CNS - dementia, epilepsy, brain infections, parkinsons, tumours Flashcards
(21 cards)
Detecting Dementia
TSH - enurse thyroid function
CT scan
Alzheimers Disease
Leads to defects of
- visual
- spatial skill (gets lost)
- memory loss
- decreasing cognition
- ansognosia (lack of awarness)
‘plaque and tangle’
terms of alzheimers disease under microscope
Treatment for Alzheimers Disease
- MDT approach
- Cholinelerase inhibitors - slow down progression
What is Epilespy?
A recurrent tendency to spontaneous intermittent abnormal electical activity in part of the brain, manifest as seizures
Types of seizures
- focal twitching
- tranc-like (absent)
- convulsion
Causes of seizures
- No identified cause
- strokes
- alcohol withdrawal
Diagnosis of seizures
- Good history taking
- Exlcude structural abnormality
- EEG
- Any possible triggers? lights, tv
Managment of seizures
- depends on seizure type
- drugs have serious side effects - need monitoring reg
- drugs dangerous during pregnancy
Infections on the brain
- Diffuse infection - eg meningitis
- Focal infection - eg abcess
Meningitis - infection on the brain
- Bacterial - neisseria meningitidis and pneumococcus
- Viral - less severe
- Fungal - rare
Presentations of Meningitis
Early:
Headache, colds hands and feet, pyrexial (raised temp)
Late:
Necky stiffness, photophobia, Kernigs signs, non-blaching rash, seizures
Brain Abscess
- focal infection
- focal brain daage or mass effect
- presents with headaches, seizures, temp
- ‘ring enhancing lesion
Brain abcess can spread via
Blood:
- Embolus from bacterial endocarditis
- IV drug users
Direct:
- from infected inner ear
Parkinson’s disease
Occurs in the Substantia nigra
- Rigidity
- Bradykinesis
- Resting tremor
- Postural instability
Treamtent:
- MDT approach
- Anticholinergc drugs
Tumours in the Brain/ Occuyping lesions
- Benign or malignant
- Benign depending on how big th tumour is, locaton and mass effect
- can effect the skull, the meninges or the brain itself
Presentation of tumours
- Headache
- Seizures
- Cognitive or behavioural change
- Vomiting
- Altered conciousness
Metastasis tumours
Cancer elsewer in the body can metastaize in the brain
- Small cell lung cancer
- Breast
Meningioma - (benign tumour)
- Benign tumour
- Slow growing
- Dont often infilerate the brain, can be removed surgically
- Can be found on brain imaging scans
- Derived from meningothelial cells
Astrocytoma - tumour
Type of cancer in the brain
Graded 1 to 4 - 4 being fatal
Glioblastoma - has ring around it
Pituitary Tumours
- Can cause compression symptoms
- Horomonally active
- -Surgically removed transphernoidally
