Neuro Pathologies

Question 1

What are signs of neurological injury or illness?

Answer 1

• Weakness
• Sensory loss/changes
• Reduced co-ordination
• Reduced proprioception
• Altered balance
• Visual field loss
• Hearing impairment
• Altered speech
• Unable to swallow

Question 2

What are symptoms of neurological injury or illness?

Answer 2

• Double vision
• Hearing loss
• Pins and needles
• Numbness
• Pain (but not always!)
• Weakness
• Memory problems
• Odd behaviour
• Mood changes

Question 3

What are some examples of Peripheral nerve disorders?

Answer 3

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Sciatica
• Trauma
• Erb’s palsy
• Neuropathy
• Guillian Barre Syndrome
• MND

Question 4

What are some examples of Central nervous disorders?

Answer 4

• Stroke
• Head injury
• Meningitis
• Cerebral palsy
• MND

Question 5

What are some examples of neurodegenerative disease?

Answer 5

• Parkinson’s
• Huntington’s
• Alzheimer’s
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Prion disease
• Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)
• Spino-Cerebellar Ataxia (SCA)

Question 6

What are some examples of neuropsychiatry disorders?

Answer 6

• Seizures
• Anxiety
• Neurocognitive impairment
• Neuropathic Pain (migrane)
• Mania
• Physical Disability
• Addiction
• Epilepsy
• Mood disorder (aggression and violence)

Question 7

Which neurological conditions can affect vision?

Answer 7

• Stroke
• MS
• PD
• Brain tumours

Question 8

Which neurological conditions can affect balance & equilibrium?

Answer 8

• Vestibular neuritis
• Cerebellar stroke (Ataxia)
• PD
• MS
• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

Question 9

Which neurological conditions can affect hearing?

Answer 9

• Stroke
• MS

Question 10

Which neurological conditions can affect smell?

Answer 10

• PD (early sign)
• Alzheimer’s
• Head trauma
• Frontal lobe tumours

Question 11

Which neurological conditions can affect taste?

Answer 11

• Bell palsy
• Stroke
• PD
• MS
• Head trauma

Question 12

What is Neuropraxia?

Answer 12

Local myelin damage with the nerve still intact

Question 13

What is Axonotmesis?

Answer 13

• Continuity of axons is lost.
• Endoneurium, perineurium, and epineurium can remain intact.
• Loss of continuity of axons with Wallerian degeneration due to disruption of axoplasmic flow.

Question 14

What is Neurotmesis?

Answer 14

Complete physiological disruption of entire nerve trunk.

Question 15

Hemianopia

Answer 15

Loss of half the visual field

Question 16

What are (3) possible causes of injury to the nervous system?

Answer 16

• Direct injury to neuron(s)
• Disruption to neural function due to indirect effects of injury (decreased blood flow, oedema, cerebral metabolism, CSF)
• Synaptic loss from damaged neuron cascades that cause degeneration of neighbouring neurons (leading to further damage)

Question 17

Describe Wallerian Degeneration (PNS).

Answer 17

• Trophic degenerationof the neuron at site of lesion and travels distally from cell body
• Swelling andgranulation
• Lasts for3-4 days
• Myelindegenerates too
• Growth factorspromote thegrowth of axonal buds
• Regenerationbegins to occur at7 days
• Growth occurs at1-4mm a day
• Processoccurs alongsiderestoration of the Schwanncells

Question 18

Describe the affect of Diaschisis & Oedema on the nervous system.

Answer 18

• Temporary disruption of neural function (due to shock of injury or disease)
• This can occur locally to the injury or at some distance (due to altered metabolism and reduction of blood flow)
• Oedema is common around the brain following injury
• Can be local or remote
• Can be significant enough to block neural conduction
• Some function is restored when diaschisis and oedema settle