central nervous system

Question 1

functions of the nervous system?

Answer 1

sensory and motor functions; mediated by the PNS and CNS, consciousness, motor skills, memory and planning, communication/language

Question 2

parts of the central nervous system?

Answer 2

brain and spinal cord

Question 3

components of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 3

autonomic e.g. breathing, somatic e.g. movement

Question 4

parts of the brain?

Answer 4

cerebral hemispheres, brain stem, cerebellum, frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe

Question 5

describe meninges and their function

Answer 5

membranous coverings of the CNS, with a protective function and production of cerebrospinal fluid. they have dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater

Question 6

function of cerebral arteries?

Answer 6

to supply a defined territory within the cerebral cortex

Question 7

what happens if blood supply to a particular part of the brain is interrupted?

Answer 7

the patient will develop symptoms due to lack of function of the part of the brain supplied by that vessel.

Question 8

describe the skull:

Answer 8

a bony box which cannot expand; if the volume of tissue or fluid inside the skull increases, the intracranial pressure rises.

Question 9

what is herniation?

Answer 9

where one part of the brain moves from one compartment of the skull to another.

Question 10

explain spinal cord nerves

Answer 10

8 cervical pairs, 12 thoracic pairs, 5 lumbar pairs, 5 sacral pairs, 1 coccygeal pair

Question 11

what protects the spinal cord?

Answer 11

the vertebral column

Question 12

two types of cell in the nervous system?

Answer 12

neurons - processors that carry electrical impulses between the CNS and PNS. glial cells - supportive functions

Question 13

examples of glial cells?

Answer 13

schwann cells, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes

Question 14

describe the function of the frontal lobe?

Answer 14

executive functions involved in decision making, emotional reactions, memory, motor cortex, olfactory function, generation of fluent speech

Question 15

function of parietal lobe?

Answer 15

cell movement and sensory cortex; processing sensory information

Question 16

function of occipital lobe?

Answer 16

visual cortex; responsible for vision.

Question 17

function of temporal lobe?

Answer 17

language functions including auditory cortex and comprehension of written/ spoken words

Question 18

function of cerebellum?

Answer 18

precise motor control - coordination, balance and movement

Question 19

function of brain stem?

Answer 19

cardiovascular and respiratory functions; conduction of major motor and sensory pathways

Question 20

function of limbic system?

Answer 20

memory and basic emotion

Question 21

location of sensory and motor territories?

Answer 21

post central gyrus = sensory cortex. pre-central gyrus = motor cortex

Question 22

areas of the brain responsible for speech and language;

Answer 22

brocha’s area - in the frontal lobe, responsible for speech production. Wernicke’s area - temporal lobe, speech processing and comprehension of language

Question 23

what happens if the spinal cord is damaged?

Answer 23

loss of function of spinal nerves below that level.

Question 24

describe focal neurological signs??

Answer 24

symptoms where causation can be localized to an anatomic site in the CNS.

Question 25

what is meant by ‘generalised neurological abnormality’ ?

Answer 25

an alteration in levels of consciousness

Question 26

causes of reduced consciousness?

Answer 26

trauma, hypoxia, hypothermia, hypoglycaemia, post-ictal state in epileptic patient.

Question 27

what is cerebrovascular disease?

Answer 27

strokes, TIA’s, intracerebral haemorrhages. it is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity.

Question 28

pathological processes of cerebrovascular disease?

Answer 28

1) hypoxia, ischaemia and infarction due to impaired blood supply and oxygenation. 2) haemorrhage from CNS vessels.

Question 29

when blood flow is reduced to a portion of the brain, what does tissue survival depend on?

Answer 29

collateral circulation, duration of ischaemia, magnitude and rapidity of flow reduction.

Question 30

causes of stroke?

Answer 30

1) hypoxia to the brain due to blockage of blood vessel by atheroma or embolus. 2) bleed to the brain

Question 31

what would damage to left MCA territory do?

Answer 31

it would damage the speech area in left hemisphere leading to loss of speech, visual pathway and vision to the right side. damage to left motor cortex would lead to weakness of right face, arm and leg.

Question 32

causes of haemorrhagic events?

Answer 32

hypertension, vascular malformation, neoplasia, trauma, drug abuse, latrogenic

Question 33

describe an intracerebral haemorrhage and what patients will present with;

Answer 33

stroke - bleeding within the brain tissue. patients present with headache, and a decrease in consciousness level. usually in arterial origin.

Question 34

describe a subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 34

bleeding on the surface of the brain, spontaneous and catastrophic. signs are; headache, meningitis like signs.

Question 35

describe a subdural haemorrhage?

Answer 35

blood collects between skull and surface of the brain. patients present with fluctuating conscious level and are often on anticoagulants

Question 36

describe a extradural haemorrhage?

Answer 36

blood forms between inner surface of skull and outer layer of dura. occurs post head injury with falling conscious levels and possibly a lucid period.

Question 37

describe dementia?

Answer 37

progressive and largely irreversible clinical syndrome with widespread impairment of mental function.

Question 38

what does dementia cause in patients?

Answer 38

memory loss, speed of thought, affects language, understanding and judgement, difficulty in controlling emotions

Question 39

describe a dementia assessment?

Answer 39

TSH to ensure thyroid function is normal, CT scan to check for intracranial pathology, vitamin B12; for thiamine for alcoholism

Question 40

what causes Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 40

an accumulation of AB amyloid, tau-neurofibrillary tangles and plaques, loss of neurones and synapses.

Question 41

patient presentations with Alzheimer’s disease?

Answer 41

defects in visual-spatial skills, memory loss, decreasing cognition and ansognosia (lack of awareness)

Question 42

describe epilepsy?

Answer 42

a recurrent tendency to spontaneous, intermittent abnormal electrical activity in part of the brain, manifesting in seizures

Question 43

drugs used to treat epilepsy?

Answer 43

sodium valproate, carbamazepine, phenytoin, lamotrigine

Question 44

types of meningitis?

Answer 44

bacterial (Neisseria meningitides, pneumococcus, meningococcus), viral and fungal

Question 45

what is a brain abscess?

Answer 45

focal infection that can lead to focal brain damage. patients present with headaches, seizures, and a temperature.

Question 46

signs and symptoms of meningitis?

Answer 46

headache, cold hands and feet, pyrexia, neck stiffness, photophobia, kerning’s sign, non-blanching rash, seizures

Question 47

describe Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 47

a movement disorder, can be sporadic or familial. causes postural instability due to the progressive degeneration of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system.

Question 48

signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 48

rigidity, bradykinesia, resting tremor, postural instability.

Question 49

signs of brain tumours?

Answer 49

headaches, seizures, cognitive or behavioural change, vomiting, altered consciousness.

Question 50

what is a meningioma?

Answer 50

a benign tumour that arises from the arachnoid cells. derived from meningothelial cells.

Question 51

examples of brain tumours?

Answer 51

meningioma, astrocytoma’s, pituitary tumours