Neuroscience Clinical Correlation: Spinal Cord Injury Blair Calancie

Question 1

What is transverse myelitis?

Answer 1

Autoimmune attack of the spinal cord (SCI)

Question 2

Why is C-section recommended for women who have sustained SCI?

Answer 2

Autonomic dysreflexia

Question 3

What is autonomic dysreflexia?

Answer 3

Substantial BP increase, accompanied by bradycardia
Typically seen after cervical or high thoracic SCI
Incidence is more likely with a complete SCI
Cause is unknown, but excessive sympathetic response to normal afferent activity is likely
**PNS is still intact (reason for the bradycardia)

Question 4

What are the three broad approaches to SCI treatment?

Answer 4

1. Neuroprotection - protect surviving cells from injury
2. Neurorestoration - replace cells
3. Neurorehabilitation - strengthen existing systems

Question 5

What is regenerative sprouting?

Answer 5

Synaptic contacts originally from UMNs have degenerated, and and new contacts have developed from larger sources.

Question 6

Interlimb reflexes are likely due to:

Answer 6

new growth within the spinal cord, below the level of the lesion