Effects of pyramidal tract damage

When the pyramidal tract is damaged, the brain loses its inhibitory effect on the brainstem and spinal cord, resulting in abnormal reflexes. Infants and young children under 18 months old may experience the above-mentioned reflex phenomenon because their pyramidal tracts are not fully developed. This is not a pathological phenomenon. If it occurs in adult patients, it is a pathological reflex. This will cause many diseases because the brain loses control and command and action are interrupted. Let's take a look at the impact of pyramidal tract damage.

Classification

1. Babinski sign: The person being examined lies on his back with his lower limbs straight. The doctor holds the person's ankle and uses a blunt-tipped bamboo stick to scratch the lateral edge of the sole from back to front to the heel of the little toe and then turns to the inside. A normal reaction is plantar flexion, and a positive reaction is dorsiflexion of the big toe with the remaining toes spreading out in a fan shape.

2. Chaddock's sign: Use a bamboo stick to scratch the outer edge of the dorsum of the foot below the lateral malleolus from back to front to the metatarsophalangeal joint.

3. Oppenheim sign: The doctor uses his thumb and index finger to press down from top to bottom along the front edge of the tibia being examined.

4. Gordon's sign: During the examination, pinch the gastrocnemius muscle with your hands with a certain force.

2. Clinical manifestations

1. Babinski's sign: The patient lies in the supine position: a blunt-tipped stimulator is used to prick the lateral edge of the patient's foot, from the heel forward to the base of the little toe and then turns inward, causing the big toe to dorsiflex and the other four toes to flex and fan out, which is called the "open fan sign" and is a typical positive manifestation of the Babinski's sign. The second method is to stimulate the outer edge of the sole so that only the big toe dorsiflexes, while the other four toes neither flex nor fan out. The third method is to stimulate the outside of the sole of the foot, with the big toe and the other four toes dorsiflexed, accompanied by the four toes spreading out in a fan shape. Clinically, if there is a "fanning sign" of the toes but no dorsiflexion of the big toe, we can only consider the possibility of pyramidal tract injury, but cannot confirm that it is a positive Babinski sign.

2. Gordon's sign: The patient lies flat on his back, and the examiner squeezes the gastrocnemius muscle. If dorsiflexion of the great toe occurs, it is positive. Its clinical significance is the same as Babinski's sign.

3. Chadock's sign: The patient lies supine with both lower limbs straight. Use a blunt object to gently scratch the skin on the outer side of the dorsum of the foot from back to front. If dorsiflexion of the big toe occurs, it is a positive sign. Its sensitivity and clinical significance are the same as those of Babinski's sign.

After reading the effects of pyramidal tract damage above, you can have a brief understanding of its classification and clinical manifestations. The main thing is to grasp its essential problem. Its main manifestation is problems with the brain's control over other organs of the body. This will cause many diseases, so everyone will know the seriousness of the situation.