Neuropathology Flashcards
Acute Neuronal Injury (red neuron)
Acute CNS hypoxia or ischemia or acute insults reflect cell death, necrosis or apoptosis
- shrink cell body, pyknosis of nucleus, disappearances of nucleolus, loss of Nissl, eosinophilia of cytoplasm
Subacute and chronic neuronal injury
Cell loss with reactive gliosis
Axonal reaction
Increased protein synthesis associated with axonal sprouting
- enlargement and rounding of cell body, peripheral placement of nucleus, nucleolus enlargement, dispersion of Nissl
Rosenthal fibers
Thick, elongated, brightly eosinophilic, irregular structures in astrocytes
- found in gliosis and glial tumor –> pilocytic astrocytoma
Corpora amylacea
Basophilic, PAS lamellated structures with astrocytic end processes in subpial and perivascular zones
- degenerative change in astrocyte
Alzheimer Type II astrocytes
gray matter cell with large nucleus, pale chromatin, intranuclear glycogen droplet, nuclear membrane and nucleolus
- hyperammonemia from chronic liver disease, wilson disease, metabolic disorders hereditary of urea cycle
Ependymal granulations
Inflammation or dilation of ventricular system leads to small irregularities in ventricular surfaces
- ex: CMV
Microglial response to injury
Steps:
- proliferative
- develop elongated rod cells
- form aggregates about small foci of tissue necrosis (microglial nodules)
- congregating around cell bodies of dying neurons (neuronophagia)
Vasogenic edema
blood brain barrier disruption with increased vascular permeability
- fluid to shift from intravascular to intercellular spaces of brain
Cytotoxic edema
increase in intracellular fluid secondary to neuronal, glial, endothelial cell membrane injury
Interstitial edema
increase in intravascular pressure causing abnormal flow of fluid from intraventircular CSF
Noncommunicating hydrocephalus
portion of ventricular system enlarged from excess CSF i.e. mass in third ventricle
Communicating hydrocephalus
Enlargement of entire ventricular system
Hydrocephalus ex vacuo
Dilation of ventricular system with compensatory increase in CSF volume secondary to loss of brain parenchyma
Hydrocephalus in infants and children
enlargement of head and increased head circumference
Subfalcine herniation
unilateral or asymmetric expansion of cerebral hemisphere displaces cingulate gyrus under falx cerebri –> can compress ACA
.Transtentorial herniation
Medial aspect of temporal lobe compressed against tentorium –> can compromise cranial nerve three or PCA
Tonsillar herniation
Displacement of cerebellar tonsils through foramen magnum –> brainstem compression and compromises viral respiratory and cardiac centers in medulla oblongata
Spina Bifida Occulta
Failure of closure or reopening of caudal neural tube –> asymptomatic bony defect
Meningocele
Extension of meningeal extrusion
Myelomeningocele
Extension of CNS tissue through a defect in vertebral column in lumbosacral region
- motor and sensory disturbances of bowel and bladder control
Encephalocele
Diverticulum of malformed CNS tissue through a defect in cranium –> occipital region or posterior fossa
Anencephaly
Malformation of anterior end of neural tube with absence of brain and calvarium
Lissencephaly
Absence of gyri, leads to a smooth surfaced brain