Pathology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the most important histopathological indicator of CNS injury, regardless of cause?

A

Gliosis.

Astrocytes undergo hyperplasia and hypertrophy

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2
Q

Injury to oligodendrocytes is a feature of ……….. disorders

A

demyelinating disorders

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3
Q

what would be the signs of occlusion of the antererior cerebral artery?

A

Frontal lobe dysfunction

Contralateral sensory loss in foot & leg

Paresis of arm & foot, relative sparing of thigh & face

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4
Q

What would be the signs of an occlusion of the middle cerebral artery?

A

hemiparesis

hemisensory loss

aphasia/dysphasia

apraxia

The symptoms would be worse if the dominant side was affected

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5
Q

what would be the sympoms of an occlusion in the posterior of the brain

A

Visual deffects- homonymus heminanopia

Cerebellar deffects- intention tremor, nystagmus, ataxia, pendualr reflexes

damage to brainstem

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6
Q

define strokes

A

sudden disturbance of cerebral function of vascular origin that causes death or lasts over 24 hours

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7
Q

what are the main histological features of MS?

A

Inflammation,

Demylenation,

Gliosis

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8
Q

what are the microscopic/ histological features of alzheimer’s disease

A

– intracytoplasmic neurofibrillary tangles

– Aß amyloid plaques (extracellular senile or neuritic plaques)

– amyloid angiopathy

– extensive neuronal loss with astrocytosis

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9
Q

what are the neurological features of dementia with Lewy Bodies?

A

–Degeneration of the substantia nigra (as seen in Parkinson’s disease).

–Remaining nerve cells contain abnormal structures called Lewy bodies (pathological hallmark).

–Degeneration of the cortical areas of the brain with many or all of the features seen in Alzheimer’s disease

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10
Q

what are the clinical features of Dementia with Lewy Bodies

A
  • A progressive dementia, the hallmarks of which are hallucinations and fluctuating levels of attention
  • Features overlapping with those of Alzheimer’s disease
  • Development of features of Parkinson’s disease
  • Fluctuation in severity of condition on a day-to-day basis
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11
Q

what are the triad of clinical features linked to Huntington’s?

A

emotional, cognitive and motor disturbance.

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12
Q

when does huntington’s typically occur?

A

between 35-50 but can occur anytime

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13
Q

what is the inheritence of huntington’s?

A

•Autosomal dominant inheritance pattern (huntingtin gene of chromosome 4p)

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14
Q

what is the microscopic appearance of Huntington’s?

A

loss of neurons in caudate nucleus and cerebral cortex accompanied by reactive fibrillary gliosis

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15
Q

name the three different types of herniation and their clinical signs

A
  1. Subfalcine (cingulate gyrus) herniation – unilateral or asymmetric expansion of cerebral hemisphere displaces the cingulate gyrus under the falx cerebri.

Often associated with compression of anterior cerebral artery, manefest by weakness and/or sensory loss in leg, caused by ischaemic injury of portions of the primary motor and/or sensory cortex.

  1. Tentorial – medial aspect of temporal lobe (hippocampal uncus and parahippocampal gyrus) herniates over the tentorium cerebelli.

Results in compression of ipsilateral third cranial nerve and its parasympathetic fibres, pupilary dilation and impairment of ocular movements on the side of the lesion.

  1. Tonsillar – displacement of cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum. Life-threatening as it causes brainstem compression and compromises vital respiratory centres in medulla oblongata.

Neurological features associated with progressive elevation of intracranial pressure:

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16
Q

what are the signs of raised intercranial pressure?

A

Papilloedema

Nausea and vomiting

Headache

Neck stiffness

17
Q

what are the most common malignant and benign tumours in adults and children

A
18
Q

name the four grades of astrocytoma and how they relate to prognosis

A

Grade 1 pilocytic astrocytoma 95% survival at 10 years

Grade 2 diffuse astrocytoma median survival 7-8 years (5 years to glioblastoma)

Grade 3 anaplastic astrocytoma median survival 2-3 years (2 years to glioblastoma)

Grade 4 glioblastoma (secondary) median survival 10 months

19
Q

what is the cause of an epidural haemorrhage?

How does it appear on a CT?

A

trauma to middle miningeal artery

lentil shaped

20
Q

what are the causes of subdural haemorrhage?

How do the appear on CT?

A

injury to bridging vein

Acute- trauma

Chronic- linked to atrophy

Appear crescent shaped on CT

21
Q

what are the causes of subarachnoid haemorrhages?

where do they occur most often?

A

trauma or spontaneous

spontaneous most often berry aneurysms

90% around internal carotid arteries

10% in vertebrobasilar circulation