Spinal Dz Flashcards
(38 cards)
What are the white and grey matter in the spinal cord?
> Grey matter - Butterfly shape - nerve cell bodies > White matter - axons - dorsal, lateral and ventral funiculus
What is contained in the dorsal and lateral funiculi? What would damage to thee cause?
- sensory and proprioceptive tracts (Ascending)
> ataxia
What is contained in the ventral and lateral funiculi? What would damage to these cause?
- motor (UMN) tracts (descending)
> UMN paresis
What is comtained in the ventral horn of the grey matter? What would damage here cause?
LMN cell bodies
> LMN paresis
Where do the majority of spinal diseases affect?
Most dorsal and ventral equally. Some only dorsal or ventral .
What are the 4 functional segments of the SC?
- C1-C5
- C6-T2
- T3-L3
- L4-S4
Do spinal cord segments = vertebral bodies?
NO!!
- Spinal cord doesnt reach end of vertebral canal (cauda equina from L6/&)
- so L7, S1, S2, S3 spinal cord segments exit around L5 vertebral body
- then “conus medullaris” then becomes cauda equina
What does “myelopathy” mean?
- disorder of the SC > extrinsic (pushes on cord) - extradural/intradural > intrinsic - intramedullary (diffuse or focal)
Define ataxiA
- incoordination
- sensory phenomenon
- sensory/proprioceptive ataxia seen w/ spinal dz
Define paresis
- v voluntary movement
- motor phenomenon
- can be UMN or LMN
Define plegia
- abscence (complete loss) of voluntary movement
What do mono- para- hemi- and tetra- describe?
= one limb
= both pelvic limbs
= both limbs one side
= all 4 limbs
Define incontinence
- loss of ability to fill and empty the bladder/intestines voluntariy (can be UMN or LMN)
Are nociception tests always indicated in the neuro exam?
NO if gait fine and no proprioceptive losses then no need (will be last tract to go)
What postural signs may be see nwith spinal dz?
- crouched, kyphosis
- low head carriage
- shiff-sherrington (T3-L3 lesions specifically)
What gait abnormalaities may be seenw tih spinal dz?
> often ataxia and paresis combination
- ataxia and paresis ddx: spinal or brainstem
- only paresis: consider NMJ or lumbosacral problems
- only ataxia: consider cerebellar/vestibular problems
How do large breed neck problems commonly present?
- hindlimbs affected, minimal forelimb involvement (HL tracts are more superficial than FL)
What are proprioceptive deficits useful for?
- determining presence of neurological disease
- NOT useful for assessing neuro-anatomical location of disease
With compressive (extrinsic) myelopathies, what clinical signs manifest early/late in the disease?
lost first and regained last
- proprioception (so if gait is abnormal, should have lack of proprioception)
- movement (paresis/plegia and voluntary urination)
- nociception (superficial then deep pain)
lost last and regained first
So if the gait is abnormal but there are NO propriception deficits, what can be inferred?
- not a compressive spinal dz
> eg. may be bilat cruciate rupture
What are spinal cord reflexes important for?
- ID which spinal cord segment is affected
> patella
> withdrawal
> cutaneous trunci - decreased indicate LMN signs of a lesion within the reflex arc (ie. C6-T2 or L4-S3)
- increased/exagerated reflexes indicate UMN sign of lesion CRANIAL to reflex arc (ie. C1-C5 or T3-L3)
Where do UMN and LMN synapse?
- ventral horn grey matter
Action of UMN?
- facilitates and to a greater extent inhibits muscle groups (net effect = inhibition of muscle tone and reflexes)
- UMN lesions -> disinhibiition -> ^ tone and reflexes
When should palapation be perfeormed within the neuro exam?
end!! start gently
