cells of the brain
neural tube is finished by day 19 -21 (FA), 28-29 days (Goljan)
- point first 2-3 weeks
CNS:
neurons - Nissl bodies in dendrites and cell bodies
-injury –> Wallerian degeneration - axon degenerates distally, retracts proximally
-regeneration occurs in PNS
- chromatolysis aka axonal reaction - reaction of neuronal cell body in response to axonal injury –> increased protein synthesis, displacement of nucleus to periphery, dispersion of Nissl bodies, round cellular swelling
Peripheral NS:
astrocytes - extracellular K+ buffer, remove excess neurotransmitter, BBB, glycogen fuel reserve, reactive gliosis
mesoderm –> microglia ~ macrophages
Schwann cells - 1 neuron, GBS
oligodendrocytes - many neurons, neuroectoderm (so fried-egg appearance on histology)
-injured in MS, PML, and the leukodystrophies
-but in MS - antibodies against myelin sheath
-in PML - oligodendrocyte is damaged
spina bifida occulta
dura is intact
associated with tuft of hair/skin dimple
holoprosencephaly
failure of hemispheres to separate
- sonic hedgehog pathway mutations, trisomy 13, and fetal alcohol syndrome
cleft lip/palate
cyclopia
posterior fossa malformations
Chiari 1 - ectopic cerebellar tonsils
Chari 2
Dandy-Walker - failure of cerebellar vermis to form –> absent cerebellum
polio
fecal-oral transmission
damages anterior motor horn (LMN damage) –> asymmetric flaccid paralysis, hyporeflexia
v.s. Werdnig-Hoffmann disease - AR, inherited degeneration of anterior motor horn –> floppy baby
ALS
UMN and LMN disorder
-LCST and anterior horn affected
Zn-Cu SOD mutations associated with familial cases
fatal, treat with riluzole (decreases glutamate excitotoxicity)
Friedreich ataxia
AR, GAA repeat in frataxin gene
staggering gait, frequent falls, kyphoscoliosis, HCM (cause of death)
meningitis bugs
neonates - GBS (can also cause sepsis in newborn, premature rupture of membranes –> chorioamnionitis –> fetal sepsis), E coli, Listeria (pregnant women should NOT eat soft cheeses, tumbling motility)
kids/teens - N. meningitidis, enters through nasopharynx
adults/elderly - S. pneumo (gram pos diplococci)
- S. pneumo - alcoholics, asplenics
non-vaccinated infants - H. flu (gram negative coccobacilli)
- vax against capsule
Coxsackie virus - most common viral cause
-photophobia esp with viral etiology
fungi in immunocompromised
-CSF - lymphocytes and low CSF glucose
S aureus following neurosurg
treat with antibiotics and steroids (prevents scar tissue formation and obstructive hydrocephalus)
- sensory deafness is a common complication of meningitis
(v.s. encephalitis - MSE changes, sleepy)
watershed areas
areas between ACA/MCA and MCA/PCA
damage occurs due to severe hypotension
upper leg/upper arm weakness and defects in higher order visual processing
global cerebral ischemia
mild - insulinoma (hypoglycemia), transient confusion with quick recovery
moderate - infarcts (shock, hypotension, anemia) in watershed areas
severe - diffuse necrosis of brain –> vegetative/death
focal ischemia
thrombotic - pale, wedge (occurs at branch points of arteries), periphery of cortex
emboli - hemorrhagic infarct, periphery of cortex, usu involves MCA
hypoxic - common during CV surgeries, affects watershed areas
lacunar - secondary to hyaline arteriolosclerosis
ischemia –> pale infarct –> liquefactive necrosis
1) 12-24 hrs - red neurons, pyknotic nuclei
2) 1d-1w - neutrophils, microglia
3) 1w-1mo - reactive gliosis + vascular proliferation
4) cyst lined by astrocytes = glial scar
ischemic stroke can cause vascular dementia - encephalomalacia
intracerebral hemorrhage
most commonly due to Charcot-Bouchard microaneurysms - complication of HTN
basal ganglia
- not visible on angiography
- hemorrhage would appear as a hyperdensity on CT
aneurysmal rupture –> blood clot
sympatholytics - methyldopa and clonidine stimulate a2 receptors
- can be use intracranial hemorrhages caused by HTN
SAH
rupture of berry/sacular aneurysm - lacks media layer at the branch point
remember - Struge-Weber has port-wine stain and AV malformation on that same side of the brain
4-10 days after hemorrhage –> vasospasm (due to blood clot breakdown or rebleed) –> ischemic infarct
-use nimodipine
epidural hematoma
talk-and-die syndrome
- uncal herniation - CN3 palsy
subdural hematoma - bridging vein rupture, waxing/waning consciousness (?)
CT to visualize blood (MRI is no good)
herniation
tonsilar herniation - compresses brainstem –> cardiopulmonary arrest
subfalcine herniation - ACA compression, infarct
uncal herniation - CN3 compression –> eyes down and out, pupils dilated (PSNS tone is lost)
-can compress PCA - infarction of occipital lobe
(-pulls paramedian artery - duret hemorrhages on brain stem) Pathoma
- (FA) compresses contralateral crus cerebri at Kernohan notch —> ipsilateral paresis
transtentorial –> caudal displacement of brain stem –> Duret hemorrhages, fatal
strokes by artery
MCA - contralateral hemiparesis and hemisensory loss of face and upper limb
ACA - contralateral hemiplegia lower limb
- bilateral ACA occlusion –> behavior symptoms, primitive reflexes, urinary incontinence
lenticulostriate artery - contralateral paralysis and sensory loss of face and body
cerebellar arteries: ipsilateral horner and decreased pain and temp from face
-decreased pain and temp from contralateral body
posterior inferior cerebellar - lateral medulla
-dysphagia, hoarseness, and decreased gag reflex
anterior inferior cerebellar - lateral pons and facial nucleus
basilar - damage to base of the pons (corticobulbar and corticospinal tracts, paramedian tegmentum)
- locked in syndrome (but also loss of horizontal eye movements)
PCA - occipital lobe, contralateral hemianopia with macular sparing
if there is no hemorrhage - pt is a candidate for tPA
leukodystrophies
lysosomal storage, etc. disorders
metachromatic leukodystrophy - arylsulfatase, myelin cant be degraded and accumulates in lysosomes
-central and peripheral demyelination
Krabbe disease - galactocerebroside acc in macrophages –> destruction of myelin sheath
-peripheral neuropathy, developmental delay, optic atrophy
adrenoleukodystrophy - impaired metabolism of FAs –> FAs acc in adrenals, white matter, and testes
MS
HLA-DR2
T cells abnormally react to myelin –> release IFNy –> call in other WBCs
optic neuritis = monocular vision loss, pain on eye movement, Marcus Gunn pupil
Lhermitte phenomen
symptoms exacerbate with increased body temp
treat
treat symptoms
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy
latent JC virus reactivation –> destruction of oligodendrocytes
rapidly progressive neuro signs –> death
osmotic demyelination
central pontine demyelination
= locked in syndrome (anything with the pons will lead to locked-in syndrome)
Picks disease
frontotemporal dementia
round aggregates intracytoplasmic inclusions of tau protein - seen on silver stain
Parkinson’s
normally: cortex –> BG –> cortex
- D1 receptors on striatum increase stimulation of cortex
- D2 receptors on striatum decrease inhibition of cortex
- Parkinsons - loss of dopamine, excess cholinergic activity
features
drugs = BALSA
- dopamine agonists - bromocriptine (ergot), *pramipexole, *ropinirole
clinical note: many neurologists use selegiline, anticholinergics, and amantadine
- levidopa/carbidopa are secondary option
VS Lewy body dementia - where dementia is early onset (dementia and hallucinations) –> then progresses to parkinsonian features
Huntington’s
gain-of-function mutation - mutated huntingtin gene –> increased histone deacetylation –> histone and DNA interact more tightly –> unable to transcribe neutrophic factors
degeneration of GABAergic neurons in CAUDATE nucleus and Ach neurons
increased dopamine in brain
tetrabenazine and reserpine - inhibit VMAT (vesicle monoamine transporter) –> decreased dopamine vesicle packaging and release
haloperidol - D2 antagonist
normal pressure hydrocephalus
wet, wacky, wobbly
due to decreased CSF resorption
- idiopathic, secondary to brain trauma or SAH