Lecture 6 Flashcards
(63 cards)
Location of cell bodies of LMN
anterior horn of spinal cord
Descibe considerations for muscle atrophy e.g. affect of damage to LMN
LMNs provide trophic influences on muscle, e.g. transmission of impulses and neuronal substances across synapses. Damage to LMN affect factors e.g. affect protein synthesis resulting in decrease muscle crossectional area. Weakness in muscle- lack of use and decreased size
Describe considerations for hyporeflexia e.g. affect of damage to LMN
Damage to LMN- absent stretch reflex responses (on motor side)
0 on deep tendon reflex scale
absent reflex
Describe tool to test reflexes (test for hyporeflexia)
Deep tendon reflex scale
1 on deep tendon reflex scale
decreased by present
2 on deep tendon reflex scale
normal
3 on deep tendon reflex scale
brisk but excessive
4 on deep tendon reflex scale
non-sustained clonus
5 on deep tendon reflex scale
Sustained clonus
Suggests hyporeflexia
(numbers on scale)
<2 on deep tendon reflex scale
Describe consideration of decreased tone
hypotonia- even at rest muscle receiving low levels of tonic stimulation. With LMN injuries, resting tone cannot get down to muscle
Describe how to test for tone and interpretation of testing
Move various joints through range of motion- test for resistance. Lack/absence of resistance to ROM with hypotonia, hyperextension of joints associated with decreased tone. Hypertonia- lots of resistance through ROM
How does foot drop affect gait?
- Excessive flexion of knee in swing on ipsilateral side
- Lack of ankle dorsi-flexion in swing on ipsi-lateral side
- Foot lands toe first and set down carefully
Name for gait assocaited with foot drop
‘high steppage gait’
Identify causes of LMN lesion
Injury or disease that affects any of the:
- Motor nuclei in anterior horn of grey mater of spinal cord
-ventral nerve roots (radiculopathy- damage to vental roots) as they come out through spinal cord
- spinal nerves (as travel through mixed nerve to muscle)
Describe polio
Virus that attacks cell bodies in anterior horn (primarily motor neurons), mostly irradicated worldwide with vaccine. Affects cell bodies in lumbar region of SC which innervate legs, typically symptoms involving lower limbs, sometimes thoracic region- affect intercostals activation- associated with iron lung device for breathing.
Describe typical age of people affected by polio
<5 years old
Describe polio types and prevalence
<10% people get neurological type e.g. affect cell bodies in anterior horn of grey mater.
~1% paralytic type which severely Affect LMN’s
Describe recovery from polio
Most people able to recovery, some people with neuological type may not (perminant paralysis)
Damage to spinal cord associated with lower motor neuron symptoms affect
lower motor neurons
Describe sources of spinal cord damage that affect LMN
- Spinal cord lesion- damaging cell bodies in anterior horn of spinal cord
- Disc herniation- damage to ventral roots as they leave intervertebral foramen by squeezing/impinging on them and prevent signal from traveling out
- Tumor- grows within spinal cord- if growing in anterior (ventral) part of spinal cord affects axons coming out, LMN symptoms of spinal cord at that level
Key consideration of spinal cord damage to LMN
Damage at one level likely to affect other levels of SC e.g. additional symptoms below injury in terms of motor function and sensory symptoms. However only LMN type symptoms at level of injury (associated with damage to LMN), LMN coming out from spinal cord below level of injury are intact and LMN coming out above the level of injury are also intact.
How can damage to ventral roots and spinal nerves occur?
Injury to ventral roots and spinal nerves can occur through compression, traction, laceration or entrapment- these prevent action potentials from going down