MRCP PACES Cord Syndromes Posterior Cord Syndrome
  • Posterior cord syndromes affect the dorsal column and corticospinal tracts
  • Clinical findings
    • Increased tone below the level of the lesion
    • Hyperreflexia below the level of the lesion
    • Bilateral pyramidal weakness below the level of the lesion
    • Proprioceptive and vibration loss below the level of the lesion
    • Spared pinprick sensation
  • Causes
    • Multiple sclerosis (cerebellar signs, INO, RAPD)
    • Tabes dorsalis (Argyll-Robertson pupils)
    • Sub-acute combined degeneration of the cord from B12 deficiency (absent ankle jerks, macroglossia)
    • Friedrich’s ataxia (cerebellar signs, pes cavus, kyphoscoliosis)
    • Epidural / intramedullary tumours
    • Cervical myelopathy
    • Atlanto-axial subluxation
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