Week 2 Flashcards
Describe the Golgi tendon reflex
Prevents tension in muscle by relaxing it and contracting complementary muscles
Active shortening in muscle/tendon => afferent sensory neuron => synapse with motor neurons which will inhibit that muscle and activate compensatory muscles
Define Hemi-cord syndrome and its clinical features
One half of the spinal cord is damaged/interrupted
Ipsilateral loss of upper motor neuron control and proprioception
Contralateral loss of pain and temperature
Define transverse cord syndrome and list its clinical features
Whole spinal cord is damaged
Deficit in motor and sensory modalities below level of lesion
Define posterior cord syndrome and its clinical symptoms
damage to the posterior column
Ipsilateral loss of proprioception below the level of the injury
Define neurulation
The process by which the ectoderm folds into the neural tube
What signalling proteins initiate neurulation?
Noggin and chordin
Name the primary vesicles does the brain form during embryological development?
Prosencephalon
Mesencephalon
Rhombencephalon
What bends form alongside the primary brain vesicles during embryological development?
Cephalic flexure
Cervical flexure
Name the secondary vesicles that the brain forms during embryological development, and what structures they are precures to
Telencephalon
- Cerebrum
Diencephalon
- Thalamus, hypothalamus
Mesencephalon
- Midbrain
Metencephalon
- Pons/cerebellum
Myelencephalon
- Medulla
Define upper motor cord lesion
Lesion above the anterior horn cell of the spinal cord (brain, medulla, spinal cord)
Define lower motor cord lesion
Lesion on peripheral efferent nerves after leaving the ventral horn
What are the signs of upper motor neuron lesion?
- Muscle weakness
- Increased tone
- Increased Reflexes
What are the signs of a lower motor neuron lesion?
- Muscle weakness and wasting
- Reduced tone
- Reduced reflexes
- Fasciculations
How do you differentiate between incomplete and complete spinal injury?
Complete spinal injury inhibits both sensory and motor function. Incomplete only affects one or the opther
What is the scoring of the AIS?
A = Complete injury
B = Sensory incomplete (no motor function)
C = Muscle incomplete (less than key muscles work)
D = Muscle incomplete
(more than half key muscles work)
E = normal
Define spinal shock and its progression
Definition = Temporary suspension of all reflexes below level of injury
Reflexes begin to return from the bottom up
Define neurogenic shock and the complications it can cause
Definition = A state of hypoperfusion (reduced blood flow) the body goes into after sudden loss of sympathetic control
- Hypotension
- Bradycardia
- Hypothermic
Define autonomic dysreflexia and the complications it can cause
Definition = An overreaction of the autonomic nervous system in response to un UMN lesion at T6 or above.
- hypertension
- Bradycardia
- seizures
How are nerve conduction studies performed?
Two stimulous (one close and one far away) activate motor neurons. They should both initiate the same muscle action potential but the further away stimulous should take slightly longer to produce an effect
What pathology will cause longer latency times in a nerve conduction study?
A demyelination pathology
What pathology will cause reduced muscle action potential in a nerve conduction study?
Axonal body pathology
