spinal cord

Question 1

3 factors affecting severity of spinal lesion

Answer 1

loss of neural tissue, vertical level, transverse plane

Question 2

how does loss of neural tissue affect severity of spinal lesion

Answer 2

if due to trauma, usually small; can be more extensive if metastases or degenerative tissue, depending on amount of tissue lost

Question 3

how does vertical level affect severity of spinal lesion and sources of potential treatment

Answer 3

higher the lesion, greater the disability (affects residual function; closer to the head more regions affected); either repair or bypass

Question 4

how does transverse plane affect severity of spinal lesion

Answer 4

most lesions are not complete so affect different tracts e.g. injury to front of spinal cord (motor deficit) vs back (sensory deficit); lesion to left affect different side of body vs right

Question 5

main tracts involved in spinal lesions

Answer 5

lateral corticospinal (major movement pathway), spinothalamic (loss of feeling pain and temperature), dorsal columns (loss of sensations)

Question 6

stage 1 of injury to lateral corticospinal tract

Answer 6

spinal shock: loss of reflex activity below lesion, lasting for days/weeks (flaccid paralysis)

Question 7

stage 2 of injury to lateral corticospinal tract

Answer 7

return of reflexes: hyperreflexia and/or spasticity (rigid paralysis - more excitable neurones so reflexes are very intense and remain longer)

Question 8

Brown-Sequard syndrome

Answer 8

unilateral lesions so relationship of deficit to lesion depends on where tract decussates: injury to an entire hemisphere of spinal vertebrae including all tracts in section

Question 9

define ipsilateral

Answer 9

innovation on same side

Question 10

define contralateral

Answer 10

innovation on opposite side