neuro based on kaplan q bank Flashcards
(104 cards)
40 yo man with progressive weakness culminating in paralysis of all voluntary muscles —> death by respiratory failure. Both upper and lower motor neurons degenerated. Which area of the CNS would show the most neuronal loss?
the spinal cord
- it’s ALS (Amytrophic lateral sclerosis)
- pt may experience uppper motor symp (CNS symp): babinski sign, hyperreflexia, spasticity
- OR pt may experience lower motor symp: weakness, muscular atrophy, fasiculations
damage to the caudeate nucleus is associated with which disease?
huntingtons– choreiform movements
damage to the cerebellum is associated with which diseases?
spinocerebral degenerative diseases (Freidrich ataxia and olivopontocerebellar atrophy– both of which have ataxia as a major symp)
damage to the glubus pallidus is assoc. with which disease?
striatonigral degen (looks like parkinsons)
damage to teh substantia nigra is assoc. with which disease?
parkinsons (tremor + difficulty initiating movements)
Berry aneurisms commonly occur where in the circle of willis? What do they lead to if they rupture?
ACA (ant. cerebral art) close to the branch point with the ant comm. art. If they rupture, they usually lead to a sub arachnoid hemorrhage
what is a berry aneurism?
a variant of aneurism that occurs in the intracranial cavity and most commonly affects the anterior portion of the circle of willis (ACA) close to where the and. comm art. are taking off
alzheimer’s primarily affects what type of memory?
short term
22 yo man with bilateral loss of pain and temperature in upper extremities but normal touch sensation and no motor abnormalities. What disorder does he have and what is it most commonly associated with (1) Also assoc. with (3)?
He has syringomyelia– a fluid filled cyst that obstructs the anterior white commissure (usually on the level of c8-T1) resulting in Pain and Temp loss from damage to the spinothalamic tract.
Commonly assoc. with 1) Chiari Malformation (congenital protrusion of cerebellum and medulla thru the foramen magnum) Most common with Chiari 1, sometimes seen with Chiari II. Also seen with 2) trauma (whiplash), 3) prior meningitis, and 4) CSF obstruction
syrengomyelia- what is it and how does it present?
cavitation of the spinal cord (usually C8-t1) at the anterior commissure– blocks the spinal thalamic tract (pain and temp) at that level
Presentation: bilateral pain and temperature loss at the level of the lesion (usually upper extremities). As the disease progresses (lesion gets bigger) —> muscle weakness/atrophy, flacid paralysis due to destruction of anterior horn. Eventually there can be loss of sympathetic func because of lesion expanding to lateral horn
where is the broca’s area located? what does damage to broca’s area do?
inferior frontal gyrus
- it controls the motor aspects of speech so a lesion in the area causes nonfluent aphasia: slow, effortful, telographic speech with good comprehension
What is horner syndrome?
knock out of sympathetic innervation of the face: ptosis (drooping eyelid), miosis (pupil constriction), and anhidrosis (no sweating). You might see homer syndrome as a late manifestation of syringomyelia if the lesion grows to affect the hypothalamic fibers in the lateral column of the spinal cord. (syringomyelia is more commonly associated with chiari than horner syndrome)
what is tabes dorsalis? Presentation?
degeneration of the dorsal column and dorsal roots of the spinal cord due to tertiary syphilis.
Presentation: paresthesias, impaired proprioception, and vibration sense, and ataxia. They have a “high step” stride because they can’t tell where the ground is.
wernicke encephalopathy- who is it seen in? how does it present?
who: alcoholics with Vit. B1 (thiamine) deficiency
presentation: ophthalmoplegia, confusion and ataxia.
68 yo man with progressive difficulty walking and headaches over the past month. 2 pack/day cigs for 30 yrs, no etoh, but now walks as if he was drunk, staggering/loses balance. wide based, unsteady gait, falls to the right. no abnormalities on finger to nose exam, or heel to shin, and rapidly altering movements are normal. Where is the lesion?
cerebellum- planning and fine tuning of movements/balance
a wide-based “drunken sailor” gait (called truncal ataxia)- implies a lesion of the vermis (middle part of the cerebellum).
headache- suggests lesion is intracranial
HO smoking: differential of lung cancer metastatic to the cerebellar vermis
16 yo boy, multiple episodes sudden onset fainting. no abnormal movements or loss of bowel func. physical exam is normal. ECG is normal. EEG shows abnormal spiking. What type of seizure is he having?
atonic or “drop” seizure most closely resembles fainting. The patient suddenly loses muscle tone and falls to the floor.
which seizure most closely resembles fainting?
an atonic seizure- The patient suddenly loses muscle tone and falls to the floor.
an atonic seizure is characterized as…
drop” seizure most closely resembles fainting. The patient suddenly loses muscle tone and falls to the floor.
absence seizures (aka petit mal seizures) are characterized by
blank stares and absence of any position change. They are more commonly seen in childhood
myoclonic seizures- characterized by
quick, repetetive jerks
tonic seizures- characterized by
stiffening of the muscles
tonic-clonic seizures (aka grand mal seizures)
tonic contractions of muscles throughout the body, followed by intermittent relaxation of muscle groups (clonic phase)
20 yo with HO depression and binging/purging for 5 mo. Txt with antidepressant —> dose is gradually increased —> pt develops seizures. Which antidepressant used?
bupropion: NE and dopamine reuptake inhib antidepressant indicated for the txt of major depressive disorder and smoking cessation. BUPROPRION IS CONTRAINDICATED FOR PEOPLE WITH EATING DISORDERS BC INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF SEIZURES SECONDARY TO METABOLIC DISTURBANCES.
busiprone
antianxiety agent mostly used in conjunction with antidepressants for txt of comorbid depression and anxiety. not used for bulimia. relatively well tolerated, with mild cns and gi side effects