Motor neuron disease and other disease of the SPINAL CORD - DONE Flashcards
What is the length of the spinal cord?
45-47 cm in length
- starts from the foramen magnum and extends to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra(the range is T12 to L3)
Lumbar puncture
= spinal tap
- taken below L2
What is a dermatome?
a dermatome is a area of the skin that is a mainly supplied by a single spinal nerve.
Reflex arc - def:
A reflex arc is a neural pathway that controls a reflex
What are the deep tendon reflexes?
- biceps C5-C6
- triceps C6-C7
- radial C7-C8
- ulnar C7-C8
- patellar (knee jerk) L2-L4
- achilles tendon S1 (L5-S2)
What are the cutaneous reflexes?
abdominal upper Th8-Th9
- medial Th10-Th11
- lower Th11-Th12
Diseases of the spinal cord:
- traumatic spinal cord injury
- neurodegenerative disease (ALS)
- metabolic (vit. 12 deficiency)
- immune mediated (MS)
- vascular
- tremors (primary, metastatic)
- developmental
- genetic (SMA, SBMA)
High-cervical lesion:
- most severe of the spinal cord injury levels
- tetraplegia
- respiratory insufficiency (diaphragm C3-C5)
- no control of bowel or bladder movements
- require 24-hour-a-day personal care
Complete transverse transsection of the spinal cord:
- lower motor neuron paralysis in the segment of the lesion
- upper motor neuron paralysis below the level of the lesion
- all forms of the sensation abolished below
- loss of bladder and bowel movement
Hemisection of the spinal cord:
- Brown-Sequard syndrome
- Ipsilaterally:
- pyramidal effect
- posterior column signs
- contraleterally
- loss of spinotholamic function
Conus medullaris syndrome:
3 lower sacral and 1 coccygeal segment
- early disturbances of the bladder and bowel
- impotence
- hypesthesia or anesthesia over the sacral dermatome (saddle area)
- mixed upper and lower neuron syndrome
Cauda equina syndrome:
3 last lumbar, all sacral 1 coccygeal nerve root
- paralysis (peroneal distribution)
- areflexia (achilles tendon reflex)
- pain
- sphincteric disorders
- impotence
- radicular sensory loss (saddle area)
Dissociated sensory loss:
- SELECTIVE loss of pain and temperature
- WITHOUT loss of fine touch and proprioception (deep sensation)
- lesion of the lateral spinothalamic tracts, with cross central part of the cord close to the level they enter it.
Central cord syndrome:
- common causes: include post traumatic confusion and syringomyelia, and intrinsic spinal cord tumors
- impaired pain and temperature sensation, C5-C6 dermatomes bilaterally
