ɪn ɐ pˈeɪʃənt wɪð ɐ spˈaɪnəl kˈoːɹd lˈiːʒən, ðə dᵻsˈɛndɪŋ ɔːtənˈɑːmɪk pˈæθweɪz ðæt ɑːɹ ɹᵻspˈɑːnsᵻbəl fɚðə sˈuːpɹəspˈaɪnəl kəmjˌuːnɪkˈeɪʃən wɪððɪ ˌɛspˌiːˈɛn ɑːɹ ˌɪntɚɹˈʌptᵻd, ɹɪzˈʌltɪŋ ɪn dˈiːkɹiːst sˌɪmpəθˈɛɾɪk aʊtflˈoʊ bᵻlˌoʊ ðə lˈɛvəl ʌvðɪ ˈɪndʒɚɹi.
In a patient with a spinal cord lesion, the descending autonomic pathways that are responsible for the supraspinal communication with the SPN are interrupted, resulting in decreased sympathetic outflow below the level of the injury.