Spot Diagnosis Series 2

Mnemonic for remembering muscle bands and their components

I found it very difficult during my usmle prep to remember the components of various bands in a muscle fiber. Even after multiple reads and memorization I still could not recall it. All that changed when I came up with a simple mnemonic .

                 

                  I act at 5am hence my sleepiness

I = I band

act = actin

at = A band

5 am =  actin + myosin

hence = H zone

my sleepiness =  myosin

Autosomal dominant diseases mnemonic with a visual covering major diseases

Click on image to enlarge.

Preparing for exams involving Biochemistry and Genetics can be tough as plethora of facts needs to be committed to memory. This is especially true when you are preparing for your USMLE Step 1 exam. Hopefully, the following visual mnemonic will help ease down your memorization process for remembering major Autosomal dominant diseases.

If you commit this statement listed below in your mind with the image to help you guide through, you will never have a hard time recalling the major Autosomal dominant diseases:

Osler Family is Hyper because Mary Huntington Von Turbo Sphereing MEN Across Hill.

1. Osler-Weber-Rendu syndrome (Osler)
2. Familial hypercholesterolemia (Family Hyper)
3. Marfan's syndrome (Mary)
4. Huntington's disease (Huntington)
5. Von Recklinghausen's Disease (Von)
6. von Hippel-Lindau disease (Von)
7. Tuberous sclerosis (Turbo)
8. Hereditary spherocytosis (Sphereing)
9. Multiple endocrine neoplasias  (MEN)
10. Achondroplasia (Across)
11. Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (Hill)
12. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD)

The picture shows a young Mary Huntington sphereing a globe full of MEN across a hill and she appears to be winning or probably have just won (Von), which makes the Osler Family very mad and hyper. Also note that the whole sphereing event is hosted by the ADPKD foundation. 

By the way, sphereing or zorbing is a recreational activity/sport of rolling a transparent plastic spherical orb with passenger(s) down the hill.

I made this mnemonic myself to recall the autosomal diseases effectively and quickly. It works like a charm for me. Hope it helps you too.

Spot Diagnosis Series 1

Mnemonic for innervation of baroreceptors

Many at times students come across questions in USMLE regarding baroreceptors, their location and their innervation. At times questions focus on the loss of innervation and its resultant effects on the body and its very critical to remember which baroreceptors are innervated by which nerves.

Arterial baroreceptors are located in the aortic arch and the carotid sinuses of the right and left carotid arteries. The baroreceptors found within the aortic arch monitor the pressure of blood delivered to the systemic circuit, and the baroreceptors within the carotid arteries monitor the pressure of the blood being delivered to the brain.


The glossopharyngeal nerves transmits impulses from carotid sinuses whilst the vagus nerves transmits impulses from the aortic arch. A simple mnemonic to remember this is:

                                     

GLOSSY CAROTID VISITS AORTA IN VEGAS

Following drug is useful in the treatment of angina pectoris...

Question: Which of the following drugs is useful in the treatment of angina pectoris?
a. Digoxin
b. Quinidine
c. Quinine
d. Salbutamol
e. Propranolol

A case of 36 year old with seizures and motor deficits

Image Copyright of Radiological Society of North America

Question: A 36 year old male presented with seizures and motor deficits. MRI scan of his brain revealed a homogeneously enhancing mass in the frontal lobe. Histological examination of the mass revealed it to be a B cell lymphoma. The most useful investigation in this patient would be to test for?

a. Epstein-Barr virus
b. Cytomegalovirus
c. Herpes simplex
d. HIV
e. Respiratory syncytial virus