Saturday, May 13, 2017

Authors' diary: Cerebellar tumor location and associated symptoms

Hello!

In 2013, I wrote this anatomy mnemonic on parts of the cerebellum and their functions.

I was tested this fact in a question today and I got it right. Yaay! :D

The question asked about a tumor, expected to know the most common location of the tumor and then expected you to know the symptoms caused due to it's location. Ooooh!

Anyway, lemme summarize what you should know:

Medulloblastomas usually occur in the vermis and spare the cerebellar hemispheres - They are more likely to cause truncal ataxia.

Pilocytic astrocytomas occur in the cerebellar hemispheres - They are more likely to cause intention tremors.

Added by VM:
An ependymoma can also cause truncal ataxia just like medulloblastoma. Ependymoma can be differentiated by it's location, again. Being more common on the floor of fourth ventricle, it will irritate area postrema and cause vomiting. It can also cause CN 7, CN 10 and CN 12 palsies. 

It's funny how in your preclinical years, all you ask is, "WHY DO I HAVE TO LEARN THIS?" 
And in your clinical years, you are always like - I wish I took my first and second year seriously! :P

-IkaN

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