Health Assessment Neurological System NCLEX Questions Related

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What is the consequence for the ability of motor neurons to find their correct targets, if a section of the spinal cord is rotated, so that the antero-posterior axis is reversed?

  • A. Anterior motor neurons enter the limb in a bundle in the posterior instead of the anterior, but then take novel pathways to find the correct anterior muscles to innervate.
  • B. Anterior motor neurons enter the limb in a bundle in the posterior instead of the anterior, and follow pathways intended for posterior neurons to make contacts with posterior muscles.
  • C. Anterior motor neurons change their course to enter the limb in the anterior, but take their usual pathways to find the correct anterior muscles.
  • D. The motor neurons grow over to the other side of the spinal cord and resume their normal pathways into muscles on their normal side of the body.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: When the antero-posterior axis of the spinal cord is reversed, motor neurons follow their intrinsic programming and enter the limb in the reversed position. They then innervate muscles based on their new position, leading to incorrect connections. This demonstrates the importance of spatial cues in guiding motor neurons to their correct targets.