Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Gen. Path > Nervous System > Flashcards

Nervous System Flashcards

(100 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

What is the major category/contributor to cerebrovascular disease? What percentage of cases?

A

Infarcts- 80%

=local vascular obstruction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the other categories of cerebrovascular disease?

A

Intracerebral hemorrhages- 15%

Subarachnoid hemorrhage- 5%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

The predisposing factors of cerebrovascular disease are the same as what other disease system?

A

Cardiovascular disease

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is the most important predisposing factor to cerebrovascular disease?

A

Hypertension

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the 4 other predisposing factors to cerebrovascular disease?

A 
Smoking
Hyperlipidemia
Diabetes mellitus
Family history of vascular disease
(Hypertension is the other MAIN one)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What are the 3 possible cerebrovascular disease outcomes?

A

Transient Ischemic Attack
Reversible Ischemic Neurologic Defect
Stroke

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the term for a “mini-stroke”?

A

Transient Ischemic Attack

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Is there irreversible brain damage in a mini-stroke?

A

No

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is a transient ischemic attack?

A

Episode of non-traumatic focal loss of cerebral or visual function, speech

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How long does a transient ischemic attack last and how does this compare to a stroke?

A

Less than 24 hours, most last only minutes. A stoke lasts greater than 24 hours.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the cause of transient ischemic attacks?

A

Transient thromboembolic event (infarct)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Does a transient ischemic attack put you at risk for a stroke?

A

Yes, it is a warning the patient is on a way to a stroke. High risk of profession to stroke with 5 years.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the term for a minor stroke?

A

Reversible Ischemic Neurologic Deficit (RIND)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is a RIND defined as?

A

An infarct lasting 24 to 72 hours. Resolves within 3 weeks.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Is there irreversible damage in a RIND?

A

No. Resolves within 3 weeks. Clinical features revert to normal within 7 days

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a stroke defined as?

A

Neurological deficit of cerebrovascular cause that persists beyond 24 hours or is interrupted by death within 24 hours.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Is there irreversible brain damage in a stroke?

A

YES. Permanent brain damage.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What is the outcome of a stroke?

A

High mortality.
High morbidity (75%) in survivors due to permanent neural damage.
Loss of use and feeling of the affected parts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What are the 2 types of strokes based on cause?

A 
Ischemic stroke (80%): Lack of blood flow
Hemorrhagic stroke (20%): rupture of blood vessel
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What are the 2 common causes of ischemic stroke?

A

Thrombus in brain vessel

Embolism (usually from heart or carotid)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are 2 other causes of ischemic stroke?

A 
Systemic hypoperfusion (shock)
Dural venous sinus thrombosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is a cryptogenic stroke?

A

A stroke of unknown cause. This occurs in 30% of all ischemic strokes (don’t know what caused the reduced blood flow).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What are the 2 types of hemorrhagic strokes? Which one is more common?

A

Intra-axial hemorrhage (inside the brain)

Extra-axial hemorrhage (outside the brain)= more common

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Possible locations for intra-axial hemorrhage leading to a hemorrhagic stroke?

A 
Intraparenchymal= inside neurone
Intraventricular= inside ventricles of the brain
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Possible locations for extra-axial haemorrhage leading to a hemorrhagic stroke?
Epidural hematoma= between dura and skull Subdural hematoma= in subdural space Subarachnoid hemorrhage= between arachnoid mater and pia mater
26
Where are the major risk areas for hemorrhagic strokes (related to arteries)? **
Middle cerebral artery Vertebrobasilar system Internal carotid artery
27
What blood system in the brain may keep a stroke from being as severe?
Arterial anastomoses from Circle of Willis
28
What are the 6 symptoms of stroke?
1. Loss of use (motor function) and sensation (sensory function) of contra-lateral face and body 2. Dysphasia or aphasia (problems with speech) 3. Apraxia (loss of voluntary motion) 4. Spasticity 5. Heightened reflexes 6. Memory loss
29
What is the pathology of a stroke?
Early infarcted area appears soft and necrotic | Then it undergoes liquefactive necrosis
30
What can we was dentists look out for on panoramic radiographs that indicates a stroke marking in advance?
Carotid artery atheroma calcifications = high risk of stroke and MI
31
What is the leading cause of intracranial hemorrhages?
Hypertension (over 50%) | -15% of deaths due to hypertension are from brain hemorrhage
32
What is another cause of intracranial hemorrhages?
Arteriovenous malformations
33
What are the 3 symptoms of intracranial hemorrhages? What are these symptoms similar to?
-Severe headache -Nausea, vomiting -Loss of consciousness These are also symptoms of TIA, RIND and stroke
34
What is a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
Bleeding in subarachnoid space between arachnoid mater and pia mater. Delicate area making the hemorrhage easy to spread.
35
**What are most cases of subarachnoid hemorrhage due to?
**Rupture of saccular or "Berry Aneurysm"
36
Where is a "Berry Aneurysm" in relation to?
Branches of Circle of Willis
37
In general, what is the number one cause of non-traumatic hemorrhage?
Aneurysms
38
What gender and age are subarachnoid hemorrhages more common?
Women | Tend to occur in 6th decade (70s)
39
Where is the most common location of a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
At the bifurcation of internal carotid artery (80% of cases)
40
What are the symptoms of a subarachnoid hemorrhage?
note: Common to all brain disorders - Severe headache and raised intracranial pressure - nausea, vomiting - loss of consciousness Presence of blood in the CSF (indicator something has sprung a leak) causes vascular spasm and may lead to infarction
41
What are vascular malformations?
Congenital abnormalities of vessels
42
Most vascular malformations are of what origin?
Most are arteriovenous malformations - often fed by middle cranial artery (a common site for stroke) - direct connection between arteries and veins, no capillaries - 2% to 4% of AVM will bleed
43
Where is an epidural hematoma located?
Between dura mater and skull
44
What is the most common cause of an epidural hematoma? **
**Rupture of middle meningeal artery
45
Can an epidural hematoma cause death?
"Patients who walk away and then die". A "lucid interval" after the initial injury. Increased pressure on brain stem causes death.
46
What is an acute subdural hematoma?
Laceration of subarachnoid bridging vessels (usually veins) between dura mater and arachnoid.
47
What is the classic cause of acute subdural hematoma?
Shaken baby syndrome. Rapid change in head velocity
48
What kind of feature appears clinically in acute subdural hematoma?
Meningitis
49
What is chronic subdural hematoma and how does it differ from acute?
Laceration of subdural vein. Slower and less lethal. May take weeks to appear clinically.
50
What does chronic subdural hematoma present as clinically?
Disorientation. And is thus often overlooked in the elderly (whom it is common to)
51
A concussion is trauma to what part of the brain?
Trauma to the Parenchyma (functional cells of tissue = neurons)
52
What is the outcome of a concussion?
Minimal morphologic change. Full recovery Loss of memory of the incident
53
What are 2 possible signs of a concussion?
Momentary loss of consciousness | Paralysis and seizures
54
What is the difference between a concussion and a contusion?
A concussion is deeper.
55
What is a contusion from?
Brain movement causes hemorrhage at surface
56
What are the 2 types of contusion and how can you distinguish?
Coup lesion and Contre-coup lesion | Cannot distinguish morphologically.
57
What is a coup lesion?
When trauma occurs to an immobile head, the damage is at the site of trauma
58
What is a contra-coup lesion?
When rapidly moving head encounters immobile object, the damage occurs at a point distant from the site of trauma (contralateral)
59
Contusions are an important cause of what?
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
60
What usually occurs due to rupture of berry aneurysm?
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
61
What occurs due to trauma to the temporal region and rupture of middle meningeal artery?
Epidural hematoma (walk away and die later)
62
What is caused by relatively trivial trauma leading to a slow bleed from the veins?
Subdural hematoma
63
What is the most common form of a brain tumor?
Gliomas
64
What is the most common primary CNS tumor?
Astrocytoma- a type of glioma
65
What are gliomas?
Tumors that arise in surrounding supportive tissue of the brain, not the parenchyma. These are space occupying lesions where normal tissues are either destroyed or compressed, this is how they cause damage to the brain from the surrounding.
66
What is the most common cause of brain tumor death?
Glioblastoma multiforme- a type of astrocytoma
67
What are the 2 forms of astrocytoma and how do they differ?
Pilocytic astrocytoma: Slow growing, tumor of childhood, good prognosis Glioblastoma multiforme: Rapidly growing, fatal, more often in adults
68
What is meningioma? Where do they arise?
Tumor of cells that line arachnoid mater. Arise in cranium or spinal cord.
69
Who are meningiomas more common in?
Adult women
70
Are meningiomas fatal?
Usually benign and curable
71
What symptoms occur in meningioma?
Pressure on brain causes seizures and focal neurologic defects (area of defect depends on what area the tumor is affecting)
72
**Where do most Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumors (PNETs) occur?
In the cerebellum ***
73
What are PNETs composed of?
Small, poorly differentiated cells
74
What is the most important PNET?
Medulloblastoma
75
Who does Medulloblastoma occur in?
Children, occurs in first 2 decades of life.
76
What can medulloblastoma cause? How does it progress?
Fast growing. Can cause ICP: producing nausea, vomiting, LOC Cerebellar damage causes difficulty walking
77
What is the second commonest cause of neoplasms in children (after leukaemia)?
Primary brain tumors
78
Childhood tumours are ..?
Infra-tentorial (cerebellar)
79
Adult tumours are ...?
Supra-tentorial and arise from glial cells.
80
Primary brain tumours are more common in adults?
False. They are less common in adults
81
Where do brain malignancies metastasize to?
They usually stay in the CNS. Other malignancies can metastasize to the brain but usually not the other way around.
82
What are the 3 nerve sheath lesions?
Schwannoma Neurofibroma Traumatic neuroma
83
What does a schwannoma affect?
Schwann cells only Capsule -Produce well defined enlargement along nerve
84
What does a neurofibroma affect?
Schwann cells and axons (the sheath and the nerve itself) -spindle cells with occasional axons and mast cells No capsule: much more diffuse than schwannoma
85
What does a neuroma affect?
Not a tumor/neoplasm Reactive proliferation of nerve bundles 1:1 axons and Schwann cells- same proportions are you would normally
86
What is acoustic neuroma?
It is a Schwannoma along the 8th cranial nerve in cerebellopontine angle. Can result in deafness in one ear.
87
Do neurofibromas occur in the CNS?
Rare. Occur usually in the peripheral nervous system
88
How do neurofibromas and schwannomas compare in firmness?
Schwannomas are usually firm. | Neurofibromas are soft.
89
Where are common sites for neurofibromas?
Tongue and buccal mucosa. | Rarely central in bone.
90
How do neurofibromas usually appear? Pain?
Solitary and painless.
91
What is defect in NF Type-1 vs. NF Type-2?
Type 1: NF-1 tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 17 Type 2: NF-2 tumor suppressor gene on chromosome 22 Recessive
92
How does NF Type-1 usually begin?
Early in life with pigmentation of skin - cafe-au-lait spots = large macules - crowe's sign = multiple small macules in axilla Neurofibromas usually arise later, following the pigmentations
93
What is another common name for NF Type-1?
von Recklinghausen's Disease of Skin
94
What is another name for NF Type-2?
Central NF
95
What occurs in NF Type-2?
Brain tumours. Central neural lesions including acoustic neuromas (Schwannomas) and meningiomas. Can also have astrocytomas and ependymomas in spinal cord.
96
What do children often have in NF Type-2?
Cataracts
97
What is common to NF type-1 and type-2?
Cafe au lair spots. NF type-2 has not other external manifestations
98
Which NF has Lisch nodules (iris)?
NF type-1
99
Can NF type-1 be osseous?
Yes
100
What are axillary freckles called?
Crowe's sign

Gen. Path (7 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions