Table 1.

Neurological signs compatible with disease in the four segments of the spinal cord

Clinical abnormality	C1-C5 spinal cord localization	C6-T2 spinal cord localization	T3-L3 spinal cord localization	L4-S3 spinal cord localization
Ataxia	Affects trunk and all four limbs	Affects trunk and all four limbs	Only affects the pelvic limbs	Only affects the pelvic limbs (and less commonly than with T3-L3 lesions)
Paresis/plegia	Hemi-, tetra-	Hemi-, tetra-	Mono- (rare), para-	Mono- (rare), para-
Proprioceptive deficits	In all four limbs or lateralized to one side	In all four limbs or lateralized to one side	In one (rare) or both pelvic limbs	In one (rare) or both pelvic limbs
Thoracic limb spinal reflexes	Intact	Reduced to absent	Intact	Intact
Pelvic limb spinal reflexes	Intact	Intact	Intact	Reduced to absent
Hyperesthesia	Cervical	Cervical	Thoracolumbar	Lumbosacral
Panniculus reflex	Intact	Absent/decreased motor response ipsilaterally (rare); central sensory response intact	Sometimes abnormal from approximately 1–2 vertebral lengths cranial to the lesion and caudally	Intact
Muscle tone	Normal to increased in all four limbs	Reduced in thoracic limbs; normal to increased in pelvic limbs	Normal to increased in pelvic limbs	Reduced in pelvic limbs
Others	—	Ipsilateral Horner's syndrome (rare)	Possible urinary retention and fecal incontinence	Urinary dysfunction (retention or incontinence); tail paresis; fecal incontinence; decreased perineal reflex