neuro question .. anyone ?

[Danadoc]

hey guys my question is

since Clarck's nucleus is situated at the level from C8-L2 , primary afferents of dorsal spinocerebellar tract that enter below L2 must ascend in the fasciculus gracilis which is in the dorsal column until the nucleus of clark is reached, so if the dorsal column got injured (by tabes dorsalis or Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord which normally cause sensory ataxia ) at this level would it cause a certain degree of cerebellar ataxia ??

 

[SaFeeR]

I know that injury to dorsal (posterior) column of spinal cord would most probably cause an ipsilateral loss of deep sensation (proprioception) and fine touch.


Gonna check up this later to see how others would answer this.

 

[Funky]

hey guys my question is

since Clarck's nucleus is situated at the level from C8-L2 , primary afferents of dorsal spinocerebellar tract that enter below L2 must ascend in the fasciculus gracilis which is in the dorsal column until the nucleus of clark is reached, so if the dorsal column got injured (by tabes dorsalis or Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord which normally cause sensory ataxia ) at this level would it cause a certain degree of cerebellar ataxia ??

I don't know if you can classify it as "cerebellar ataxia" because that is defined as ataxia originating from the cerebellum and tabes dorsalis and SCD are spinal cord myelin diseases. Just a thought.

 

[goyo1010]

It would be termed "sensory ataxia", as the cerebellum is not directly damaged, but the sensory input pathways are deranged.

 

[Danadoc]

It would be termed "sensory ataxia", as the cerebellum is not directly damaged, but the sensory input pathways are deranged.

Thnx for ur reply
ButI am not asking about the terms here , what i meant is that the input to the cerebellum will be affected so the signs that appear will be like these seen in cerebellar ataxia ?

 

[Cyal]

hey guys my question is

since Clarck's nucleus is situated at the level from C8-L2 , primary afferents of dorsal spinocerebellar tract that enter below L2 must ascend in the fasciculus gracilis which is in the dorsal column until the nucleus of clark is reached, so if the dorsal column got injured (by tabes dorsalis or Subacute combined degeneration of spinal cord which normally cause sensory ataxia ) at this level would it cause a certain degree of cerebellar ataxia ??

Yes, I would expect some degree of cerebellar ataxia, even if just from the ipsilateral lower limb. Remember that the primary role of the cerebellum is to compare efference copy or corollary discharge from cerebral cortex with actual limb "choreography" to facilitate motor learning if needed. The "unconscient" tracts that run from (in this case) lower limb muscle spindles, golgi tendons, proprioceptive receptors, etc need to be intact for the cerebellum to do its job properly--that is, receive external feedback of lower choreography. If this is impaired, it's only logical to expect, in this case, ipsilateral lower limb cerebellar ataxia. Pedantic people will probably call this spinocerebellar ataxia.

 

[Cyal]

It would be termed "sensory ataxia", as the cerebellum is not directly damaged, but the sensory input pathways are deranged.

This is the classification I was looking for. Sensory ataxia makes sense.

 

[goyo1010]

Thnx for ur reply
ButI am not asking about the terms here , what i meant is that the input to the cerebellum will be affected so the signs that appear will be like these seen in cerebellar ataxia ?

My bad, my bad. I misinterpreted the question. But yeah. There will be some S&S similar to cerebellar ataxia, but can be differentiated from actual cerebellar ataxia by findings of impaired vibration and proprioception, symmetrical hypo-/areflexia, and no ocular involvement and no speech involvement. And what the previous poster said. =]