Nervous System Flashcards
Levels of consciousness
- Vegetative state
- Locked-in syndrome
- Brain death
Aphasia
inability to comprehend or express language(receptive and expressive)
Dysarthria
Motor dysfunction affecting muscles used in speech-cannot articulate clearly
Expressive aphasia(motor)
cannot speak or write fluently or approiatly
Receptive aphasia(sensory)
unable to understand written or spoken language
Global aphasia
combo of expressive and receptive aphasia, major brain damage.
Agraphia
Impaired writing ability
Alexia
Impaired reading ability
Agnosia
loss of recognition or association
Effects of Increased intracranial pressure
decreasing level of consciousness, headache, vomiting, increasing blood pressure w/increasing pulse pressure, slow heart rate, papilledema, pupil fixed and dilated
Vital signs of increased intracranial pressure
Development of cerebral ischemia, systemic vasoconstriction, baroreceptor response, chemoreceptor response, improved cerebral circulation, high BP, low pulse, low respiration, can result in herniation
Dx test for Intracranial pressure and herniation
CT, MRI, cerebral angiography, doppler ultrasound, electroencephalography, radionuclide to track perfusion in CNS, lumbar puncture used to check pressure and analyze CSF
Brain tumors
cause ICP, primary malignant tumors rarely metastasize outside of CNS. Secondary brain tumors from breast or lung. Invasive and have irregular projections into adjacent tissue
Transient Ischemic Attacks TIA
result from temporary localized reduction of blood flow in the brain
TIA S/Sx
difficult to diagnose, directly related to location of ischemia, intermittent short episodes of impaired function, visual disturbances, numbness and paresthesia in face, transient aphasia or confusion may develop.
Cerebrovascular Accidents- CVA’s
stroke-an infarction of brain tissue that results from lack of blood, occlusion of a cerebral blood vessel or rupture of cerebral vessel.
Types of CVA’s
- Occlusion of an artery by an atheroma-develops in lg arteries
- Sudden obstruction caused by an embolus-lodging in a cerebral artery.
- Intracerebral hemorrhage-caused by a rupture of a cerebral artery in patient w/severe hypertension
CVA risk factors
diabetes, hypertension, systemic lupus, increasing age, congenital malformation of blood vessels, atherosclereosis, history of TIA’s, smoking, sedentary lifestyle
CVA S/sx
Depends on the location of obstruction, size of artery involved, lack of voluntary movement or sensation on opposite side of body, initially flaccid paralysis, spastic paralysis develops weeks later.
CVA Treatment
clot busting agents, surgical intervention, glucocorticoids, supportive treatment, OT/PT, treat underlying problems to reduce recurrences, rehab begins immediately.
Cerebral aneurysms
localized weakness in the wall of an artery and frequently multiply. Usually at the points of bifurcation on the circle of willis, often aggravated by hypertension, slow bleed causes vascular type headache and rupture leads to sudden fatal increase in ICP and death.
Cerebral aneurysm S/sx
loss of visual field or visual disturbance, headache and photophobia, intermittent periods of dysfunction, nuchal rigidity caused by meningeal irritation. Tx surgical before rupture and anti hypertensive drugs.
Brain infections-Neisseria meningitidis or meningococci
Frequently carried in the nasopharynx of asymptomatic carriers, spread by respiratory droplets, occurs more frequently in late winter an dearly spring.
Meningitidis S/sx
sudden onset is common, severe headache, back pain, photophobia, nuchal rigidity, vomiting, irritability, lethargy, fever, chills w/leukocytosis, progression to stupor or seizures. Dx examination of CSF-lumbar puncture
