Spinal Cord Flashcards
What is the difference of efferent and afferent information?
Efferent = info form the brain to effector
Afferent = info from PNS to brain
Which nerves exit above the VC they are named?
C1-C7
What’s the difference between grey and white matter?
Grey matter: central, cell bodies and synapses
White matter: peripheral, myelinated ascending/ descending pathways
What type of neuron are sensory neurons?
Pseudounipolar.
What are ascending and descending tracts?
Ascending: sensory
Descending: motor
Which tract is responsible for pain and temperature?
Lateral spinothalamic tract.
How does Lateral Spinothalamic tract travel?
Sensory nerve comes in from dorsal root, decussate at level of spinal cord, travels up spinal cord, medulla, pons.
Which tract is responsible for light touch and pressure?
Anterior spinothalamic tract.
How does Anterior spinothalamic tract travel?
Enter through dorsal root, decussate, travel up to thalamus.
Which tract is responsible for discriminative touch, vibration, proprioception?
Fasciculus gracilis, fasciculus cuneatus.
How does fasciculus gracilis travel?
Up ipsilateral until lower medulla, decussates at level of brain stem.
What are the 5 types of receptors?
Photoreceptors, chemoreceptors, mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors, nociceptors.
What is the corticospinal tract?
From cerebral cortex to specific muscle.
What is the difference between lateral and anterior corticospinal tract?
Anterior travels medially, center-line, projects bilaterally, for postural and proximal muscles.
Lateral travels decussates at medulla, for limbs and muscles.
How can reflex arc be preserved during SCI?
If the arc is below the injury, there is no relay to the brain.
What is a complete SCI?
all ascending and descending pathway are interrupted, above lesion is fully functional, below lesion has complete loss of sensory, voluntary motor functions.
What is a zone of partial preservation?
When referring to complete SCI, dermatomes + myotomes lower to level that remain partially innervated.
What is an incomplete SCI?
Partial damage, some degree of movement and sensation below lesion.
What is an anterior cord syndrome?
Loss of motor function (Ipsilateral), loss of pain + temperature (Contralateral) below lesion. Preserved position and vibratory function.
What is a central cord syndrome?
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.
What is Brown-Sequard syndrome?
Caused by trauma, loss of motor, vibratory sensation (ipsilateral). Loss of pain and temperature (Contralateral). Only one side of SC.
What is Quadriplegia? Which Nerves?
Loss of function in all 4 limbs (C1-C7).
What is Paraplegia? Which Nerves?
Loss of normal function in legs, full control and feeling in arms and hands (T1-12/ L1-5)
