Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) Practice Exam

What is a common symptom experienced by patients who suffer from both pain and temperature loss on different sides of their body?

1. Impaired upper extremity strength

2. Loss of proprioception on the same side as the lesion

3. Sensation of tingling with temperature changes

4. Differences in muscle tone

The correct answer is: Loss of proprioception on the same side as the lesion

The symptom of loss of proprioception occurring on the same side as the lesion is consistent with neurological pathways and the effects of lesions on the nervous system. In the context of pain and temperature loss experienced on different sides of the body, it suggests that there is an interruption in the nerve pathways that carry these sensory modalities. Proprioception, which refers to the body's ability to perceive its own position in space, is primarily mediated by the dorsal columns of the spinal cord and the spinocerebellar pathways. When there is a lesion affecting proprioceptive pathways, proprioceptive feedback is compromised on the same side as the lesion. This occurs because sensory signals from one side of the body will cross over to the opposite side at various points in the central nervous system. Loss of temperature and pain sensation can occur on the opposite side of a lesion, often seen in cases such as brown-sequard syndrome, where hemisection of the spinal cord results in differing symptoms on either side of the body due to the crossing nature of the involved nerve tracts. Therefore, the correct choice reflects the understanding of how proprioceptive and sensory pathways are organized in the nervous system and the implications of neurological damage.