Tina falls while climbing a tree and lands on her back.Her frightened parents take her to the emergency room,where she is examined.Her knee-jerk reflex is normal and she exhibits a plantar reflex (negative Babinski reflex).These results suggest that Tina has
A)injured one of her descending nerve tracts.
B)injured one of her ascending nerve tracts.
C)a spinal injury in the lumbar region.
D)a spinal injury in the cervical region.
E)suffered no damage to her spinal cord.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tina's normal knee-jerk reflex and negative Babinski reflex suggest that there is no damage to her spinal cord. The knee-jerk reflex tests the integrity of the sensory and motor neurons involved in the reflex arc, which are located in the lumbar region of the spinal cord. The Babinski reflex, on the other hand, tests the integrity of the descending nerve tracts that control voluntary movement, which are located in the cervical region of the spinal cord. Because Tina's reflexes are normal, it is likely that she has suffered no damage to her spinal cord.

Tina Falls While Climbing a Tree and Lands on Her