitive changes - Huntington’s Disease (HD) Cause: Genetic mutation (autosomal dominant) Age: Usually 30–55 years old Sex: Similar distribution (males = females) Symptoms: Chorea (dance-like jerking movements), Rigid muscles, Speech and swallowing difficulties, Psychiatric disorders, Cognitive changes