Peripheral Nervous System: Somatic

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the peripheral nervous system and common disorders affecting it.

Somatic Nervous System

The voluntary branch of the peripheral nervous system responsible for sensory input and motor output.

Dermatomes

Segmental organization of the body that reflects innervation from a particular spinal nerve.

Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) Damage

Damage located in the brain or spinal cord resulting in spasticity and hyperreflexia.

Lower Motor Neuron (LMN) Damage

Damage to peripheral nerves or muscle causing flaccidity, weakness, and atrophy.

Spinal Shock

A condition characterized by loss of sensation and muscle function following spinal cord injury.

Autonomic Dysreflexia

A medical emergency characterized by high blood pressure and bradycardia due to noxious stimuli below the level of injury.

Degenerative Disc Disease

A condition caused by age and lifestyle factors leading to defects in vertebrae and spinal canal narrowing.

Herniated Disc

A medical condition where the disc bulges or ruptures, potentially causing nerve compression.

Radiculopathy

Pain due to compression of a nerve root, leading to weakness and sensory loss.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disorder where antibodies attack ACh receptors at the neuromuscular junction, causing muscle weakness.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

A post-infective polyneuropathy characterized by rapid onset of weakness due to immune response against myelin.

Bell's Palsy

Acute unilateral paralysis of the facial nerve caused by an inflammatory process, often self-limiting.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Excruciating unilateral facial pain due to excessive firing of the trigeminal nerve.