Spinal Cord Tracts and Injuries/Syndromes

Question 1

Dorsal Column
(Posterior Column - Medial Lemniscus)

Answer 1

vibration
proprioception
fine touch (ipsilateral) - 2 point discrimination

Fasciculus cuneatus - trunk, neck, and UE
Fasciculus gracilis - trunk and LE

Question 2

Posterior Spinocerebellar

Answer 2

lower extremity proprioception

ipsilateral subconscious proprioception, tension in muscles, joint sense, and posture of trunk and LEs

Question 3

Cuneocerebellar

Answer 3

upper extremity proprioception

ipsilateral subconscious proprioception of the neck and UEs

Question 4

Anterior Spinocerebellar

Answer 4

unconscious coordination of activities

Question 5

Anterolateral spinothalamic tract

Answer 5

pain
temperature
crude touch from contralateral side of body
(ascends 2 levels as it decussates)

Question 6

Spinothalamic

Answer 6

awareness and localization of pain

Question 7

Spinoreticular

Answer 7

influences level of attention to pain
influences levels of consciousness

Question 8

Spinomesencephalic

Answer 8

modulates pain

Question 9

Corticospinal

Answer 9

fine movement of distal muscles

Giles Book:
Anterior - ipsilateral voluntary, discrete, and skilled movement
Lateral - contralateral voluntary fine movement

Question 10

Reticulospinal tract

Answer 10

facilitation or inhibition of voluntary and reflex activity (through alpha and gamma motor neurons)

Question 11

Rubrospinal tract

Answer 11

motor input of gross postural tone, facilitating activity of flexor muscles, and inhibiting the extensor muscles

Question 12

Tectospinal

Answer 12

contralateral postural muscle tone associated with auditory/visual stimuli

Question 13

Vestibulospinal

Answer 13

ipsilateral gross postural adjustments subsequent to head movements,
facilitates activity of extensor muscles and inhibits flexors m.

Question 14

Damage to the extrapyramidal tracts can result in…

Answer 14

Damage can cause:
significant paralysis, hypertonicity, exaggerated DTR, and clasp-knife reactions

these include reticulospinal, rubrospinal, tectospinal, vestibulospinal

Question 15

Damage to the corticopsinal (pyramidal) tracts results in…

Answer 15

Positive Babinski signs
Absent superficial abdominal reflexes and Cremasteric reflex,
Loss of fine motor or skilled voluntary movement

Question 16

Brown-Sequard Syndrome

Answer 16

loss of 1/2 of cord
ipsilateral loss of proprioception, vibration, and fine touch (dorsal column)
contralateral loss of pain, temperature, and crude touch (spinothalamic)
ipsilateral initial decrease in reflexes the increase (corticospinal)

Question 17

Anterior Cord Syndrome

Answer 17

loss of motor function
loss of pain and temperature below level of lesion

worst prognosis due to anterior spinal artery (supplies the anterior 2/3 of the SC)
Occurs from cervical flexion

Question 18

Central Cord Syndrome

Answer 18

impacts UEs > LEs

Occurs from hyperextension injuries to the cervical region.

Question 19

Posterior Cord Syndrome

Answer 19

bilateral loss of vibration, proprioception, and fine touch below level of lesion

Question 20

Posterior Cord Syndrome

Answer 20

bilateral loss of vibration, proprioception, crude touch below level of lesion

Rare

Question 21

Which reflex acts to keep the eyes in the horizontal plane despite the patient’s altered posture?

Answer 21

• Optical righting reflex acts to keep the eyes in a horizontal plane through alterations in cervical spine positioning.
• Activates the muscles of the posterior neck to prevent the head from falling forward as the shoulders become more rounded.

Question 22

What is the vestibuloocular reflex?

Answer 22

coordinates head and eye movement to support gaze stabilization.

Question 23

What coordinates head and eye movement for gaze stabilization?

Answer 23

vestibuloocular reflex

Question 24

What stabilizes the body and controls movements while the head is moving?

Answer 24

Vestibulospinal reflex