Brown-Séquard syndrome due to right hemicord lesion at T6 produces which combination of deficits?

• A Left spastic paresis below T6; left loss of proprioception/vibration; right loss of pain/temperature
• B Bilateral spastic paresis; bilateral loss of all modalities below T6
• C Right spastic paresis below T6; right loss of proprioception/vibration below T6; left loss of pain/temperature below T8 ✓
• D Right loss of all modalities below T6; contralateral motor function preserved

Explanation

Hemisection of the right half of the spinal cord at T6 (Brown-Séquard syndrome) produces: (1) ipsilateral (right) UMN (spastic) paresis below the lesion — corticospinal tract is ipsilateral; (2) ipsilateral (right) loss of proprioception and vibration below T6 — dorsal column travels ipsilaterally to the medulla; (3) contralateral (left) loss of pain and temperature starting 1–2 segments below the lesion (below approximately T8) — spinothalamic tract already crossed before ascending. There is also an ipsilateral band of LMN signs (flaccid paralysis) and ipsilateral loss of all modalities at the level of the lesion itself. Complete bilateral loss would be a complete cord transection.

Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.