Spinal Cord

Question 1

Define Parasthesia

Answer 1

An abnormal sensation; can include burning, pricking, tickling, or tingling. Sometimes characterized as “pins and needles.”

Question 2

Define Dysesthesia

Answer 2

Impairment of sensation short of anesthesia

Question 3

Define Paresis

Answer 3

Muscular weakness caused by nerve damage or disease

Question 4

Define Dermatome

Answer 4

Cutaneous area served by an individual sensory root

Question 5

Define Myotome

Answer 5

Muscles innervated by an individual motor root

Question 6

Define Radiculopathy

Answer 6

Sensory and/or motor dysfunction due to injury to a nerve root

Question 7

Define Myelopathy

Answer 7

Disorder resulting in spinal cord dysfunction

Question 8

How many pairs of nerve roots do we have - and how many at each level of the spine?

Answer 8

31 pairs. 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal

Question 9

Root C5 lies between which two vertebral segments?

Answer 9

C4 and C5

Question 10

Root T2 lies between which two vertebral segments?

Answer 10

T2 and T3

Question 11

What is Lhermitte’s symptom?

Answer 11

Shooting “lightning bolt” pain down spine with flexion of neck - suggests a cervical myelopathy

Question 12

Is “spinal shock” an immediate neurologic sign of upper or lower motor neuron syndrome?

Answer 12

UMN

Question 13

Are fasciculations a neurologic sign of upper or lower motor neuron syndrome?

Answer 13

LMN

Question 14

Is spastic paresis a neurologic sign of upper or lower motor neuron syndrome?

Answer 14

UMN

Question 15

Is flacid paresis a neurologic sign of upper or lower motor neuron syndrome?

Answer 15

LMN

Question 16

Is atrophy a neurologic sign of upper or lower motor neuron syndrome?

Answer 16

LMN

Question 17

What is the motor territory, sensory territory, and reflex of nerve root C5?

Answer 17

Motor: deltoid, infraspinatus, biceps
Sensory: shoulder, upper lateral arm
Reflex: biceps

Question 18

What is the motor territory, sensory territory, and reflex of nerve root C6?

Answer 18

Motor: wrist extensors, biceps
Sensory: 1st and 2nd digits of hand
Reflex: biceps, brachioradialis

Question 19

What is the motor territory, sensory territory, and reflex of nerve root C7?

Answer 19

Motor: triceps
Sensory: 3rd digit
Reflex: triceps

Question 20

What is the motor territory, sensory territory, and reflex of nerve root L4?

Answer 20

Motor: psoas, quadriceps
Sensory: knee, medial leg
Reflex: patellar

Question 21

What is the motor territory, sensory territory, and reflex of nerve root L5?

Answer 21

Motor: foot dorsiflexion, big toe extension foot eversion/inversion
Sensory: dorsum of food, great toe
Reflex: none

Question 22

What is the motor territory, sensory territory, and reflex of nerve root S1?

Answer 22

Motor: foot plantar flexion
Sensory: lateral foot, small toe, sole of foot
Reflex: achilles

Question 23

Which dermatome typically covers the nipple line?

Answer 23

T4

Question 24

Which dermatome typically covers the xyphoid process?

Answer 24

T6

Question 25

Which dermatome typically covers the umbilicus?

Answer 25

T10

Question 26

Is Babinski's sign a neurologic sign of upper or lower motor neuron syndrome?

Answer 26

UMN

Question 27

Is late pain in thighs and buttocks a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 27

Conus medullaris

Question 28

Is patchy, asymmetric "saddle" a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 28

Cauda equina

Question 29

Is early bladder dysfunction a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 29

Conus medullaris

Question 30

Is late bladder dysfunction a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 30

Cauda equina

Question 31

Is late bowel and sexual dysfunction a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 31

Cauda equina

Question 32

Is symmetric "saddle" anesthesia a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 32

Conus medullaris

Question 33

Is pelvic floor muscle weakness a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 33

Conus medullaris

Question 34

Is early root pain radiating to legs a symptom of conus medullaris or cauda equina syndrome?

Answer 34

Cauda equina

Question 35

Which nerves send sympathetic input to urinary sphincters?

Answer 35

Hypogastric nerves

Question 36

Which nerves send parasympathetic input to the detrusor muscle?

Answer 36

Pelvic nerves

Question 37

Which nerves send somatic input to the external urethral sphincter and pelvic floor muscles?

Answer 37

Pudendal nerves

Question 38

The hypogastric nerves arise from which spinal cord segments?

Answer 38

T10-L2

Question 39

The pelvic nerves arise from which spinal cord segments?

Answer 39

S2-S4

Question 40

The pudendal nerves arise from which spinal cord segments?

Answer 40

S2-S4

Question 41

Frontal lobe lesions cause what urinary problem?

Answer 41

Urinary urgency

Question 42

Spinal cord lesions above S2-S4 cause what urinary problem?

Answer 42

Spastic bladder (think UMN)

Question 43

Spinal cord lesions of S2-S4 or injury to peripheral nerves innervating bladder cause what urinary problem?

Answer 43

Flaccid bladder (think LMN)