17/18. Spinal Cord & Nerves Flashcards
Overview of spinal cord
Part of CNS, communicates with body by spinal (peripheral) nerves
Link between brain and body through white matter tracks
Major center for reflexes in gray matter
Divided into segments based on associated vertebrae
Ends at the level of L1
Spinal cord protected by
Vertebral column (occupies vertebral canal)
Meninges (dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater)
Cerebrospinal fluid that flows in subarachnoid space
General features of spinal cord
Spinal nerves leave spinal cord through intervertebral foramina to travel to targets
Spinal cord does not extend the full length of vertebral canal
Cauda equina present
Filum terminale also present
Conus medullaris
Cone-shaped end of spinal cord
Cauda equina
Continuation of nerve roots in vertebral canal
Fillum terminale
Continuation of pia mater beyond conus medullaris
Anchors to coccyx and tethers spinal cord
Development of spinal cord
After 3 months of development, spinal cord grows more slowly than vertebral column
At birth, ends at L3
Adulthood, ends a L1
Lumbar puncture
Clinical correlate performed below L1 where spinal cord does not extend
Regions of spinal cord
Spinal cord segments are sections of spinal cord with a pair of spinal nerves attached
Segments: cervical (8), thoracic (12), lumbar (5), sacral (5)
Cervical and lumbar regions are enlarged for innervation for upper and lower extremities, respectively
Naming for spinal cord segments
Named for spinal nerve that emerges
Cervical - nerve # corresponds with vertebra below
Thoracic and lower - nerve # corresponds with vertebra above
Features of cross-section of spinal cord
Gray matter, white matter, and central canal
Characteristics of gray matter of spinal cord
Mostly cell bodies
Interior, looks like butterfly
Posterior wings = dorsal horn
Anterior wings = ventral horn
Characteristics of white matter of spinal cord
Mostly myelinated axons
Located on outside
Communication between different parts of cord and brain
Characteristics of central canal in spinal cord
Contains CSF
Neurons of spinal cord
In the back, out the front (dorsal root for sensory input and ventral root for motor output)
Neurons include sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons
Spinal nerves join ventral and dorsal roots and contain both sensory and motor neurons
Characteristics of sensory neurons of spinal cord
Unipolar
Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is a cluster of cell bodies
Attaches at dorsal root
Characteristics of interneurons of spinal cord
Multipolar
Cell bodies in dorsal horn