what area of the spinal cord is destroyed when a person gets polio?
Since this is not my area of expertise, I searched Google under the key words "polio spinal cord" to get this:
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=polio+spinal+cord&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
In the future, you can find the information you desire more quickly, if you use appropriate key words to do your own search. Also see http://hanlib.sou.edu/searchtools/.
When a person contracts polio, the virus primarily affects the gray matter of the spinal cord. More specifically, it targets the motor neurons located in the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord. These motor neurons are responsible for sending signals from the brain to the muscles, allowing them to contract and move.
To better understand this, it is helpful to know a bit about the structure of the spinal cord. The spinal cord consists of a central canal surrounded by gray matter, which contains nerve cell bodies, and white matter, which contains nerve fibers. The gray matter is further divided into regions known as horns. The anterior horn contains motor neurons that control voluntary muscle movement.
When poliovirus infects a person, it enters the body and travels through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. It then reaches the motor neurons in the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord, where it multiplies and causes damage. This damage leads to the destruction of these motor neurons, interfering with the normal transmission of signals from the brain to the muscles.
As a result, individuals with polio may experience muscle weakness, paralysis, and loss of muscle control in the affected areas. The specific areas affected by polio depend on which parts of the spinal cord are damaged.
It's important to note that while polio primarily affects the spinal cord, it can also impact other parts of the nervous system, such as the brainstem, leading to additional symptoms.