HS1-5 Spinal Cord

Question 1

Where, in terms of vertebrae, does the spinal cord end in adults?

Answer 1

ends at L1-L2 vertebral level in adults

Question 2

What is referred pain?

Answer 2

pain felt at a site other than the site where it is caused

Question 3

What are the three largest plexuses in the body?

Answer 3

cervical; brachial; lumbosacral

Question 4

Define dermatome.

Answer 4

area of skin innervated by a single spinal nerve

Question 5

Define myotome.

Answer 5

group of muscles innervated by single spinal nerve

Question 6

What is the cervical enlargement?

Answer 6

results from large # of neurons required to innervate upper limbs, extending from C5 to T1

Question 7

Where is the cervical enlargement widest?

Answer 7

opposite C6

Question 8

What is the lumbosacral enlargement?

Answer 8

results from large # of neurons required to innervate lower limbs, extending from L1 to S1

Question 9

Where is the lumbosacral enlargement widest?

Answer 9

opposite T12

Question 10

Describe the ventral/anterior horn of gray matter.

Answer 10

contains motor neurons that supply skeletal muscles; contains interneurons responsible for reflexes and coordination of movement

Question 11

Describe the dorsal/posterior horn of gray matter.

Answer 11

mainly contains interneurons and projection neurons

Question 12

The dorsal/posterior horn of gray matter is primarily concerned with

Answer 12

processing of sensory information

Question 13

Where are preganglionic sympathetic neurons located?

Answer 13

intermediate gray matter

Question 14

How many spinal nerves are there?

Answer 14

31

Question 15

How is each spinal nerve connected to the spinal cord?

Answer 15

via two roots — a ventral/anterior one and a dorsal/posterior one

Question 16

What kind of axon does the ventral root carry?

Answer 16

efferent (outgoing) motor axons

Question 17

Where in the spinal cord are the cell bodies of efferent motor axons found?

Answer 17

in the gray matter

Question 18

What kind of axon does the dorsal root carry?

Answer 18

afferent (incoming) sensory axons

Question 19

Where are the cell bodies of sensory axons found?

Answer 19

in the dorsal root ganglia, near the intervertebral foramen

Question 20

What is the outermost meningeal layer?

Answer 20

dura mater

Question 21

What are the attachments of the spinal dural sac?

Answer 21

foramen magnum of cramium superiorly, and inferiorly to the coccyx

Question 22

Where does the spinal dural sac end?

Answer 22

S2-S3 level

Question 23

What is the intermediate meningeal layer?

Answer 23

arachnoid mater

Question 24

In what space is CSF found?

Answer 24

subarachnoid space

Question 25

How is the arachnoid mater attached to the dura?

Answer 25

it’s actually not attached to the dura, but the arachnoid mater is held in place by the pressure of CSF

Question 26

What is the innermost meningeal layer?

Answer 26

pia mater

Question 27

Describe the features of the pia mater.

Answer 27

thin; transparent

Question 28

Why is the pia mater important for the dorsal and ventral roots of a spinal nerve?

Answer 28

it covers each ventral and dorsal root filament as far laterally as the intervertebral foramen

Question 29

What happens to the pia mater as it progresses inferiorly down the spinal cord?

Answer 29

it becomes a thin thread called the filum terminale and attaches to the inferior end of the dural sac

Question 30

What is the function of the denticulate ligaments?

Answer 30

stabilize the spinal cord within the dural sac

Question 31

What is the epidural space?

Answer 31

space located between dura mater and bone of vertebral canal; filled with fat and internal venous vertebral plexus

Question 32

What is the subdural space?

Answer 32

potential space between arachnoid and dural layers

Question 33

Anatomically speaking, what is a subdural hematoma?

Answer 33

bleeding into the subdural space, which is the space between the arachnoid and dural layers

Question 34

What is the subarachnoid space?

Answer 34

space located between the pia and arachnoid layers, extending inferiorly to the S2-S3 level

Question 35

The subarachnoid space is filled with

Answer 35

CSF

Question 36

The subarachnoid space specifically between L1 and S2 is called

Answer 36

the lumbar cistern

Question 37

**Label the following diagram of a transverse section of the spinal cord.

Answer 37

Question 38

**Describe the spinal nerve naming convention.

Answer 38

Question 39

**Label the following diagram of the gross features of the spinal cord.

Answer 39

Question 40

**Label the following diagram of the gross features of the spinal cord.

Answer 40