Asked by Brykeisha Morrison on May 14, 2024
Verified
A patient has a severed spinal nerve as a result of trauma. Which statement is true in this situation?
A) Because there are 31 pairs of spinal nerves, no effect results if only one nerve is severed.
B) The dermatome served by this nerve will no longer experience any sensation.
C) The adjacent spinal nerves will continue to carry sensations for the dermatome served by the severed nerve.
D) A severed spinal nerve will only affect motor function of the patient because spinal nerves have no sensory component.
Spinal Nerve
One of the nerves that stem from the spinal cord, responsible for transmitting signals between the body and the spinal cord.
Dermatome
An area of skin supplied by sensory nerves stemming from a single spinal nerve root, important in defining patterns of sensation and diagnosing nerve or spinal cord injuries.
Trauma
A physical or psychological injury or wound, often resulting from an intense stressor or event.
- Specify the anatomical constituents and their activities in the nervous system.
- Distinguish between normal and pathological neurological findings.
Verified Answer
DW
Destayne WhitenerMay 17, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
A dermatome is a circumscribed skin area that is primarily supplied from one spinal cord segment through a particular spinal nerve. The dermatomes overlap, which is a form of biologic insurance; that is, if one nerve is severed, then most of the sensations can be transmitted by the spinal nerve above and the spinal nerve below the severed nerve.
Learning Objectives
- Specify the anatomical constituents and their activities in the nervous system.
- Distinguish between normal and pathological neurological findings.