The Motor System. Lesions in the Spinal Cord.

Question 1

What are the 4 functional areas of the spinal cord?

Answer 1

C1-C5.

C6-T2.

T3-L3.

L4-S2.

Question 2

What is a common cause of lesions in the spinal cord?

Answer 2

Prolapsed discs.

Question 3

What areas of the spinal cord are most likely to be affected by lesions that cause compression of the spinal cord?

Answer 3

The peripheral areas of the spinal cord.

Question 4

What material makes up the periphery of the spinal cord?

Answer 4

White matter.

Question 5

Is the white matter or grey matter of the spinal cord most likely to be compressed first?

Answer 5

The white matter as it is on the outside.

Question 6

What spinal tracts are most likely to be affected first if there is compression of the spinal cord?

Answer 6

The lateral funiculus.

The spino-cerebellar tracts.

The dorsal funiculus.

Question 7

What information is carried in the spino-cerebellar tracts?

Answer 7

Unconscious proprioception.

Question 8

What information is carried in the dorsal funiculus of the spinal cord?

Answer 8

Conscious proprioception.

Question 9

What responses are likely to be affected if a medium amount of pressure is placed on the spinal cord?

Answer 9

Voluntary motor control.

Question 10

What is a classic symptom when a medium amount of pressure is placed on the spinal cord?

Answer 10

Muscle weakness.

Question 11

Will larger or smaller nerve fibres be more likely to be damaged if pressure is placed in the spinal cord?

Answer 11

The larger the fibres the more easy they are to damage.

Question 12

How do we test superficial pain?

Answer 12

By pricking the skin.

Question 13

What are the last tracts to be affected by increasing pressure on the spinal cord?

Answer 13

The fasciculus proprius.

Question 14

Where are the fasciculus proprius tracts located in the spinal cord?

Answer 14

Right next to the grey matter.

Question 15

Are the fibres in the fasciculus proprius tracts myelinated?

Answer 15

No.

Question 16

How do we test an animals sense of deep pain?

Answer 16

By pinching etc.

Question 17

Will pinching and skin pricking tell you where the lesion is?

Answer 17

No, but they will tell you how serious it is.

Question 18

What determines the graveness of the prognosis of neurological lesions?

Answer 18

The more areas that are affected, the worse the prognosis.

Question 19

When will the dorsal and ventral horns be affected by lesions to the spinal cord?

Answer 19

If the grey matter is affected.

Question 20

From least amount of pressure to most, what senses will be affected from 1st to last?

Answer 20

1st. Proprioception.
2nd. Voluntary motor control.
3rd. Superficial pain.

4th Deep pain.

Question 21

From least amount of pressure to most, what tracts will be affected from 1st to last?

Answer 21

1st. Dorsal column and spinocerebellar tracts.
2nd. Extrapyramidal system and pyramidal system.
3rd. Spinothalamic tract.
4th. The fasciculus proprius.

Question 22

What will be affected if there is damage to the ventral horn of the spinal cord?

Answer 22

The descending/lower motor neurons.

This will affect plexus nerves in the hindlimb and forelimb.

Question 23

What is a key sign of damage to the ventral horn of the spinal cord?

Answer 23

Flaccid paralysis is the key sign as the muscles are not receiving any stimuli.

This results in quick muscle atrophy as there are no more stimuli arriving at the muscle.

Question 24

What will be affected if there is damage to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord?

Answer 24

Sensory information.