Question

Homeostasis of the spinal cord : Discuss how the organ responds to maintain homeostasis in the body. Prediction: Predict the types of problems that would occur in this organ if it could not maintain homeostasis.

Answer 1

Spinal cord is a part of central nervous system extending from medulla oblangata and terminates at L1-L2.
The body maintains homeostasis through a homeostasis loop. The loop consists of a controlled variable which when increases or decreases disturbs the homeostasis which results in activation of reseptors. These receptors sends sensory signals to the integrating  centre. The integrating centre then sends motor signals to effector muscle or organ to alter the activity which establishes the homeostasis.
The sensory signals sent from the receptor to the integrating centre are passed on through spinal cord with the help of ascending tracts. Sensory nerves synapse in the first order sensory neurons of spinal cord. The information is then relayed to second order neurons in medulla. The second order neurons synapse with third order neuron in thalamus. The thalamus then relays the sensory information to the cerebral cortex.
The cerebral cortex process the information and generates motor signsls. The motor signals then descends down to upper and lower motor neuron in spinal cord with the help of descending tracts. The motor information is then carried on from the spinal cord to the effector organ through peripheral nervous system.
So we can say that spinal cord plays a very important role in transfer of sensory and motor signals and acts as conduit between the brain and different body parts.
Any damage to the spinal cord will result in disruption of homeostasis loop. Spinal cord damage will result in sensory and motor loss corresponding to the level of spinal cprd injury.
Some of the common spinal cord pathologies that can damage spinal cord resulting in homeostasis disruption are :

1. traumatic spinal cord injury

2. spinal cord infections such as transverse myelitis, spinal cord abscess

3. syringomyelia

4. Spinal tumors