Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

anatomy > An Introduction to the Spinal Cord, Spinal Nerves, and Spinal Reflexes > Flashcards

An Introduction to the Spinal Cord, Spinal Nerves, and Spinal Reflexes Flashcards

1
Q

What is a spinal reflex?

A

It is a rapid, automatic nerve responses triggered by specific stimuli.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are spinal reflexes controlled by?

A

They are controlled by the spinal cord alone (not the brain).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

A sensory receptor is triggered and the sensory input travels over _____ nerves to the reflex centres in the brain.

A

cranial

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

The brain sends a _____ _____ over cranial nerves to the _______.

A

motor output

effectors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

A sensory receptor is triggered and the sensory input travels over _____ nerves to the reflex centres in the spinal cord.

A

Spinal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

The spinal cord sends a _____ _____ over spinal nerves to the _______.

A

motor output

effectors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Muscles, Glands and Adipose tissues are all examples of what?

A

Effectors

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

The spinal _____ is about 18 inches _____ and 1/2 inch ______.

A

cord, long, wide

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

The spinal cord itself is not as long as the ______ _______.

A

vertebral column

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Where does the spinal cord end?

A

Between vertebrae L1 and L2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

The spinal cord has bilateral ________.

A

symmetry

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What do the grooves do to the spinal cord?

A

They divide the spinal cord into left and right.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Name the 2 grooves of the spinal cord.

A
  • Posterior median sulcus – on posterior side

* Anterior median fissure – deeper groove on anterior side

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What are enlargements of the spinal cord caused by?

A

The amount of gray matter in segment

The involvement with sensory and motor nerves of limbs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Name the 2 spinal cord enlargements.

A

Cervical enlargement and Lumbar enlargement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the role of the cervical enlargement?

A

Supplies nerves (innervation) to the shoulders and upper limbs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What is the role of the lumbar enlargement?

A

Provides innervation (supplies nerves) to structures of the pelvis and lower limbs.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What do the conus medullaris, filum terminale and cauda equina make up?

A

The distal end of the spinal cord.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is the name of the thin, conical spinal cord below lumbar enlargement?

A

Conus medullaris

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Name the thin thread of fibrous tissue at end of conus medullaris that attaches to the coccygeal ligament.

A

Filum Terminale

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the Cauda Equina?

A

Nerve roots extending below conus medullaris

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Spinal cord segments are based on ______ where spinal nerves originate.

A

vertebrae

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Positions of spinal segment and vertebrae change with _______.

A

age.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Cervical nerves are named for ______ vertebra whereas all other nerves are named for _____ vertebra.

A

inferior, superior.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
The two branches of spinal nerves are known as ____.
roots
26
Name the 2 roots of the spinal nerves.
Ventral root and Dorsal root.
27
What does the ventral root contain?
The ventral root contains axons of motor neurons.
28
What does the dorsal root contain?
The dorsal root contains axons of sensory neurons.
29
What contain the cell bodies of sensory neurons?
Dorsal Root Ganglia.
30
Distal to _____ root _____, the sensory and the motor ____ are bound together into a single _____ _______.
dorsal, ganglion, roots, spinal nerve.
31
What fibres to mixed nerves carry?
They carry both afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) fibres.
32
What are the spinal meninges?
Specialized membranes that isolate the spinal cord from its surroundings.
33
Name 3 functions of the spinal meninges.
* Protecting spinal cord against bumps and shocks to the skin of the back * Carrying blood supply * Continuous with cranial meninges, which surround the brain
34
What is the viral or bacterial infection of meninges known as?
Meningitis
35
Name the 3 meningeal layers.
Dura mater Arachnoid mater Pia mater
36
The dura mater is the _____ layer of the spinal cord.
Outer
37
Name the middle meningeal layer.
Arachnoid mater
38
Name the inner meningeal layer.
Pia mater
39
What meningeal layer is tough and fibrous?
Dura mater
40
The dura layer contains dense ____ fibres that are orientated along the ______ axis of the cord.
collagen | longitudinal
41
The inner surface of the dura mater and the outer surface of the arachnoid mater are covered by simple ______ ________.
squamous epithelia
42
What is the epithelium on the outer surface of the arachnoid called?
The arachnoid membrane
43
What layer is a mesh of collagen and elastic fibres?
Pia Mater
44
Pia mater is bound to underlying _____ ______.
Neural tissue
45
The interlayer space between the dura mater and arachnoid mater is known as the _____ ______.
Subdural space
46
The interlayer space between the arachnoid mater and pia mater is known as the _____ ______.
Subarachnoid space
47
What does the subarachnoid space contain?
Arachnoid trabeculae (collagen and elastin fibre network)
48
What is the subarachnoid space filled with?
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
49
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) acts as a _____ _______.
Shock Absorber.
50
CSF carries dissolved ____, ______ and ______.
gases, nutrients and wastes.
51
Name the 2 types of matter.
Gray matter and white matter
52
White matter is _______.
superficial
53
What does white matter contain?
myelinated and unmyelinated axons
54
What does gray matter surround?
The central canal of the spinal cord
55
What does gray matter contain?
neuron cell bodies, neuroglia and unmyelinated axons
56
What are the projections of gray matter called?
Gray Horns
57
Name the 3 types of gray horns.
Posterior Gray Horns Anterior Gray Horns Lateral Gray Horns PAL :)
58
_________ gray horns contain somatic and visceral sensory nuclei.
Posterior
59
What type of gray horns contain somatic motor nuclei?
Anterior Gray Horns
60
Where are lateral gray horns in?
They are in thoracic and lumbar segments
61
What do later gray horns contain?
visceral motor nuclei
62
Axons that cross from one side of cord to the other before reaching gray matter are called _________ ___________.
Gray Commissures
63
The cell bodies of neurons form functional groups called _______.
nuclei
64
What do both motor nuclei and sensory nuclei connect to?
Peripheral Effectors
65
Where are sensory nuclei found?
Dorsal/posterior
66
Where are motor nuclei found?
Ventral/anterior
67
What does sensory or motor nucleus location within gray matter determine?
It determines what body part it controls.
68
On each side of the spinal cord, in medial to lateral sequence, name what the somatic motor nuclei control.
1. Muscles that control the pectorial girdle 2. Muscles that move the arm 3. Muscles that move the forearm and hand 4. Muscles that move the hand and fingers
69
Because the spinal cord is so highly organised, what can we predict?
We can predict which muscles will be affected by damage to a specific area of gray matter.
70
The white matter on each side of the spinal cord can be divided into 3 regions called _______.
columns
71
Name the 3 white columns.
Posterior White Columns Anterior White Columns Lateral White Columns PAL
72
Where do Posterior White Columns lie?
between posterior gray horns and posterior median sulcus.
73
_________ white columns lie between anterior gray horns and anterior median fissure.
Anterior
74
Anterior white commissure is an area where ______ _______ from one side of the _____ _____ to the ______.
axons, cross, spinal cord, other
75
Lateral white columns are located on each side of the spinal cord between _____ and ______ columns.
anterior, posterior.
76
Each column contains ______ whose axons share functional and structural characteristics.
tracts
77
Name this- a bundle of axons in the CNS that is somewhat uniform with respect to diameter, myelination and speed.
A tract
78
All axons within a tract relay the same type of _______ (____ or ______) in the same ______.
information, sensory, motor, direction
79
Where do ascending tracts carry information to?
The brain
80
What do descending tracts do?
Carry motor commands to the spinal cord.
81
The spinal cord has a narrow ___ ____.
central canal
82
What is the central canal surrounded by?
gray matter
83
gray matter is covered by a thick layer of ________ -__________.
white matter
84
_______ matter consists of ascending and descending axons.
white
85
The central nervous system is made up of the _____and ________
brain and spinal cord
86
What makes up the PNS?
Cranial nerves and spinal nerves.
87
Define spinal reflex.
A spinal reflex is a rapid, automatic response triggered by specific stimuli. Spinal reflexes are controlled in the spinal cord.
88
Identify the three spinal meninges.
Dura mater Arachnoid mater Pia mater
89
Damage to which root of a spinal nerve would interfere with motor function?
The ventral root of the spinal nerve
90
Differentiate between sensory nuclei and motor nuclei
Sensory nuclei- Relay and receive SENSORY information FROM peripheral RECEPTORS but Motor nuclei ISSUE MOTOR COMANDS TO peripheral EFFECTORS
91
A disease that damages myelin sheaths would affect which portion of the spinal cord?
The columns in the white matter of the spinal cord, because the columns are composed of bundles of myelinated axons.

anatomy (31 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions