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What Are The Symptoms Of Transection Of Spinal Cord?

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Posted on Fri, 4 May 2012
Question: If the right side of the spinal cord is completely transected, what symptoms do you expect to observe with regard to motor function, two-point discrimination, light touch, and pain perception? I need the answer in detail please. This is for a paper so I need to know all the details. Thank You
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (1 hour later)
Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

First of all the symptoms of transection of a spinal cord depends on the
level of injury.

1. Motor function- at the level of injury and below the level of injury there will be loss of all the motor function on the other side with exaggeration of reflexes below the level of lesion.
Above the level of injury, there will not be any motor loss.

2. Two point discrimination- at the level of injury and below the level of injury there will be loss of two point discrimination on the same side of lesion.

3. Light touch - the loss will be same as seen in two point discrimination.

4. Pain-Loss of pain sensation will be there below the level of lesion on the same side. Hyperaesthesia may be found at the level of lesion.

Loss of all reflexes will be seen at the level of lesion whereas reflexes will be exaggerated below the level of lesion on the same side of lesion.

I hope my answer is adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.

Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (13 minutes later)
i need a more thorough explanation
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (4 minutes later)
A patient suffers brain damage in an automobile accident. It is suspected that the cerebellum is the part of the brain that is affected. On the basis of what you know about cerebellar function, how could you determine that the cerebellum is involved. Do you think any specific test such as X-ray, MRI, CAT scan can be helpful to determine the nature of the injury; If yes, please briefly explain the test procedure and test result. Please explain in detail this is for my paper
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (2 hours later)
Hello.

Thanks for writing again.

Half section of spinal cord is also called Brown Sequard Syndrome. You may browse about this topic here and pick the relevant details for your paper. Easily understandable information is available here, WWW.WWWW.WW
You may take Case 1 as an example for your paper : WWW.WWWW.WW
Cerebellum and spinal cord are two different things and carry out two different functions. A patient with brain damage will not show the signs of spinal cord injury. Brain controls all the higher functions like memory, recognition, synchronization of the activities, etc.

Injury to Cerebellum can result in following symptoms and signs mainly ( but not limited to)
Loss of ability to coordinate fine movements.
Loss of ability to walk.
Inability to reach out and grab objects.
Tremors.
Dizziness (Vertigo).
Slurred Speech (Scanning Speech).
Inability to make rapid movements.


After the accident, in case of brain damage, person is mostly unconscious and investigations and yes investigations like CT scan and MRI only give us an idea about the extent of damage. CT or MRI tells about whether there is an area of hemorrhage or infarction. The area of brain which is involved gives an idea about the function that is lost.

Functions of brain and spinal cord and its injuries is a really vast topic and there are plenty of books written on it. You can get a more detailed information in any book of clinical physiology. The scope is too minimal here to discuss.

Hope I have answered your query.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (5 hours later)
Just disregard the question about the spinal cord and please answer the following question in detail please. I dont need the answer regarding spinal cord because its not as thorough as I would like.

A patient suffers brain damage in an automobile accident. It is suspected that the cerebellum is the part of the brain that is affected. On the basis of what you know about cerebellar function, how could you determine that the cerebellum is involved. Do you think any specific test such as X-ray, MRI, CAT scan can be helpful to determine the nature of the injury; If yes, please briefly explain the test procedure and test result. Please explain in detail this is for my paper

doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (4 hours later)
Hello,

Thanks for the query.

In case of a cerebellar injury, the person loses conciousness in most of the cases.
After doing an MRI or CAT scan, we can make out the extent of damage and the nature of damage to the brain.

The areas affected by the lesion show signs and symptoms in the person accordingly.
In head injury, unconciousness, bleeding from eyes, ears, nose and mouth, vomiting, headache etc. indicate that the person has got a serious head injury and needs to be investigated.

MRI and CAT scan are both radiological procedures done by machines and images of brain are seen in various sections both vertical and transverse. CAT scan is more useful for assessing bony damage whereas MRI tells about a soft tissue injury.

Thanks again for your query.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (16 days later)
Please Answer this question and please be detailed and explain everything. This is for a paper.

To relax after an anatomy and physiology examination, XXXXXXX goes to a local bistro and drinks 2 quarts of low-sodium beer. What effect does this beer have on urine concentration and volume? Explain the mechanisms involved.

doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (1 hour later)
Hi again,

Good to help you for the cause.

After taking a low sodium beer, XXXXXXX is likely to excrete larger volume of dilute urine as beer has a diuretic like effect on kidneys and drinking something low in sodium will cause extra water in the body to be excreted out so that normal Sodium concentration is maintained can be maintained.
Hope I helped you here.
Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (23 hours later)
Compare the effects of XXXXXXX on protein digestion by pepsin and on starch digestion by salivary amylase. Explain the physiological significance of these effects.

Can you answer in detail please
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (1 hour later)
Hello XXXXXXX
Hcl if acts directly on the protein causes its denaturation. But in the stomach it acts to enhance the secretion of pepsin which opens up and separates the amino acids making them available for absorption.
Salivary amylase catalyses hydrolysis of starch at glucosidic bonds. Both these are entirely different processes involving different chemical reactions.
Hope this is helpful.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (6 hours later)
Please Answer this question and please be detailed and explain everything. This is for a paper.

To relax after an anatomy and physiology examination, XXXXXXX goes to a local bistro and drinks 2 quarts of low-sodium beer. What effect does this beer have on urine concentration and volume? Explain the mechanisms involved.

Please explain in more detail and also please EXPLAIN THE MECHANISMS INVOLVED. This is important
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (17 minutes later)
Hi,

Alcohol irrespective of sodium concentration produce osmotic diuresis. It also depress ADH secretion resulting in diuresis. This leads to excretion of large volume of water diluted urine.

Excessive diuresis can alter electrolyte levels in the body resulting in reduction in sodium levels too. This happens because kidney excretes sodium in order to prevent water loss leading to depletion.

So XXXXXXX is likely to excrete large volume diluted urine. He is also likely to develop sodium depletion.

Hope this suffices your needs.

Wish you good luck.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (36 hours later)
XXXXXXX Macho is doing yard work one hot summer day and refuses to drink anything until he is finished. He then drinks glass after glass of plain water. Assume that he drinks enough water to replace all the water he lost as sweat. How does this much water affect urine concentration and volume? Explain the mechanisms involved

PLEASE BE VERY DETAILED. ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS INVOLVED.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal (14 hours later)
Hello XXXXXXX

Working in the yard in a hot environment causes excessive sweating – loss of salt and water from the body—taking only plain water causes decreased sodium and other salts in the extra cellular fluid—low sodium levels will decrease secretion of ADH, decrease rennin secretion—thus total volume of urine will be increased.

A hypo-osmotic urine will reach glomeruli—there will be more concentration difference at the loop of henle and DCT—more of the water will be excreted out along with sodium ions as there will be no reabsorption of any ions from the serum due to it having lower concentration.

Overall urine concentration will be lesser than the normal urine Sodium concentration but the excretion of sodium will definitely be there.

Hpoe this answers your query.

Regards.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Manju M
doctor
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Dr. Dr. Rakhi Tayal

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What Are The Symptoms Of Transection Of Spinal Cord?

Hello,

Thanks for writing to us.

First of all the symptoms of transection of a spinal cord depends on the
level of injury.

1. Motor function- at the level of injury and below the level of injury there will be loss of all the motor function on the other side with exaggeration of reflexes below the level of lesion.
Above the level of injury, there will not be any motor loss.

2. Two point discrimination- at the level of injury and below the level of injury there will be loss of two point discrimination on the same side of lesion.

3. Light touch - the loss will be same as seen in two point discrimination.

4. Pain-Loss of pain sensation will be there below the level of lesion on the same side. Hyperaesthesia may be found at the level of lesion.

Loss of all reflexes will be seen at the level of lesion whereas reflexes will be exaggerated below the level of lesion on the same side of lesion.

I hope my answer is adequate and helpful. Waiting for your further follow up queries if any.

Regards.