Which spinal cord syndrome results from injury to the anterior portion of the spinal cord, causing paralysis and loss of pain and temperature below the level of injury, while light touch is preserved?

• A. Anterior cord syndrome
• B. Brown-Sequard syndrome
• C. Central cord syndrome
• D. Spinal shock

Answer: (A)

The pattern described is classic for anterior cord syndrome. When the anterior two-thirds of the spinal cord are damaged, the corticospinal tract that carries voluntary movement and the spinothalamic tract that transmits pain and temperature are disrupted. This produces paralysis below the level of injury and loss of pain and temperature sense below that level. The dorsal columns, which carry fine touch, proprioception, and vibration, are spared, so light touch is preserved. That combination—motor loss and loss of pain/temperature with preservation of fine touch—fits the anterior cord syndrome.

Why the other options don’t fit: Brown-Sequard would produce a mix of ipsilateral motor and proprioceptive loss with contralateral pain and temperature loss—not the straightforward pattern described. Central cord syndrome often affects the upper extremities more than the lower and has a different sensory-motor profile. Spinal shock is an acute, transient state causing generalized flaccid paralysis and absent reflexes early after injury, not a selective tract syndrome with preserved light touch.