Neurological Flashcards
What is Parasympathetic Nervous System
o rest/digest
o Helps us relax by decreasing HR
o allows us to digest food/other functions.
What is a stroke
- Damage to the brain from interruption of its blood supply
- Occurs when an artery supplying brain tissue is altered
- Lack of blood supply = neuron death.
Types of stroke
Ischemic (due to occlusion)
hemorrhagic (due to bleeding – trauma/aneurysm).
Transient ischemic attack: occlusion with no permenant damage
WHat is a Transient ischemic attack:
o When blockage only lasts a short time, will show symptoms that will resolve.
RIsk factors influencing Transient ischemic attack
o Age
o smoking/excessive alcohol
o atherosclerosis
o Obesity
o Diabetes
o Hypertension
Symptoms of transient ischemic attack
o FAST (face, arms, speech, time)
o dysarthria (disturbance in muscular control of speech)
o hemiparesis
o dysphagia (swallowing difficulty)
o ataxia (poor balance)
o aphasia (loss of language).
Diagnosis for transient ischemic attack
o Neurological exam
o swallowing assessment
o nerve function
o MRI/CT (to identify stoke/rule out bleeding)
o angiography.
Treatment for transient ischemic attack
o endarterectomy (to remove plaques)
o speech/language therapy
o Physio
o education.
Medication for transient ischemic attack and examples
o Thrombolytic therapy:
rtPA turns plasminogen into plasmin (molecule that breaks up blood clots. Given within 6 hours.
o Anticoagulation:
Prevent clot formation by inhibiting platelet aggregation or interrupting clotting cascade (Aspirin).
o Beta blockers.
What is the limbic system
group of structures linked to emotion. Such as amygdala, hippocampus, cingulate cortex, septal nuclei, mammillary body, fornix, hypothalamus.
Glasgow Coma Scale components
- eye opening (4 spontaneous, 1 no response)
- verbal response (5 orientated, 1 no response)
- motor response (6 obeys commands, 1 no response)
What is cerebral palsy
congenital disorder of movement
symptoms of cerebral palsy
o movement/walking difficulties
o speech difficulties
o learning/cognitive impairment
o hearing/vision loss
o epilepsy (co-occurring)
Treatment for cerebral palsy
o Physical therapy and rehabilitation.
What is Seizures/Epilepsy
- spontaneous, recurring and unprovoked seizures.
- Occur due to sudden burst of uncontrolled electrical or chemical activity in the brain.
Risks for having a seizures
- genetic
- damage to brain cells after head injury or illness (stroke/meningitis).
Types of seizures with description
Tonic seizure = increase muscle tone/stiffness
Atonic seizure = complete muscle relaxation
clonic seizure = muscle convulsion
Myoclonic = muscle spasm in localised area
Absence = staring appearance with no movement
Tonic-clonic = stops moving and then started convulsion + loss of consciousness
Generalizes seizure = includes most all of brain
Triggers that can cause a seizure
o forgetting medication
o stress, anxiety
o lack of sleep
o irregular meals
o BGL
o heavy alcohol/drug use
Tests for seizures
o recurring seizures
o history
o triggers
o ECG (measures activity of the brain)
o CT
o MRI.
Treatment for seizures
o anti-epilepsy drugs
o surgery,
o ketogenic diet.
What is meningitis
inflammation of meninges covering the brain and spinal cord. Can be viral/bacterial causes. Develops rapidly.
Risks for developing meningitis
o babies
o young children <5
o teenagers/young adults
o older adult
o weakened immune system
o shared accommodation.
symptoms of meningitis
o Fever
o Headache
o Sleepy
o Confusion
How to diagnose meningitis
o history/symptoms
o clinical exam
o bloods
o lumbar puncture.
