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 |