Week 4 Definitions and Tracts

Question 1

Babinski sign

Answer 1

sole of the foot is stroked, big foot goes up in extension. Normal

Question 2

Deep tendon reflex

Answer 2

contraction of muscle in response to stimulus, graded 0 to 4.

Question 3

hyporeflexia

Answer 3

diminished or absent reflexes. LMN deficit.

Question 4

hyperreflexia

Answer 4

overactive reflex. UMN deficit.

Question 5

hypertonia

Answer 5

increase in muscle tension and decrease in stretch ability, can –> rigidity or difficult to move

Question 6

hypotonia

Answer 6

low muscle tone, considered LMN deficit

Question 7

motor unit

Answer 7

motor neuron and the skeletal muscle fibers it innervates.

Question 8

dermatome

Answer 8

area of skin suppled by nerves form a SINGLE spinal root

Question 9

C5 dermatome =

Answer 9

shoulder

Question 10

T4 dermatome =

Answer 10

nipple line

Question 11

T10 dermatome =

Answer 11

umbilicus

Question 12

L1 dermatome =

Answer 12

groin

Question 13

C6 dermatome

Answer 13

thumb

Question 14

C8 dermatome

Answer 14

ring and pinkie finger

Question 15

flaccid paresis

Answer 15

extreme muscle weakness and loss of muscle tone

Question 16

hemiparesis

Answer 16

weakness of either Left or Right side of body.

Question 17

muscle tone

Answer 17

continuous and passive partial contraction of muscles during resting states, important for posture

Question 18

paralysis

Answer 18

complete or partial loss of muscle function

Question 19

paresis

Answer 19

weakness of voluntary movement, or partial paralysis

Question 20

spastic paresis

Answer 20

gradual muscle weakness with associated muscle spasms; patient will have hyperreflexia, cramps, and spasms.

Question 21

spasticitiy

Answer 21

abnormal increase in muscle tone or stiffness with a decreased ability to control movement

Question 22

internal capsule

Answer 22

connects cortex and basal ganglia and brainstem via UMN axons

Question 23

vestibular nuclei

Answer 23

4 nuclei located in the brainstem (pons + medulla) receive info from vestibular nerve

Question 24

pyramids

Answer 24

within the medulla, this is where corticospinal tracts pass before decussating

Question 25

reticular formation

Answer 25

w/in brainstem, involved in arousal, wakefulness, and consciouness

Question 26

dorsal horn of spinal cord

Answer 26

posterior horn gray matter, receives afferent sensory info, is part of spinothalamic tracts

Question 27

ventral horn of spinal cord

Answer 27

anterior horn gray matter, sends efferent motor info to skeletal muscle; part of corticospinal tracts

Question 28

dorsal root

Answer 28

posterior root of a spinal nerve that enters the dorsal horn. Contains afferent sensory nerves.

Question 29

ventral root

Answer 29

anterior root of a spinal nerve that, exits from anterior horn and contains efferent motor nerves.

Question 30

corticospinal tracts

Answer 30

motor info from cortex to spinal cord; decussate at brainstem.

Question 31

Anterior corticospinal tract

Answer 31

voluntary movement; C-spine and T-spine

Question 32

Lateral corticospinal tract

Answer 32

voluntary movement

Question 33

Corticobulbar pathway

Answer 33

connects motor info from cortex to the brainstem, synapses with motor cranial nerves. controls muscles of eye, face, jaw.

Question 34

Upper Motor Neuron lesion signs

Answer 34

HYPERreflexia, clonus, spasticity, Babinski

Question 35

Lower motor neuron lesion signs

Answer 35

HYPOreflexia, flaccid, atrophy, fasciculations and fibrillations

Question 36

upper motor neurons

Answer 36

arise from cerebral cortex, synapse at brainstem or spinal cord. Anterior gray horn of spinal corn.

Question 37

lower motor neurons

Answer 37

arise from anterior gray horn and send motor info to muscles. can begin in brainstem (CNs) or spinal cord (Spinal nerves)

Question 38

Anterior spinocerebellar tract conveys info regarding:

Answer 38

touch and proprioception.

Decussates twice, so ipsilateral.

Question 39

Posterior spinocerebellar tract

Answer 39

proprioception. Ipsilateral. No decussation.

Question 40

ALS - Anterolateral System consists of what two tracts?

Answer 40

ANTERIOR spinothalamic tract and LATERAL spinothalamic tract

Question 41

anterior spinothalamic tract conveys info regarding:

Answer 41

light touch, pressure; decussates in spinal cord.

Question 42

lateral spinothalamic tract conveys info regarding:

Answer 42

pain, temperature;

decussates in spinal cord.

Question 43

Anterolateral pathway?

Answer 43

3 neurons: sensory input –> synapse in dorsal horn, Decussate in spinal cord, synapse in thalamus, terminate in sensory cortex contralateral to original stimulus.

Question 44

DCML conveys what info?

Answer 44

vibration, 2 point discimination, and proprioception

Question 45

DCML pathway

Answer 45

enter the spinal cord posterior column of white matter, travel up the spinal cord to the medulla where the synapse and decussate, then travel up and synapse in the thalamus and travel to the sensory cortex contralateral from original stimulus.