Spinal Cord Syndromes Flashcards
complete cord transection
What are three main features?
Compression or transverse lesion of entire spinal cord
1) dorsal column (touch, vibration, proprioception)
2) spinothalamic sensations (pain, temperature)
3) corticospinal activity (voluntary motor) below lesion
Brown-Sequard Syndrome?
What are three main features?
Compression of lesion of half of spinal cord
1) I/L: dorsal column sensations (touch, vibration, proprioception)
2) I/L: corticospinal activity–voluntary motor– (flaccid paralysis at lesion, spastic paralysis below lesion)
3) C/L: spinothalamic sensations (pain, temperature)
1) What is the cause of syringomyelia?
2) Where does it usually occur?
3) What is the main feature?
4) additional clinical feature
1) Enlargement of central canal and destruction of neural tissue = cavity in central region of spinal cord
2) Cervical spinal cord
3) B/L: Cape-like loss of pain and temperature (spinothalamic tract). damage @ anterior white commissure
4) Weakness and atrophy of hands and arms (if anterior horn is damaged)
What is central cord syndrome?
Bilateral loss of everything from below lesion (except genitals)
What is posterior cord syndrome?
Bilateral loss of touch, vibration and proprioception sensations (dorsal columns) below lesion
What is anterior cord syndrome?
Bilateral loss of voluntary motor (corticospinal) and pain and temperature sensations (spinothalamic) below lesion
1) What is the cause of Friedrich’s Ataxia?
2) What is the main effect?
3) What specific locations are affected?
4) What causes sensory ataxia?
5) What causes motor ataxia?
6) What may also be present?
7) When is the onset?
1) AR disorder on chromosome 9 causing reduction in frataxin
2) Degeneration of nervous system
3) Spinocerebellar tracts, dorsal columns, corticospinal tracts, DRG, peripheral nerves
4) Dorsal column degeneration
5) Cerebellar degeneration
6) Diabetes or heart disease
7) Age 5 to 15
What causes subacute combined degeneration?
What are two main features?
Lesions due to B12 deficiency (nutritional i.e. pernicious anemia)
1- B/L spastic paralysis - lateral corticospinal degeneration (UMN)
2- B/L loss of touch, vibration, proprioception (dorsal column degeneration)
1) What causes Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)?
2) What neurons degenerate?
3) What are the main features?
1) No known cause
2) Upper and lower motor neurons in cortex, brainstem and spinal cord
3) Weakness and atrophy of limb muscles, cramping and fasciculations, slight spasticity in limbs, general hyper-reflexia
Flaccid paralysis at level of lesion, spastic paralysis below lesion
Dysphagia, dysarthria, dyspnea
Touch, smell, taste, vision and hearing not affected
1) What does Tabes Dorsalis do?
2) What is found clinically?
3) What are some symptoms?
1) Destroys large-diameter dorsal fibers and DRGs (usually in lumbrosacral region)
2) Absent knee and ankle reflexes, decreased vibration and proprioception in legs and feet,
3) Romberg sign and tabetic gait
Lightning pains, ataxia, areflexia, hypotonia, bladder malfunction
