Chapter 11: The Nervous System Flashcards
how many pairs of spinal nerves do humans have?
31 pairs
cervical nerves
8 (C1-C8)
thoracic nerves
12 (T1-T12)
lumbar nerves
5 (L1-L5)
sacral nerves
5 (S1-S5)
coccygeal nerves
1 (Co)
cauda equina
formed by descending roots of lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal nerves
what type of nerves are spinal nerves?
mixed, except first pair (motor)
how does each spinal nerve split?
into a dorsal & ventral root inside the vertebral column
posterior (dorsal) root
- sensory
- posterior root ganglion
posterior root ganglion
contains cell bodies of sensory neurons whose axons conduct impulses from peripheral body parts into spinal cord
anterior (ventral) root
- motor
- axons of motor neurons whose cell bodies are in the spinal cord
spinal nerve
- union of anterior & posterior roots
- mixed
- 4 branches
4 spinal nerve branches (outside spinal cord)
- meningeal
- posterior branch/ramus
- anterior branch/ramus
- visceral (only thoracic & lumbar)
nerve plexuses
complex network forms by anterior rami (branches) of spinal nerves
where are nerve plexuses NOT located?
T1-T12; instead the anterior rami become intercostal nerves
3 nerve plexuses
- cervical
- brachial
- lumbosacral
cervical plexus
- formed by anterior rami of C1-C4 spinal nerves
- deep in neck
- supply muscles & skin of neck
- C3-C5 contribute to phrenic nerves, which transmit motor impulses to diaphragm
why are C3, C4, & C5 nerves important?
they contribute to phrenic nerves, which transmit motor impulses to diaphragm
brachial plexus
- formed by anterior branches C5-T1
- deep in shoulders
- 5 branches