Spinal Tracts-- Introduction to Ascending and Descending Pathways

Practice: The anterior spinal artery supplies the ventral half of the spinal cord. If the anterior spinal artery ruptures and causes the death of the ventral half of the spinal cord, which of the following functions would be lost? (Assume only the tracts—not the gray matter—are damaged and choose all that apply.)

Practice: In Chris Nolan’s 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, the villain Bane “breaks The Bat;” that is, Bane raises Batman overhead and then drops him over his knee, severely damaging his spine and spinal cord. After this fight, Batman can no longer feel fine touch or vibration in his right hand or right leg. Which of the following parts of Batman’s spinal cord was damaged by Bane’s knee? 

a) Right spinothalamic tract in cervical region. 

b) Left spinothalamic tract in cervical region. 

c) Right spinothalamic tract in lumbar region. 

d) Left spinothalamic tract in lumbar region. 

e) Right dorsal column in cervical region. 

f) Left dorsal column in cervical region. 

g) Right dorsal column in lumbar region. 

h) Left dorsal column in lumbar region.

Practice: In Chris Nolan’s 2012 film The Dark Knight Rises, the villain Bane “breaks The Bat;” that is, Bane raises Batman overhead and then drops him over his knee, severely damaging his spine and spinal cord. After this fight, Batman can no longer feel pain or temperature in his left leg. His left hand is normal. Which of the following parts of Batman’s spinal cord was damaged by Bane’s knee?

Practice: A 65-year-old women presents to the emergency room with an inability to move her right hand and right leg. Which of the following could be the location of the damage causing this deficit? (Choose all that apply.)