General Medicine Neuroconcepts Part 1

Front 1

How can you differentiate radial nerve paralysis from brachial plexus paralysis?

Back 1

Can pinch paw in autonomous zones and map out where sensory nerves are lost
-if can flex elbow musculocutaneous n is intact
-if no sensation below elbow all the way around= brachial plexus

Front 2

What does it mean if an animal is desensitized right near the scapula at C6?

Back 2

Rootlet evulsion= hopeless prognosis

Front 3

True or false. The horse does not have a radial nerve autonomus zone.

Back 3

True

Front 4

How can you tell if musculocutaneous n is intact?

Back 4

Animal can flex elbow

Front 5

A dog has a very prominent zygomatic arch and the temporalis muscle is atorphied, what's the most likely diagnosis?

Back 5

Cranial nerve V

Front 6

What nerves innervate the eye?

Back 6

CN3,4,6
-if cross eyed and then touch the eyeball and it doesn't pull back= CN 6 damaged

Front 7

What is horner's syndrome? Causes?

Back 7

Loss of sympathetic innervation to the eye
-can occur w/ brachial plexus problem, retrobulbar abscess, middle ear infection

Front 8

What are the clinical signs of Horner's syndrome?

Back 8

Eyelid up, dilated pupil, eye sits back in socket

Front 9

What is the definition of a seizure?

Back 9

An uncontrolled synchronous discharge of neurons

Front 10

What part of the brain initiates seizures?

Back 10

Prosencephalon

Front 11

What do you call seizures that have a tendency to recur?

Back 11

epilepsy
-idiopathic epilepsy if can't find lesion anywhere

Front 12

What are prodomal signs? What are the post-icteral signs of a seizure?

Back 12

Prodomal signs-means know seizure is coming
Post-icteral signs: dazed, may last up to an our

Front 13

What are 4 changes in environment that alter the seizure threshold?

Back 13

1) Structure of dendritic zones and their synapses
2) Nerve lipoprotein membrane and ionic channels
3) Electrolyte availability
-Na, Cl, Ca, K
4) Neurotransmitter concentration

Front 14

What are 3 excitatory transmitters that can affect seizure threshold? 4 Inhibitory transmitters?

Back 14

Excitatory: glutamate, aspartate, acetylcholine
Inhibitory: GABA, glycine, taurine and Nepi

Front 15

What is a focal seizure?

Back 15

Non-clinical discharge of small number of neuron
-seen on EEG w/ no spread

Front 16

What is a partial seizure? Signs?

Back 16

-Animal awake
-episodic tremors, head turning, limb flexion
-Facial muscle twitches, head & neck sporadic myoclonus

Front 17

Why do partial seizures localize laterally usually from OPPOSITE motor cortex?

Back 17

**Because motor activity crosses before getting to LMNs

Front 18

What is a complex partial seizure?

Back 18

Behavioral abnormalities present= psychomotor seizures
-full blown seizure
-behavior change= limbic system

Front 19

What are the signs of a complex partial seizure?

Back 19

-staring into space; maniacal running
-tail chasing; flank biting, fly or light biting
-abnormal aggression or rage
-brief loss of consciousness
-may go on to generalized seizure

Front 20

What is the most common form of seizures?

Back 20

Generalized= "grand mal" seizure

Front 21

What are the clinical signs of a grand mal seizure?

Back 21

-loss of consciousness
-tonic contraction of antigravity muscles w/ apnea
-jaw clinching or chewing movements
-recumbency w/ tonic/ clonic muscle activity (running movements)
-dilated +/- urinary & fecal excretions

Front 22

How long do grand-mal seizures last?

Back 22

30 s--> 3 minutes
-post-icteral depression/ blindness --> recovery 1 hr

Front 23

What are 8 extracranial cases of seizures?

Back 23

1) Hypoglycemia
-beta cell neoplasm
2) Hepatic encephalopathy
-young dugs= PSS
-any severe acquired liver dz
3) Electrolyte disorder
4) Chronic uremia
5) Hypoxia
6) Hyperlipidemia
7) Hyperthermia
8) Intestinal parasites in puppies

Front 24

What are 5 intracranial causes?

Back 24

1) Malformation
2) injury
3) Neoplasia
-most common older dogs
4) Inflammation
-granulomatous meningoencephalitis
5) Degeneration
-stroke, neonatal encephalopathy foals

Front 25

What animals have a congenital problem with hyperlipidemia?

Back 25

Schnauzers

Front 26

What are the clinical signs of a grand mal seizure?

Back 26

-loss of consciousness
-tonic contraction of antigravity muscles w/ apnea
-jaw clinching or chewing movements
-recumbency w/ tonic/ clonic muscle activity (running movements)
-dilated +/- urinary & fecal excretions

Front 27

How long do grand-mal seizures last?

Back 27

30 s--> 3 minutes
-post-icteral depression/ blindness --> recovery 1 hr

Front 28

What are 8 extracranial cases of seizures?

Back 28

1) Hypoglycemia
-beta cell neoplasm
2) Hepatic encephalopathy
-young dugs= PSS
-any severe acquired liver dz
3) Electrolyte disorder
4) Chronic uremia
5) Hypoxia
6) Hyperlipidemia
7) Hyperthermia
8) Intestinal parasites in puppies

Front 29

What are 5 intracranial causes?

Back 29

1) Malformation
2) injury
3) Neoplasia
-most common older dogs
4) Inflammation
-granulomatous meningoencephalitis
5) Degeneration
-stroke, neonatal encephalopathy foals

Front 30

What animals have a congenital problem with hyperlipidemia?

Back 30

Schnauzers

Front 31

Idiopathic epilepsy is most common in what age of dogs?

Back 31

6 mo to 6 years of age

Front 32

What is it called when idiopathic epilepsy clusters together?

Back 32

Status epilepticus
-intermittent then may increase w/ age

Front 33

How do you diagnose idiopathic epilepsy?

Back 33

Exclude other causes

Front 34

What is the genetic component of idiopathic epilepsy?

Back 34

Causes lowered seizure threshold
-autosomal recessive

Front 35

What are 5 breeds with a genetic predisposition to idiopathic epilepsy?

Back 35

1) German sheps
2) Golden retriever
3) English springer spaniel
4) Labrador retriever
5) Standard poodle

Front 36

What is the definition of syncope? What causes it?

Back 36

Sudden and transient loss of consciousness resulting in collapse, followed by spontaneous recovery
-Cause is transient cerebral deficiency of oxygen

Front 37

What are 5 differentials for syncope?

Back 37

1) Stroke- transient ischemic attacks
2) Narcolepsy
3) Myasthenia gravis
-congenital or acquired
4) Polyneuropathies
-coonhound paralysis
5) Neuromuscular disorders

Front 38

What are 3 neuromuscular disorders that can cause syncope?

Back 38

1) Botulism
2) Tick paralysis
3) HYPP
-muscle disorder in Na+ channel, too much Na results in partial depolarization

Front 39

What is the damaged in a focal neuropathy? Focal myositis?

Back 39

Neuropathy: LMN VS UMN
Myositis: masticatory muscles

Front 40

What causes a diffuse neuropathy? Diffuse myositis?

Back 40

Neuropathy: Polyneuropathy
Myositis: autoimmune

Front 41

**What is a key difference in neuropathies vs myositis?

Back 41

Myositis: increased liver enzymes

Front 42

Does a neuropathy have EMG changes? Myositis?

Back 42

Neuropathies have EMG abnormalities if been >5 days
Myositis: +/- EMG Changes

Front 43

What is a clinical sign specific to LMN lesions?

Back 43

Muscle atrophy

Front 44

What is the nerve conduction velocity of neuropathies? Myositis?

Back 44

Neuropathy: slow to absent
Myositis: normal

Front 45

Is a biopsy a good diagnostic for a neuropathy? Myositis?

Back 45

Neuropathy: can biopsy sensory nerve
Myositis: biopsy for definitive dx

Front 46

What are 3 infectious causes of myositis?

Back 46

Toxoplasma
Neospora
Leptospira

Front 47

How can you easily differentiate UMN from LMN lesion?

Back 47

reflexes:
-UMN= hyper and cross extension
-LMN= depressed to absent

Front 48

What are 5 diffuse LMNs?

Back 48

1) Coonhound paralysis
2) Botulism
3) Tick paralysis
4) Myasthenia gravis
5) Degenerative conditions

Front 49

What is it called when you see signs of seizures on an EEG but don't see any clinical signs?

Back 49

Focal seizure

Front 50

You see an awake animal start turning its head, flexing its limbs, and sporadic myoclonus in the head and neck. What type of seizure is this?

Back 50

Partial seizure