Hondros 176 Exam 1 Intracranial
Regulation and Cognition
How do cholinesterase inhibitors improve cortical function in dementia patients? - By making
acetylcholine more available.
Characterize psychomotor seizures (AKA partial seizure) - These can occur at any age.
Characterized by sudden change in awareness associated with complex distortion of feeling and thinking
and partially coordinated motor activity and last longer than absence seizures
Are the hormones effected by ICR? - Yes. Hormonal regulation is dependent on normal
intracranial regulation because of the location of the hypothalamus and pituitary glads within the brain.
Blood-Brain barrier - Unique capillary system which consists of a tight layer of endothelial cells.
This makes it difficult for neurotoxic substances to pass into the bruin. Can be compromised secondary
to decreased perfusion.
Causes of cerebral edema - Mass lesions- abscess, tumor, hematoma, hemorrhage
Head injuries- contusion, hemorrhage, post traumatic brain swelling
Infection- meningitis, encephalitis
Vascular insult- anoxic/ischemic episode, hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, venous sinus thrombosis
Toxic/metabolic encephalopathic conditions- lead/arsenic, hepatic encephalopathy, uremia ( high levels
of urea in the blood)
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) - Fluid produced in the ventricles of the brain that flows in the
subarachnoid space and bathes the meninges. Produced at 20 mL/hr- it is absorbed into the venous
system.f
Characteristics of Delirium - -Onset is sudden and cam last for hours or days.
-Impairment of memory, attentiveness, consciousness, and numerous errors in assessment tasks.
- Patient can have rambling and irrelevant conversations, illogical flow of ideas and is incoherent.
- Has rapid mood swings
, - Misconceptions, illusions, hallucinations and delusions.
- Has potential to be reversed.
Characterize Absence seizures. - Most common in children and decrease with age and rarely
continues beyond adolescence.
Characterized by sudden impairment in or loss of consciousness with little or no tonic clonic movement.
Occurs without warning and tends to occur a few hours after waking up or when a person is quiet.
Antiepiletics are used when dealing with ICR/IICP because? - Seizures can exacerbate or cause
increased ICP and increase oxygen demand. antiepiletics can be used prophylactic or as treatment of.
This is administered in initial treatment of TBI. (Valproic Acid)
Characterize Jacksonian-focal seizure. What are the clinical signs? - Occurs almost entirely in
patients with structural brain disease. Characteristics vary depending on site of focus and may or may
not be progressive.
-commonly begin in hand, foot, or face with numbness and tingling
- may end in tonic clonic seizure
.Characterize Tonic-Clonic seizures. - Most common. Characterized by loss of consciousness and
falling to the floor or ground if patient is upright, followed by stiffening of the body (tonic phase) for 10-
20 seconds and subsequent jerking of the extremities (clonic phase) for another 30-40 seconds.
Clinical manifestations and diagnostic tests for encephalitis - An upper respiratory tract infection
or GI infection may precede the onset of symptoms. The onset can be gradual or sudden and
manifestations may include malaise, fever, headache, dizziness, nuchal rigidity, nausea, vomiting, ataxia,
tremors, seizures and coma. Serologic tests or CSF cultures. MRI and CT can assess inflammation.
Define dementia and symptoms we would see - Dementia is a progressive (cannot be cured)
impairment of intellectual function that interferes with normal social and occupational activities.
Characterized by loss of memory and at least one disturbance of intellectual function- orientation,
attention, calculation, language, motor skills. Aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and agraphia.
Define stroke and the two major classifications. - Stroke is when there is a loss of blood flow to an
area of the brain causing neurons to die. Two major classifications of stroke are ischemic stroke and
Regulation and Cognition
How do cholinesterase inhibitors improve cortical function in dementia patients? - By making
acetylcholine more available.
Characterize psychomotor seizures (AKA partial seizure) - These can occur at any age.
Characterized by sudden change in awareness associated with complex distortion of feeling and thinking
and partially coordinated motor activity and last longer than absence seizures
Are the hormones effected by ICR? - Yes. Hormonal regulation is dependent on normal
intracranial regulation because of the location of the hypothalamus and pituitary glads within the brain.
Blood-Brain barrier - Unique capillary system which consists of a tight layer of endothelial cells.
This makes it difficult for neurotoxic substances to pass into the bruin. Can be compromised secondary
to decreased perfusion.
Causes of cerebral edema - Mass lesions- abscess, tumor, hematoma, hemorrhage
Head injuries- contusion, hemorrhage, post traumatic brain swelling
Infection- meningitis, encephalitis
Vascular insult- anoxic/ischemic episode, hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, venous sinus thrombosis
Toxic/metabolic encephalopathic conditions- lead/arsenic, hepatic encephalopathy, uremia ( high levels
of urea in the blood)
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) - Fluid produced in the ventricles of the brain that flows in the
subarachnoid space and bathes the meninges. Produced at 20 mL/hr- it is absorbed into the venous
system.f
Characteristics of Delirium - -Onset is sudden and cam last for hours or days.
-Impairment of memory, attentiveness, consciousness, and numerous errors in assessment tasks.
- Patient can have rambling and irrelevant conversations, illogical flow of ideas and is incoherent.
- Has rapid mood swings
, - Misconceptions, illusions, hallucinations and delusions.
- Has potential to be reversed.
Characterize Absence seizures. - Most common in children and decrease with age and rarely
continues beyond adolescence.
Characterized by sudden impairment in or loss of consciousness with little or no tonic clonic movement.
Occurs without warning and tends to occur a few hours after waking up or when a person is quiet.
Antiepiletics are used when dealing with ICR/IICP because? - Seizures can exacerbate or cause
increased ICP and increase oxygen demand. antiepiletics can be used prophylactic or as treatment of.
This is administered in initial treatment of TBI. (Valproic Acid)
Characterize Jacksonian-focal seizure. What are the clinical signs? - Occurs almost entirely in
patients with structural brain disease. Characteristics vary depending on site of focus and may or may
not be progressive.
-commonly begin in hand, foot, or face with numbness and tingling
- may end in tonic clonic seizure
.Characterize Tonic-Clonic seizures. - Most common. Characterized by loss of consciousness and
falling to the floor or ground if patient is upright, followed by stiffening of the body (tonic phase) for 10-
20 seconds and subsequent jerking of the extremities (clonic phase) for another 30-40 seconds.
Clinical manifestations and diagnostic tests for encephalitis - An upper respiratory tract infection
or GI infection may precede the onset of symptoms. The onset can be gradual or sudden and
manifestations may include malaise, fever, headache, dizziness, nuchal rigidity, nausea, vomiting, ataxia,
tremors, seizures and coma. Serologic tests or CSF cultures. MRI and CT can assess inflammation.
Define dementia and symptoms we would see - Dementia is a progressive (cannot be cured)
impairment of intellectual function that interferes with normal social and occupational activities.
Characterized by loss of memory and at least one disturbance of intellectual function- orientation,
attention, calculation, language, motor skills. Aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and agraphia.
Define stroke and the two major classifications. - Stroke is when there is a loss of blood flow to an
area of the brain causing neurons to die. Two major classifications of stroke are ischemic stroke and
