Cerebral inflammation

Question 1

What is meningitis?

Answer 1

inflammation of the meninges caused by viral or bacterial infection

Question 2

What is encephalitis?

Answer 2

inflammation of the brain caused by infection or autoimmune mechanisms

Question 3

What is cerebral vasculitis?

Answer 3

inflammation of blood vessel walls (angiitis)

Question 4

What prevents passive movement of fluids through the capillaries of the brain?

Answer 4

blood brain barrier- extensive tight junctions at endothelial cell-cell contacts
also basal lamina

Question 5

How do substances cross the blood brain barrier?

Answer 5

through specific membrane transporters

Question 6

What are the symptoms of encephalitis?

Answer 6

• initially flu-like w/ pyrexia and headache
• confusion/disorientation
• seizures
• changes in personality
• difficulty speaking
• weakness or loss of movement
• loss of consciousness

Question 7

What are the causes of encephalitis?

Answer 7

mostly due to viral infection
- herpes simplex
- measles
- varicella (chickenpox)
- rubella
other causes
- mosquito, tick or other bites
- bacterial and fungal infections
- trauma (due to disruption of barrier)
- autoimmune
--> treat initial cause

Question 8

What is multiple sclerosis?

Answer 8

• autoimmune demyelinating disease of CNS
• relapsing-remitting–> 2y progression to neurodegeneration due to axonal loss
• inflammation (immune cell infiltration- perivascular cuffing), demyelination, axonal loss, neurodegeneration

Question 9

What causes meningitis?

Answer 9

• meningococcal- most common bacterial
• pneumococcal
• haemophilus influenza type b
• streptococcal- main cause in babies
• viral= less severe
• fungal