Lecture 1 and 2: Neuropathology Flashcards by Jen McGann

What are some clinical signs associated with cerebrum/forebrain

Ataxia, behavioral changes, seizures, head-pressing, circling, blindness

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What are some clinical signs associated with midbrain/cerebellum/brainstem

Ataxia, hypermetria, hypertonicity, head tilt, circling, nystagmus, tremors, cranial nerve deficits

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What are some clinical signs associated with Spinal cord

Paralysis/paresis, weakness, spasticity

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What is a coup injury and what does it involve

Occurs on same side and can involve soft tissue, skull fracture, dural or subdural hematomas

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What is a contrecoup injury and what does it involve

Injury on opposite side of injury that can cause hemorrhage and edema

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What is a concussion

Head injury leading to loss of consciousness without gross evidence of injury

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What is a contusion

Head injury that results in hemorrhage, +/- tearing of brain parenchyma, +/- skull fracture

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What wrong

Subdural hemorrhage

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Why are skull fractures dangerous

Act as FB or mechanism for laceration of neurological tissue it surrounds

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What wrong

vertebral fracture

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What occurs as a result of a hematoma

Space occupying lesion that will increase ICP leading to compression or herniation

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Where does the cerebellum herniate through and why is it life threatening

Herniates through foramen magnum and life threatening because it compresses on respiratory centers within the brainstem

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What wrong

Cerebellar herniation through foramen magnum

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What do these images show

left: normal intervertebral disc
Right: degenerated disc, chalky nucleus pulposus

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Intervertebral discs can herniate into spinal cord causing ___, ___, and ___

Hemorrhage, edema and necrosis

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what wrong

Herniated disc

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What is type 1 disc herniation (who gets it, acute or chronic, what herniates)

Chondrodystrophic breeds (dachshunds, frenchies), acute onset of clinical signs due to herniation of nucleus pulposus

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What is type 2 disc herniation (who gets it, acute or chronic, what herniates)

More common in our large breed dogs
Gradual onset of clinical signs
Annulus fibrosis herniates

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What is a major consequence of spinal cord trauma

Hemorrhagic myelomalacia

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What is hemorrhagic myelomalacia

Ascending and/or descending hemorrhage and necrosis within the cord

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How do animals with hemorrhagic myelomalacia present

Ascending or descending paralysis and sensory deficits within 12-24hrs after spinal cord injury

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What is one reason/ location that can make myelomalacia life threatening

Lesion near phrenic nerve will cause suffocation because innervates diaphragm

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What wrong

Hemorrhagic myelomalacia

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What wrong

hemorrhagic myelomalacia

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What is a stroke

Sudden onset of focal neurological deficits due to intracranial vascular event caused by local ischemia

What is the most common cause of stroke

Infarction- thrombosis

Which infarction is acute vs chronic

Left: acute (red to black) Right: chronic (golden-brown, shrunken/depressed)

How do cats with feline ischemic encephalopathy present

Ataxia, circling, seizures, blindness, postural deficits

What does lesion from FIE look like

Asymmetrical/ unilateral ischemic necrosis and atrophy of cerebral cortex that is supplied by middle cerebral artery

What artery is occluded with FIE

Middle cerebral artery

What is cause of FIE

Vascular disorder as a result of 1. Cardiomyopathy—> thrombosis 2. Parasite migration—> cuterebra

What this

FIE

What is fibrocartilaginous emboli (FCE)

Specific form of infarction caused by degenerative intervertebral disc material that extruded into spinal blood vessels to the parenchyma of spinal cord causing infarction

What this

FCE

What age and breeds are typically associated with CNS neoplasms

Older dogs, brachycephalic breeds

Brachycephalic breeds tend to get what specific CNS tumor

Gliomas

What is the one brain tumor that can be seen in young or in-utero animals

Medulloblastoma

What are some signs of CNS neoplasia

Seizures, depression, temperament changes, propulsive gait, blindness

What is the number one type of CNS tumor in dogs and cats

Meningioma

What are the 3 meninge layers

1. Dura 2. Arachnoid 3. Pka mater

The arachnoid matter and pia mater are called ___

Leptomeninges

The pia matter is present in the __which is in the ventricles

Choroid plexus

Where are meningiomas located

Brain, spinal cord and intraventricular possible due to pia in choroid plexus

Are meningiomas benign or malignant

Benign but space occupying that cause damaging compression

What is gross appearance of meningioma

Discrete, firm to rubbery mass with meningeal attachment

What this

meningioma

Although meningiomas do not infiltrate underlying structures they cause ___to tissues beneath them

Compression

What is the 2nd most common brain tumor in dogs

Gliomas- astrocytomas and oligodendroglioma

What are gemistocytes

Astrocytes that respond to injury by increasing their cytoplasm

What are Alzheimer’s type 2 astrocytes and what are they associated with

Clusters of astrocytic nuclei that are swollen and clear Associated with hepatic and renal encephalopathy

What are these

Gemistocytes

What is the function of oligodendrocytes

Form myelin wheat around axons in CNS

What cell is responsible for myelinating axons in PNS

Schwann cells

Are glial tumors malignant or benign

Malignant

Where are astrocytomas typically located

Cerebrum- especially temporal lobe

What this

astrocytomas

Where are olgiodendrogliomas located

Cerebrum- frontal lobe

What is the gross appearance of oligodendroglioma

Pink to gray, soft and gelatinous tumors

What this

oligodendroglioma

What is the appearance of oligodendroglioma on histology

Fried egg

What does this histology indicated

Oligodendroglioma

What sex are oligodendroglioma more prevalent in

Males

What is the main function of microglia

Phagocytosis

What is the third most common type of CNS tumors in dogs

Choroid plexus epithelial derived tumors- papilloma, carcinoma, adenoma

What cells do choroid plexus derive from

Epithelial cells

Where is the choroid plexus located

Lateral ventricle

What is the function of choroid plexus

Produce CSF

Where is the most common location for choroid plexus tumor

4th ventricle

How do animals with choroid plexus tumors present

Vomiting, positional nystagmus, head tilt, and tetraparesis

What type of tumors are these based on location

choroid plexus tumors

What is a major sequela of choroid plexus tumors

Hydrocephalus due to ventricular obstruction

Identify layers of cerebellar cortex 1-6

1. Leptomeninges 2. External granular cell layer 3. Molecular layer 4. Purkinje cell layer 5. Granular cell layer 6. White matter

What are medulloblastomas composed of

Undifferentiated cells of neural tube

Where and who do medulloblastomas occur in

Cerebellum of young animals, most commonly in calves

Where do medulloblastomas arise from

External granular cell layer

What is gross appearance of medulloblastomas

Gray masses in cerebellum

Necropsy of young dog- What this

Medulloblastoma

What is method of metastatic spread to CNS

Hematogenous

What is pattern of metastatic neoplasia in CNS

Multifocal, embolic pattern

What are the most common metastatic neoplasia in dog CNS

Hemangiosarcoma and melanoma

What are your 2 differentials

1. Hemangiosarcoma 2. Melanoma

What type of cancer

lymphoma

What cells are known to cause peripheral nervous system neoplasia

1. Perineural cells 2. Fibroblasts 3. Schwann cells

What are the benign peripheral nerve sheath tumors

1. Schwannoma- Schwann cell 2. Neurofibroma- Schwann cell and perineural cells

What are malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors called

Just peripheral nerve sheath tumors

What this

Peripheral nerve sheath tumor of spinal nerves

What this

peripheral nerve sheath tumor of brachial plexus

What are neurofibromatosis and who gets them and where

Syndrome inc cattle which single or multiple peripheral nerve sheath tumors develop at following sites - heart - brachial plexus - mediastinum and intercostal nerves

Ribs from cow what is top differential

Neurofibromatosis