Spinal cord syndromes

Syndrome	Clinical manifestations	Causes
Segmental (transection) syndrome	Loss of all sensory modalities, weakness below affected level; bladder dysfunction	Trauma, hemorrhage, epidural abscess, transverse myelitis, epidural metastasis
Dorsal cord syndrome	Loss of proprioception, vibratory sensation; variable weakness and bladder dysfunction	Tabes dorsalis, Friedreich ataxia, subacute combined degeneration, AIDS myelopathy, epidural metastases, cervical spondylotic myelopathy, multiple sclerosis
Ventral cord syndrome (anterior spinal artery syndrome)	Loss of pain and temperature sensation, weakness, bladder dysfunction	Spinal cord infarction, disc herniation, radiation myelopathy, HTLV-1
Brown Sequard syndrome	Ipsilateral weakness and loss of proprioception; contralateral loss of pain and temperature sensation	Knife or bullet injury, multiple sclerosis
Central cord syndrome	Segmental loss of pain and temperature, weakness often greater in the arms than legs	Syringomyelia, intramedullary tumor, acute injury in cervical spondylotic myelopathy
Pure motor syndrome	Weakness without sensory disturbance	Poliomyelitis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, HTLV-1, hereditary spastic paraplegia, lathyrism
Conus medullaris syndrome	Bladder and rectal dysfunction, saddle anesthesia	Disc herniation, trauma, tumors
Cauda equina syndrome	Asymmetric multiradicular pain, leg weakness, and sensory loss; bladder dysfunction	Disc herniation, arachnoiditis, tumor, lumbar spine stenosis

Spinal_cord_syndromes.htm

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