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Questions and Answers
What typically causes Central Cord Syndrome?
What typically causes Central Cord Syndrome?
- Occlusion of the anterior spinal artery
- Penetrating injuries to the spine
- Trauma resulting from a fall
- A syrinx in the spinal cord (correct)
What type of deficits are expected with anterior cord syndrome?
What type of deficits are expected with anterior cord syndrome?
- Deficits below the level of injury affecting proprioception
- Only sensory deficits at the level of injury
- Loss of motor function and pain sensation below the injury (correct)
- Deficits exclusively at the injury level
Which statement correctly describes Brown-Sequard syndrome?
Which statement correctly describes Brown-Sequard syndrome?
- It causes bilateral loss of sensation and motor function.
- It results from occlusion of the posterior spinal artery.
- It is most commonly caused by a syrinx in the spinal cord.
- It leads to unilateral deficits in motor control and sensation. (correct)
What are the implications of grey matter involvement in spinal cord injuries?
What are the implications of grey matter involvement in spinal cord injuries?
What underlying condition usually causes posterior cord syndrome?
What underlying condition usually causes posterior cord syndrome?
Which area does the Lateral Corticospinal Tract decussate?
Which area does the Lateral Corticospinal Tract decussate?
What is a characteristic feature of the Medial Corticospinal Tract?
What is a characteristic feature of the Medial Corticospinal Tract?
What does the Anterior (Medial) Corticospinal Tract primarily control?
What does the Anterior (Medial) Corticospinal Tract primarily control?
Which of the following is true regarding the course of the Lateral Corticospinal Tract?
Which of the following is true regarding the course of the Lateral Corticospinal Tract?
What percentage of the total corticospinal tract is composed of the Medial (Anterior) Corticospinal Tract?
What percentage of the total corticospinal tract is composed of the Medial (Anterior) Corticospinal Tract?
What is the primary function of ascending tracts in the spinal cord?
What is the primary function of ascending tracts in the spinal cord?
Which of the following tracts are classified as lateral pathways?
Which of the following tracts are classified as lateral pathways?
What is the role of the rubrospinal tract?
What is the role of the rubrospinal tract?
How do the Dorsal Column and Anterolateral pathways compare in terms of function?
How do the Dorsal Column and Anterolateral pathways compare in terms of function?
What does the term 'funiculus' refer to in the context of spinal cord anatomy?
What does the term 'funiculus' refer to in the context of spinal cord anatomy?
In spinal cord anatomy, what are fasciculi?
In spinal cord anatomy, what are fasciculi?
Which spinal cord tract is involved in maintaining posture and balance?
Which spinal cord tract is involved in maintaining posture and balance?
Where do the majority of descending tracts in the spinal cord originate?
Where do the majority of descending tracts in the spinal cord originate?
What is the primary function of the Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscus pathway?
What is the primary function of the Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscus pathway?
Which tract is primarily responsible for conveying unconscious proprioceptive information?
Which tract is primarily responsible for conveying unconscious proprioceptive information?
Which structure is associated with fine, precise motor skills in distal extremities?
Which structure is associated with fine, precise motor skills in distal extremities?
How are pain and temperature sensations initially processed in the spinal cord?
How are pain and temperature sensations initially processed in the spinal cord?
What is the key concept of information organization mentioned in relation to the Dorsal Column pathways?
What is the key concept of information organization mentioned in relation to the Dorsal Column pathways?
Which pathway is responsible for trunk movement and proximal muscle control?
Which pathway is responsible for trunk movement and proximal muscle control?
Which tract contains 90% of the fibers associated with voluntary movement?
Which tract contains 90% of the fibers associated with voluntary movement?
What function is primarily associated with the Anterolateral Spinothalamic pathway?
What function is primarily associated with the Anterolateral Spinothalamic pathway?
What is the origin of the Rubrospinal tract?
What is the origin of the Rubrospinal tract?
Which tract is primarily responsible for maintaining standing posture?
Which tract is primarily responsible for maintaining standing posture?
Which function is associated with the Vestibulospinal Tract?
Which function is associated with the Vestibulospinal Tract?
Which characteristic describes the Lateral Corticospinal and Rubrospinal impairments?
Which characteristic describes the Lateral Corticospinal and Rubrospinal impairments?
What type of sensory information do the Vestibular nuclei integrate?
What type of sensory information do the Vestibular nuclei integrate?
The Tectospinal tract is primarily involved in responding to what type of stimuli?
The Tectospinal tract is primarily involved in responding to what type of stimuli?
Damage to which tracts is likely to lead to ataxia and balance problems?
Damage to which tracts is likely to lead to ataxia and balance problems?
Which tract helps to liberate antigravity muscles from reflex control?
Which tract helps to liberate antigravity muscles from reflex control?
Which pathway originates from the red nucleus and decussates in the pons?
Which pathway originates from the red nucleus and decussates in the pons?
What is a key function of the Pontine Reticulospinal tract?
What is a key function of the Pontine Reticulospinal tract?
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Study Notes
White Matter
- Comprised of axon columns in the spinal cord.
- Contains ascending tracts that transport sensory information to the brain.
- Includes descending tracts carrying motor signals from the brain to the body.
- Funiculus refers to a column of nerve fibers; fasciculus denotes smaller bundles.
Spinal Cord Tracts
- Ascending tracts include Anterolateral, Spinothalamic, Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscus, and Spinocerebellar tracts.
- Descending tracts (motor) include Lateral Corticospinal, Rubrospinal, Reticulospinal, Vestibulospinal, and Tectospinal tracts.
Dorsal Column and Anterolateral Pathways
- Both pathways convey sensory information to contralateral thalamic nuclei and somatosensory cortex.
- Differences lie in their synapsing structures, crossing points, and anatomical locations of pathways.
Dorsal Column Medial Lemniscus
- Function includes proprioception and discriminative touch.
- Features Fasciculus gracilis for lower extremities and Fasciculus cuneatus for upper extremities.
- Ascends to the medulla, where it transitions to the medial lemniscus.
Anterolateral Pathway
- Responsible for transmitting pain, temperature, and crude touch.
- Sensory neurons synapse in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and decussate immediately.
- Projects directly to the thalamus.
Spinocerebellar Tract
- Involved in conveying unconscious proprioceptive information.
Descending Pathways
- Lateral System: Focuses on precise motor skills in distal limbs, includes Lateral Corticospinal and Rubrospinal tracts.
- Medial System: Controls trunk movements and proximal muscle coordination through Reticulospinal, Vestibulospinal, and Tectospinal tracts.
Lateral Corticospinal Tract
- Comprises 90% of corticospinal fibers; enables fine control of distal extremities.
- Facilitates movement fractionation, essential for intricate tasks like typing and playing instruments.
Medial (Anterior) Corticospinal Tract
- Represents 10% of corticospinal fibers; originates from the motor cortex.
- Does not decussate, controls neck, shoulder, and trunk muscles.
Rubrospinal Tract
- Originates from the red nucleus; regulates upper extremity movement.
- Decussates in the pons, joins corticospinal tract axons in the lateral spinal cord.
Impairments and Function
- Lateral system damage leads to poor control over fine movements and slower, less accurate voluntary actions.
- Medial system supports posture and broad movement patterns.
Reticulospinal Tract
- Integrates with the reticular formation; aids in arousal and pain modulation.
- Facilitates extensor or flexor motor neurons based on the specific tract (Pontine or Lateral).
Vestibulospinal Tract
- Integrates sensory inputs on head position and balance.
- Medial tract stabilizes head movement, while lateral facilitates extensor function.
Tectospinal Tract
- Coordinates reflexive head movements based on visual and auditory stimuli.
- Arises from the superior colliculus in the midbrain.
Vascular Supply
- Anterior spinal artery and two posterior arteries provide blood supply to the spinal cord.
- Segmental vascular supply through spinal artery plexus supports distinct regions.
Spinal Cord Injury Syndromes
- Central Cord Syndrome leads to variable impairments depending on white matter or gray matter involvement.
- Anterior Cord Syndrome often results from anterior spinal artery occlusion.
- Brown-Sequard syndrome results from a unilateral injury causing a distinct pattern of deficits.
- Posterior Cord Syndrome is linked to occlusion of the posterior spinal artery, affecting specific tracts based on lesion location.
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