Final answer:
Reflexive bowel disorders are typically related to Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) at the thoracic (upper back) level due to the interruption of pathways critical for autonomic bowel function.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reflexive bowel disorders are related to the autonomic nervous system's ability to regulate bowel function, which can be impacted by Spinal Cord Injury (SCI). This kind of injury can occur at various levels of the spinal column, with different consequences depending on the point of damage.
As described in the reference material, the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system, which plays a key role in organ system regulation, including bowel function, has connections primarily emerging from the thoracic and upper lumbar spinal cord, comprising the thoracolumbar system.
A SCI above the lumbar level can subsequently affect the sympathetic system, which is crucial for coordinated bowel movements and reflexes. More specifically, a SCI at the thoracic level can impact these reflexes significantly. This is because thoracic injuries disrupt the nerve pathways that facilitate communication between the brain and the organ systems controlled by the thoracolumbar outflow, including the bowel.
Testing for reflexive responses in the abdomen, as demonstrated in the provided video, indicates that if there is no contraction when the skin lateral to the umbilicus is stimulated, it suggests a problem with the thoracic segments of the spinal cord. Therefore, SCI at the thoracic level is typically associated with reflexive bowel disorders.