In Brown-Séquard syndrome following a right hemisection of the spinal cord at T6, which combination of findings is correct?
- A Right: loss of pain and temperature; Left: loss of proprioception and motor
- B Bilateral loss of all modalities at and below the lesion level
- C Right: loss of proprioception and motor; Left: loss of pain and temperature — loss of pain/temperature begins 2 segments below the lesion ✓
- D Right: loss of pain and temperature beginning exactly at T6; Left: loss of motor and proprioception
Correct answer: C. Right: loss of proprioception and motor; Left: loss of pain and temperature — loss of pain/temperature begins 2 segments below the lesion
Explanation
Right T6 hemisection causes ipsilateral (right) loss of proprioception, vibration, and fine touch (dorsal column, uncrossed) plus ipsilateral UMN weakness below the lesion (corticospinal tract, uncrossed at this level). Contralateral pain/temperature loss (spinothalamic tract, crossed) begins 2–3 segments below T6 (approximately T8–T9) because spinothalamic fibers ascend 2–3 segments before crossing. There is no bilateral loss; the syndrome is characterized by this dissociated contralateral sensory loss.
Reference: BD Chaurasia's Human Anatomy, 8th ed.
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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.