Primary effects of CNS lesions typically include which impairments?

• A. Motor control, sensory processing, and cognitive functions.
• B. Only motor control.
• C. Only sensory processing.
• D. No effect on cognitive functions.

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that damage to the central nervous system often disrupts multiple functional systems because movement, sensation, and higher-level thinking are all supported by interconnected brain networks. When a CNS lesion occurs, it can interrupt motor pathways, leading to impaired motor control; it can damage sensory pathways or cortical areas responsible for processing touch, proprioception, and pain, causing sensory processing deficits; and if cortical areas involved in memory, attention, or executive function are affected, cognitive functions decline as well. This combination reflects how integrated brain functions are, and why cognitive changes can accompany motor and sensory problems after CNS injury. The other possibilities are too narrow or incorrect: lesions aren’t typically limited to just one domain, and cognitive effects are common when cortical regions are involved.