Autonomic function following cervical spinal cord injury. 2009

Andrei Krassioukov
International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries (ICORD), Department of Medicine, Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of British Columbia, GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre, Vancouver Health Authority, Vancouver V5Z 1M9, BC, Canada. krassioukov@icord.org

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is commonly associated with devastating paralysis. However, this condition also results in a variety of autonomic dysfunctions, primarily: cardiovascular, broncho-pulmonary, urinary, gastrointestinal, sexual, and thermoregulatory. SCI and the resultant unstable autonomic control are responsible for increased mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory disease among individuals with SCI. Injury level and severity directly correlate to the severity of autonomic dysfunctions following SCI. Following high cervical SCI, parasympathetic (vagal) control will remain intact, while the spinal sympathetic circuits will lose their tonic supraspinal autonomic control. On the other hand, in individuals with injury below the 5th thoracic segment, both the sympathetic and parasympathetic control of the heart and broncho-pulmonary tree are intact. As a result of injury level, individuals with quadriplegia versus those with paraplegia will have very different cardiovascular and respiratory responses. Furthermore, similar relationships can exist between the level of SCI and function of other organs that are under autonomic control (bladder, bowel, sweat glands, etc.). It is also important to appreciate that high cervical injuries result in significant respiratory dysfunctions due to the involvement of the diaphragm and a larger portion of the accessory respiratory muscles. Early recognition and timely management of autonomic dysfunctions in individuals with SCI are crucial for the long term health outcomes in this population.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D012143 Respiratory Physiological Phenomena Physiological processes and properties of the RESPIRATORY SYSTEM as a whole or of any of its parts. Respiratory Physiologic Processes,Respiratory Physiological Processes,Respiratory Physiology,Physiology, Respiratory,Pulmonary Physiological Phenomena,Pulmonary Physiological Phenomenon,Pulmonary Physiological Process,Pulmonary Physiological Processes,Respiratory Physiological Concepts,Respiratory Physiological Phenomenon,Respiratory Physiological Process,Concept, Respiratory Physiological,Concepts, Respiratory Physiological,Phenomena, Pulmonary Physiological,Phenomena, Respiratory Physiological,Phenomenas, Pulmonary Physiological,Phenomenas, Respiratory Physiological,Phenomenon, Pulmonary Physiological,Phenomenon, Respiratory Physiological,Phenomenons, Pulmonary Physiological,Phenomenons, Respiratory Physiological,Physiologic Processes, Respiratory,Physiological Concept, Respiratory,Physiological Concepts, Respiratory,Physiological Phenomena, Pulmonary,Physiological Phenomena, Respiratory,Physiological Phenomenas, Pulmonary,Physiological Phenomenas, Respiratory,Physiological Phenomenon, Pulmonary,Physiological Phenomenon, Respiratory,Physiological Phenomenons, Pulmonary,Physiological Phenomenons, Respiratory,Physiological Process, Pulmonary,Physiological Process, Respiratory,Physiological Processes, Pulmonary,Physiological Processes, Respiratory,Process, Pulmonary Physiological,Process, Respiratory Physiological,Processes, Pulmonary Physiological,Pulmonary Physiological Phenomenas,Pulmonary Physiological Phenomenons,Respiratory Physiological Concept,Respiratory Physiological Phenomenas,Respiratory Physiological Phenomenons
D002320 Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena Processes and properties of the CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM as a whole or of any of its parts. Cardiovascular Physiologic Processes,Cardiovascular Physiological Processes,Cardiovascular Physiology,Cardiovascular Physiological Concepts,Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomenon,Cardiovascular Physiological Process,Physiology, Cardiovascular,Cardiovascular Physiological Concept,Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomenas,Concept, Cardiovascular Physiological,Concepts, Cardiovascular Physiological,Phenomena, Cardiovascular Physiological,Phenomenon, Cardiovascular Physiological,Physiologic Processes, Cardiovascular,Physiological Concept, Cardiovascular,Physiological Concepts, Cardiovascular,Physiological Phenomena, Cardiovascular,Physiological Phenomenon, Cardiovascular,Physiological Process, Cardiovascular,Physiological Processes, Cardiovascular,Process, Cardiovascular Physiological,Processes, Cardiovascular Physiologic,Processes, Cardiovascular Physiological
D002574 Cervical Vertebrae The first seven VERTEBRAE of the SPINAL COLUMN, which correspond to the VERTEBRAE of the NECK. Cervical Spine,Cervical Spines,Spine, Cervical,Vertebrae, Cervical
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001342 Autonomic Nervous System Diseases Diseases of the AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, and enteric nervous systems. Autonomic Disorders,Central Autonomic Nervous System Diseases,Disorders of the Autonomic Nervous System,Dysautonomia,Nervous System Diseases, Autonomic,Nervous System Diseases, Parasympathetic,Nervous System Diseases, Sympathetic,Non-Familial Dysautonomia,Parasympathetic Nervous System Diseases,Peripheral Autonomic Nervous System Diseases,Sympathetic Nervous System Diseases,ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) Diseases,ANS Diseases,Autonomic Central Nervous System Diseases,Autonomic Diseases,Autonomic Nervous System Disorders,Autonomic Peripheral Nervous System Diseases,Segmental Autonomic Dysfunction,ANS Disease,Autonomic Disease,Autonomic Disorder,Autonomic Dysfunction, Segmental,Autonomic Dysfunctions, Segmental,Disorder, Autonomic,Dysautonomia, Non-Familial,Dysautonomias,Non Familial Dysautonomia,Non-Familial Dysautonomias,Segmental Autonomic Dysfunctions
D013119 Spinal Cord Injuries Penetrating and non-penetrating injuries to the spinal cord resulting from traumatic external forces (e.g., WOUNDS, GUNSHOT; WHIPLASH INJURIES; etc.). Myelopathy, Traumatic,Injuries, Spinal Cord,Post-Traumatic Myelopathy,Spinal Cord Contusion,Spinal Cord Laceration,Spinal Cord Transection,Spinal Cord Trauma,Contusion, Spinal Cord,Contusions, Spinal Cord,Cord Contusion, Spinal,Cord Contusions, Spinal,Cord Injuries, Spinal,Cord Injury, Spinal,Cord Laceration, Spinal,Cord Lacerations, Spinal,Cord Transection, Spinal,Cord Transections, Spinal,Cord Trauma, Spinal,Cord Traumas, Spinal,Injury, Spinal Cord,Laceration, Spinal Cord,Lacerations, Spinal Cord,Myelopathies, Post-Traumatic,Myelopathies, Traumatic,Myelopathy, Post-Traumatic,Post Traumatic Myelopathy,Post-Traumatic Myelopathies,Spinal Cord Contusions,Spinal Cord Injury,Spinal Cord Lacerations,Spinal Cord Transections,Spinal Cord Traumas,Transection, Spinal Cord,Transections, Spinal Cord,Trauma, Spinal Cord,Traumas, Spinal Cord,Traumatic Myelopathies,Traumatic Myelopathy

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