Corticobasilar ganglionic degeneration
Parkinsonism, apraxia (alien hand syndrome)
Progressive subcortical gliosis
Personality changes, inappropriate behavior
Progressive supranuclear palsy
Parkinsonism, opthalmoplegia, psychomotor slowing
Cerebellar degeneration
Family history (AD), ataxia, psychomotor slowing, emotional lability
Olivopontocerebellar atrophy
Family history (AD or AR), ataxia, eye-movement disorders, executive dysfunction
Motor Neuron Disease
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) [NEJM]
Affects motor neurons of cortex, brainstem, spinal cord
Presentation: asymmetrical, slowly progressive / may present with fasciculations
Upper motor neuron: spasticity, increased DTR’s, (+) Babinski
Lower motor neuron: fasciculations, loss of DTR’s, flaccid paralysis, muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, (-) Babinski
Diagnosis: combination of U and L motor neuron findings in 3 or more extremities (after
ruling out other considerations)
EMG would show widespread denervation, fibrillation potentials with preserved nerve conduction velocity, normal sensory
Ddx: spondylotic cervical myopathy, syringomyelia, neoplasms, demyelinating diseases, benign fasciculations, polio, hypothyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, dysproteinemia, lymphoma, heavy metal poisoning, post-radiation effects, Guillain-Barré syndrome
Course: almost always progresses to respiratory failure/death
Sporadic
60s, more males, 2-7 yr course / variants include progressive muscular atrophy, progressive bulbar palsy, primary lateral sclerosis
Familial
10% of cases / eosinophilic inclusions in anterior horn cells / degeneration of posterior columns / onset in lower limbs with SOD-1 mutations
Treatment: primarily supportive
Riluzole interferes with glutamate release (100 mg qd shown to prolongs life-expectancy 20%; even more in patients with bulbar onset)
IGF-1 – studies mixed (may not be approved?)
Zonaflex relaxes muscles (increases speed, decreases pain)
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)
Degeneration of anterior horn cells of spinal cord
MRI may show severe atrophy of entire muscles / may have intermediate form with preservation of adductor longus or mild form with fatty infiltration and increased intermuscular fat planes
MRI of lower extremities for adjuvant in diagnosis and follow-up assessment
Werdnig-Hoffman disease (infantile spinal muscular atrophy)
progressive degeneration of anterior horn cells / pathognomic groups of large type I fibers
floppy baby, frog position, hypotonia, weakness, decreased DTR’s, tongue fasciculations / fatal < 2 yrs (recurrent respiratory infections)
Kugelberg-Welander syndrome
proximal muscle weakness after initial normal development / slow or no progression over years
Other Motor Disease
Tourette’s (see psyc)
onset < 15 yrs / 1st clonazepam/clonidine, 2nd haloperidol, 3rd pimozide
Benign Essential Tremor
Intention tremor, may have cogwheel-like rigidity / may have finger to nose but without other cerebellar abnormalities / thought to be overactivity of sympathetics
Treatment: B-blockers (propranolol) 1st line or ?mysoline, Klonopin, or Neurontin
Causes: idiopathic or anemia or renal insufficiency
Exam: normal reflexes, motor / possible mild sensory loss
Treatment: DA agonists (pramipexole, pergolide, ropinirole) act directly / BZ or opioids provide indirect relief
Idiopathic Dystonia
Writer’s cramp
Stiff Person Syndrome or Stiff Man Syndrome
rare CNS, systemic disorder / rigidity of truncal and proximal limb muscles with intermittent superimposed spasms / anti-GAD65 or glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (same antibodies found in type I DM, associated with autoimmune syndromes) / Ab are produced intrathecally resulting in low GABA levels / sometimes alleviated by high doses of diazepam (some try plasma exchange and IVIG)
Primary demyelinating diseases
acute perivascular myelinoclasis
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM)
children / 3-21 days after infection or immunization / 15% mortality
cellular immunity (NO Ab’s in CSF)
Acute necrotizing hemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy (AHEM) (Weston-Hurst)
hyperacute / rapidly fatal / Abs’? / resembles EAE animal model
Guillain-Barré syndrome
acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy following Campylobacter jejuni (20-40%), respiratory infection, vaccination
Presentation: distal then proximal (ascending paralysis) / paresis, paralysis, dysesthesia (50% facial diplegia, autonomic nerve abnormalities, CNS abnormalities) / may have chronic form
Ddx: myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, CIDP, ALS, polio, porphyria, heavy metals, botulism, transverse myelitis, diptheric neuropathy, tick paralysis, lyme disease, HIV, meningitis
Diagnosis: EMG shows diffuse demyelination (nonuniform slowing and conduction block) / CSF protein > 55 with little or no WBC / antibodies in CSF (anti-ganglioside Ab’s up to 50%) / EAN / MRI with normal or subtle enhancement of nerve roots
Treatment:
always admit to ICU and intubate for FVC < 15-20 ml/kg or MIP < 30 cmH2O or MEP < 40 cmH2O (30% require intubation)
plasma exchange 200-250 mL plasma/kg body weight over 7 days
IVIG 0.4 g/kg body weight daily for 5 days
steroids have NOT been shown to be of benefit
DVT prophylaxis and intense PT
Course: 5% mortality
Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Epidemiology: 20s and 30s / female:male 2:1 / 1 in 2000 / 2nd most common non-traumatic disabling neurological disease of young adults / associated with temperate climates
Genetics: HLA DR2, B3, B7 (viral trigger?) / general population 0.1%, parent, uncle, aunt 5% / sibling 2%
Mechanism: T-cells attacking white matter
Pathology: irregular, patchy distribution / chronic, active plaques vs. shadow plaques (relapse, remit) / lesions occur in brain and spinal cord
Presentation: limb weakness, paresthesias, optic neuritis, diplopia, urinary retention, vertigo / symptoms can be transient (days) or chronic / other findings include spasticity, incoordination, partial or complete paralysis / chronic cognitive dysfunction may occur / may present as isolated optic neuritis, transverse myelitis, brain stem–cerebellar syndrome
Diagnosis: 4% with both negative CSF and MRI / LP only needed in some cases (can make diagnosis based on clinical and MRI)
CSF – abnormal > 80% / mild lymphocytosis ( > 5 and usu. < 20) / mild protein elevation < 100 / IgG and oligoclonal bands > 90% (during flares) / can measure MBP to follow disease activity
MRI – abnormal > 80% / T2 hyperintense lesions in white matter, T1 contrast reveals active lesions / should find some periventricular lesions [pic] (usu. enhancing, older lesions may appear as “black holes”)
EEG: evoked potentials (not really necessary) – abnormal (60-80%), may help find other areas of involvement
Ddx [table]: B12 deficiency, neoplastic, paraneoplastic, infectious, autoimmune vasculitis, monophasic demyelinating syndrome (which then does not progress to MS), stiff person syndrome
Treatment: current strategy is to treat earlier and aggressively
High-dose steroids – used for acute attacks / 1 g day for 5 days (less effective later on in course) then slow taper over 2-3 weeks
IFNß – reduces time between attacks (30%) / can exacerbate symptoms transiently
IFNß-1b (Betaseron)
IFNß-1a (Avonex, Rebif) given once a week
Glatiramer (Copaxone) – daily SC injection / synthetic amino acid combination
Treat complications:
Baclofen to reduce spasticity
Anti-cholinergics for bladder storage problems
Bethanechol for bladder emptying problems
TCA’s or tegretol for dysesthesias ( ~peripheral neuropathy-like issues)
Course: 30% benign / 50% progress within 10 yrs / 40% classical relapsing-remitting / 30% chronic progressive with superimposed attacks / pregnancy often helps, but 6-9 months post-partum increased risk
poor prognostic indicators: > 2 exacerbations/yr, motor/cerebellar involvement, older age at onset (> 40), residual motor/cerebellar deficits 6 months s/p attack, moderate disability by 5 yrs
good prognostic indicators: initial attack is optic neuritis or pure sensory
Primary Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue
self-management strategies - managing time differently, adjusting activities, naps, minimize heat (cool beverages, cool showers), exercise program
1st amantadine 100 mg bid (morning and noon) – mechanism unclear
2nd pemoline – may cause irritability, anxiety and need LFT’s checked q 2 wks
3rd methylphenidate and dextroamphetamine – potential for abuse
SSRI have been used successfully (even without any underlying mood disorders)
Non-classic Multiple Sclerosis
Acute (Marburg)
rapid course less than 10 months / no evidence of antecedent infection
Neuromyelitis optica (Devic)
under 10 or over 60 / blindness and paraplegia / more common in Japan
Diffuse cerebral sclerosis (Schilder’s disease)
sporadic, diffuse / variant of MS occurring in children
Concentric sclerosis (Balo)
very rare, occurs in children / death in 3-5 yrs
Demyelinating disorders associated with systemic disease
central pontine myelinosis
Marchiafava-Bignami - cheap red wine
PML from JC virus
Note: blood-nerve-barrier is less effective in dorsal roots and dorsal and autonomic ganglia
Peripheral Neuropathies
motor and sensory (CMT), sensory and ANS, tomaculous, giant axonal, amyloid neuropathy
DM, paraneoplastic, systemic inflammatory, drug-induced, infection, carpal tunnel
Predominantly sensory multiple mononeuropathy: sarcoidosis, malignancy, retroviruses, leprosy, hepatitis, lyme, CIDP
Work-up
Basic: CXR, TSH, FBS/A1C, Other
HIV, Hep Panel, VDRL
ANA, Ro, La
SPEP, cryoglobulins
Anti-MAG CIDP (can show up in CSF)
Anti-Hu 80% sensitivity with paraneoplastic neuropathies
Anti-GD1b/Anti-GQ1b
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