EXSC 224 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. James was crossing the when he was struck by a car. When he arrived at the
hospital the ER physician was able to determine that James suffered a partial
transection on the right side of his spinal cord at T12. Would James perceive pain in
his right hand? How about his Right foot? Justify your answers.: T12 is located in the thoracic
region of the spinal cord that typically controls the abdominal muscles. A partial transection on the right side of this
spinal cord would not lead to James inability to perceive pain, temperature, or coarse touch in his right hand or right
foot. The sis due to the spinothalamic pathway ascending on the contralateral side of the spinal cord. However, James
would lose discriminative touch for the right foot via the dorsal column medial lemniscal pathway, but not for the right
hand. He would also lose voluntary motor control in his right leg due to the lateral corticospinal pathway being cut ott.
(partial paraplegia)
2. Matilda went to bed after a long day of hiking. She woke up in the morning with a
splitting headache. When she tried to get out of bed she noticed that she had
extreme weakness in her left arm and leg. However, she could feel the sheets on her
bed. After several months of therapy, she still had significant weakness on her left side,
but also experienced spastic paralysis which was very noticeable in her arm. Was
this an upper or lower motor neuron injury? Where do you think the injury occurred?
Justify you answer.:
3. Mr Reinhard woke up one morning in the hospital and was able to move only
the limbs on the right side of his body. He could feel touch but not pain on the right side.
What level was the injury? Would he experience spastic or flaccid paralysis on the
affect side?:
4. Mrs Smith fell down the stairs and was rushed to the hospital. She was in a great
deal of pain except her left leg, where she had no pain or touch and was unable to
voluntarily move her muscles. Interestingly she could feel pain and touch and
voluntarily move her Right leg. Please describe the injury. Would experience spastic
or flaccid paralysis in this limb?:
1/3
1. James was crossing the when he was struck by a car. When he arrived at the
hospital the ER physician was able to determine that James suffered a partial
transection on the right side of his spinal cord at T12. Would James perceive pain in
his right hand? How about his Right foot? Justify your answers.: T12 is located in the thoracic
region of the spinal cord that typically controls the abdominal muscles. A partial transection on the right side of this
spinal cord would not lead to James inability to perceive pain, temperature, or coarse touch in his right hand or right
foot. The sis due to the spinothalamic pathway ascending on the contralateral side of the spinal cord. However, James
would lose discriminative touch for the right foot via the dorsal column medial lemniscal pathway, but not for the right
hand. He would also lose voluntary motor control in his right leg due to the lateral corticospinal pathway being cut ott.
(partial paraplegia)
2. Matilda went to bed after a long day of hiking. She woke up in the morning with a
splitting headache. When she tried to get out of bed she noticed that she had
extreme weakness in her left arm and leg. However, she could feel the sheets on her
bed. After several months of therapy, she still had significant weakness on her left side,
but also experienced spastic paralysis which was very noticeable in her arm. Was
this an upper or lower motor neuron injury? Where do you think the injury occurred?
Justify you answer.:
3. Mr Reinhard woke up one morning in the hospital and was able to move only
the limbs on the right side of his body. He could feel touch but not pain on the right side.
What level was the injury? Would he experience spastic or flaccid paralysis on the
affect side?:
4. Mrs Smith fell down the stairs and was rushed to the hospital. She was in a great
deal of pain except her left leg, where she had no pain or touch and was unable to
voluntarily move her muscles. Interestingly she could feel pain and touch and
voluntarily move her Right leg. Please describe the injury. Would experience spastic
or flaccid paralysis in this limb?:
1/3
