Jerry was in an automobile accident that severed his spinal cord at the L3 level. After his recovery, he wonders if he will still be able to have an erection. What would you tell him?
What will be an ideal response?
Yes, he should still be able to have an erection as it is primarily controlled by a parasympathetic reflex that is controlled by the sacral region of the spinal cord (inferior to the injury). Tactile stimulation of the penis would initiate the parasympathetic reflex that controls erection. He would also be able to experience an erection via a sympathetic route, as this pathway would be controlled in the T12 to L2 area of the cord (superior to the injury). In this case, stimulation by higher centers would produce a decreased sympathetic tone in the vessels to the penis, resulting in an erection.
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Fill in the blank(s) with correct word
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