Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN) Practice Exam

Which condition is associated with autonomous areflexic bladder dysfunction?

1. Involvement of only sensory components of the spinal cord

2. Involvement of motor components without sensory components

3. Involvement of both motor and sensory components of the sacral segments of the spinal cord

4. Involvement of cervical spinal segments

The correct answer is: Involvement of both motor and sensory components of the sacral segments of the spinal cord

Autonomous areflexic bladder dysfunction is typically associated with the involvement of both motor and sensory components of the sacral segments of the spinal cord. This condition occurs when there is a disruption in the normal neural pathways that control bladder function. In autonomous areflexic bladder dysfunction, the bladder does not respond to stimuli in a typical manner because the reflex arc involving sensory input from the bladder to the spinal cord and the motor output from the spinal cord to the bladder is interrupted. Specifically, damage to the sacral segments affects the neural circuits responsible for both feeling when the bladder is full (sensory components) and the ability to initiate bladder contraction (motor components), leading to a condition where the bladder can fill but cannot empty effectively or reflexively. Understanding this connection helps in grasping the importance of functional anatomy in relation to bladder disorders, especially in rehabilitation nursing, where managing bladder function is vital for patient quality of life.