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.
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.