What condition is characterized by spinal cord damage that results in loss of sensory or motor function in the lower trunk and legs?

The condition characterized by spinal cord damage leading to loss of sensory or motor function specifically in the lower trunk and legs is paraplegia. This occurs due to injury or damage to the spinal cord, usually in the thoracic, lumbar, or sacral regions, which results in paralysis of the lower body while the upper body retains normal function.

In contrast, quadriplegia affects all four limbs and is typically the result of higher-level spinal cord injuries, often at the cervical level. Conditions like cerebral palsy arise from brain injury during early development and impact motor function in various ways but are not classified based on spinal cord lesions. Multiple sclerosis is a progressive disease affecting the central nervous system and can lead to a variety of symptoms, but it isn't defined by a specific loss of function in the lower trunk and legs like paraplegia is. Thus, the specific loss of function in only the lower body directly aligns with the definition of paraplegia.