CNS Problems: Brain

Tension headache

Gradual onset headache, light band of pressure

Migraine headaches

Headache caused by hypothalamus hyperactivity, vasodilation, serotonin/norepinephrine/glutamate issues.

Cluster headache

Headache felt around eye

Simple partial (focal) seizure

Pt aware of seizure, single hemisphere

Complex partial (focal) seizure

Seizure w/ LOC, larger area of brain involvement

Absence seizure

Seizure w/ staring/pausing/eye twitching

Myoclonic (clonic) seizure

Seizure with loss of movement, extremity jerking

Tonic clonic seizure

Seizure with stiffening(tonic), and LOC + jerking (clonic)

Tonic seizure

Seizure with LOC + jerking

Atonic seizure

Seizure with loss of muscle tone, pt drops to floor

Meningitis

Inflammation of dura, arachnoid, or pia mater of brain, spinal cord, and csf. Endocarditis travels to brain. Droplet precautions. Pt family gets ciprofloxacin.

Encephalitis

Brain tissue infection

Brudzinski’s sign

Assessment with legs up when neck tucked (meningitis)

Kernig’s sign

Assessment, patient can’t straighten legs (meningitis)

Parkinson’s

Neurodegenerative progressive disease from low dopamine and chromosome 4 abnormality

Carbadopa/levadopa

Parkinson’s tx

Alzheimer’s

Loss of acetylcholine, presence of amyloid plaques

Huntington’s

Involuntary sharp limb movements (choriform), acetylcholine and GABA deficiencies