Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury Syndromes and Cauda Equina Injuries

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing clinical syndromes, incomplete SCI presentations, and spinal cord tracts based on the PTDI CPTE study guide.

Brown-Séquard Syndrome

An incomplete spinal cord injury caused by damage to one half of the spinal cord (hemi-section), typically resulting from a penetrating injury.

Brown-Séquard Syndrome Presentation Below Lesion

Characterized by ipsilateral loss of motor function, proprioception, discriminative touch, and position/vibratory sense, along with contralateral loss of pain and temperature below the lesion.

Brown-Séquard Syndrome Presentation At Lesion Level

Characterized by ipsilateral loss of all sensory modalities at the ventral horn affected and ipsilateral flaccid paralysis at the level of the lesion.

Anterior Cord Syndrome

An incomplete spinal cord injury caused by damage to the anterior portion of the spinal cord or its vascular supply (anterior spinal artery), commonly due to cervical flexion injuries.

Anterior Cord Syndrome Presentation

Characterized by the loss of motor function (corticospinal tract), pain, and temperature (spinothalamic tract) below the level of the lesion.

Central Cord Syndrome

The most common incomplete spinal cord injury syndrome, caused by damage to the central portion of the spinal cord with peripheral portions spared, commonly resulting from a hyperextension injury in the cervical region.

Central Cord Syndrome Presentation

Characterized by compressive forces causing hemorrhage and edema, resulting in motor loss greater than sensory loss, upper extremity motor loss greater than lower extremity motor loss, and spared sacral sensation.

Posterior Cord Syndrome

A very rare incomplete spinal cord injury caused by damage to the posterior portion of the spinal cord, resulting in loss of proprioception, pressure sense, and vibratory sense (sensory ataxia) with no motor loss.

Cauda Equina Syndrome

An injury resulting from damage to the cauda equina (long nerve roots below L1), characterized by variable nerve root damage, flaccid paralysis (lower motor neuron injury), areflexive bowel and bladder, and sacral anesthesia.

Posterior Column (Dorsal Column)

An ascending sensory pathway responsible for proprioception, deep touch, discriminative touch, and vibration sense.

Lateral Spinothalamic Tract

An ascending sensory pathway responsible for carrying pain and temperature sensation, which crosses over at the spinal cord 2 levels up.

Lateral Corticospinal Tract

A descending motor pathway responsible for voluntary movement.

Ventral Spinothalamic Tract

An ascending sensory pathway responsible for carrying light touch and pressure sensation.