Whilst on holiday in a remote South Pacific Island a doctor comes across a village where many inhabitants display abnormal motor behaviours. Based on your understanding of the aetiology of diseases of the nervous system describe the key questions you would ask to understand the neurobiology of these behaviours. Explain why please.
Hello and welcome to Chat Doctor, In order to understand the etiology/ cause of these abnormal motor behaviors, certain questions, certain tests and investigations are needed to come close to the etiology and diagnosis. They are:1. The duration of onset of symptoms-from birth or later on in life, if later at what age the symptoms developed2. Are the motor abnormalities localized to upper limb or lower limb. Are they symmetrical or asymmetrical?3. On examination, are the limb muscles water/ flaccid?4. Is the tone of muscles maintained?5. Whether muscle twitching present or not?6. Babinski sign positive or negative? 7. Is there any association with visceral involvement- bowel involvement, bladder involvement, pharyngeal involvement (swallowing reflex).8. Is there any history of exposure to any Chat Doctor. The above-mentioned points will help to know the cause, pattern and prognosis of the disease process. Thanks and take care