Which syndrome would present with preserved motor function but loss of proprioception and vibration?

Which syndrome would present with preserved motor function but loss of proprioception and vibration?

• A. Central cord syndrome
• B. Brown-Séquard syndrome
• C. Posterior cord syndrome
• D. Anterior cord syndrome

Answer: (C)

Damage to the posterior (dorsal) columns disrupts proprioception and vibration sense, while the motor pathways (corticospinal tract) and pain/temperature pathways are spared. This results in preserved voluntary motor function below the lesion with loss of position sense and vibration sense. That combination is the hallmark of posterior cord syndrome. In contrast, other spinal cord syndromes produce different patterns: central cord syndrome tends to cause more pronounced weakness in the arms; Brown-Séquard presents with ipsilateral motor weakness and loss of proprioception/vibration, plus contralateral loss of pain and temperature; anterior cord syndrome disrupts motor and pain/temperature pathways with preserved proprioception and vibration.

Damage to the posterior (dorsal) columns disrupts proprioception and vibration sense, while the motor pathways (corticospinal tract) and pain/temperature pathways are spared. This results in preserved voluntary motor function below the lesion with loss of position sense and vibration sense. That combination is the hallmark of posterior cord syndrome.

In contrast, other spinal cord syndromes produce different patterns: central cord syndrome tends to cause more pronounced weakness in the arms; Brown-Séquard presents with ipsilateral motor weakness and loss of proprioception/vibration, plus contralateral loss of pain and temperature; anterior cord syndrome disrupts motor and pain/temperature pathways with preserved proprioception and vibration.