Brown-Sequard syndrome affects which side of the body in terms of touch and position sense?

• A. Contralateral side
• B. Ipsilateral side
• C. Both sides equally
• D. None of the above

Answer: (B)

Brown-Sequard syndrome results from a hemisection of the spinal cord, which can occur due to trauma, tumors, or demyelinating diseases. This syndrome affects the body in a specific pattern due to the way sensory pathways cross over within the central nervous system.

In Brown-Sequard syndrome, touch and position sense—also known as proprioception—are impacted on the same side of the body as the injury. This is attributed to the pathways responsible for these sensations (the dorsal columns) decussating (crossing over) at a higher level in the brainstem. Therefore, if the spinal cord is damaged on the right, the right side of the body will lose touch and position sense while the left side remains intact.

This phenomenon of ipsilateral loss is critical for understanding the clinical presentations associated with spinal cord injuries and assessing the extent of damage.