Spinal Cord

Question 1

What is the difference of efferent and afferent information?

Answer 1

Efferent = info form the brain to effector

Afferent = info from PNS to brain

Question 2

Which nerves exit above the VC they are named?

Answer 2

C1-C7

Question 3

What’s the difference between grey and white matter?

Answer 3

Grey matter: central, cell bodies and synapses

White matter: peripheral, myelinated ascending/ descending pathways

Question 4

What type of neuron are sensory neurons?

Answer 4

Pseudounipolar.

Question 5

What are ascending and descending tracts?

Answer 5

Ascending: sensory

Descending: motor

Question 6

Which tract is responsible for pain and temperature?

Answer 6

Lateral spinothalamic tract.

Question 7

How does Lateral Spinothalamic tract travel?

Answer 7

Sensory nerve comes in from dorsal root, decussate at level of spinal cord, travels up spinal cord, medulla, pons.

Question 8

Which tract is responsible for light touch and pressure?

Answer 8

Anterior spinothalamic tract.

Question 9

How does Anterior spinothalamic tract travel?

Answer 9

Enter through dorsal root, decussate, travel up to thalamus.

Question 10

Which tract is responsible for discriminative touch, vibration, proprioception?

Answer 10

Fasciculus gracilis, fasciculus cuneatus.

Question 11

How does fasciculus gracilis travel?

Answer 11

Up ipsilateral until lower medulla, decussates at level of brain stem.

Question 12

What are the 5 types of receptors?

Answer 12

Photoreceptors, chemoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors, nociceptors.

Question 13

What is the corticospinal tract?

Answer 13

From cerebral cortex to specific muscle.

Question 14

What is the difference between lateral and anterior corticospinal tract?

Answer 14

Anterior travels medially, center-line, projects bilaterally, for postural and proximal muscles.

Lateral travels decussates at medulla, for limbs and muscles.

Question 15

How can reflex arc be preserved during SCI?

Answer 15

If the arc is below the injury, there is no relay to the brain.

Question 16

What is a complete SCI?

Answer 16

all ascending and descending pathway are interrupted, above lesion is fully functional, below lesion has complete loss of sensory, voluntary motor functions.

Question 17

What is a zone of partial preservation?

Answer 17

When referring to complete SCI, dermatomes + myotomes lower to level that remain partially innervated.

Question 18

What is an incomplete SCI?

Answer 18

Partial damage, some degree of movement and sensation below lesion.

Question 19

What is an anterior cord syndrome?

Answer 19

Loss of motor function (Ipsilateral), loss of pain + temperature (Contralateral) below lesion. Preserved position and vibratory function.

Question 20

What is a central cord syndrome?

Answer 20

Loss of motor function in upper extremities, incomplete loss of motor function in distal extremities. More deficits in upper extremities, more severe in distal muscles.

Question 21

What is Brown-Sequard syndrome?

Answer 21

Caused by trauma, loss of motor, vibratory sensation (ipsilateral). Loss of pain and temperature (Contralateral). Only one side of SC.

Question 22

What is Quadriplegia? Which Nerves?

Answer 22

Loss of function in all 4 limbs (C1-C7).

Question 23

What is Paraplegia? Which Nerves?

Answer 23

Loss of normal function in legs, full control and feeling in arms and hands (T1-12/ L1-5)