Important topics for the axial and appendicular skeleton

Question 1

How many cranial bones are there?

Answer 1

8

Question 2

How many facial bones are there?

Answer 2

14

Question 3

What is the advantage of knitted conformation for sutures?

Answer 3

More surface area for connection

Prevents separation of bones in the advent of head trauma

Question 4

What is a soft spot?

Answer 4

Babies aren’t born with cranial bones. Have a soft spot instead. Cranial bones will grow around it.
Soft spot allows for:
- brain expansion
- ease of passage through birth canal

Question 5

When do cranial bones form?

Answer 5

1 year

Question 6

What are the different sutures? Point to them on youself.

Answer 6

Squamous suture - occurs where each parietal bone meets a temporal bone inferiorly
Lambdoid suture - occurs where the parietal bones meet the occipital bone posteriorly
Coronal suture - located where parietal bones meet the frontal bone
Sagittal suture - occurs where the parietal bones meet superiorly
Occipitomastoid suture - occurs where temporal bones meet the occipital bone

Question 7

What do the facial bones function to do?

Answer 7

Protect delicate sense organs
Form framework of face
Anchor the muscles of the face
Hold the teeth

Question 8

Which facial bone is the largest and strongest?

Answer 8

Mandible

Question 9

If you have temporomandibular joint inflammation, what is the issue?

Answer 9

Bursa and actual joint are inflammed

Question 10

Describe the vertebral column.
How many bones compose it?
What is its function?

Answer 10

26 bones in adult
Transmit weight of trunk to lower limbs
Protect spinal cord
Serves as attachment sites for muscles of the neck and back

Question 11

What are the different parts of the vertebral column?

Answer 11

7 cervical vertebrae
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
Sacrum (5 fused)
Coccyx (4 fused)

Question 12

Why is the vertebral column curved?

Answer 12

Increased flexibility
dissipation of force
strength
Allows head to balance directly over pelvis
max weight distribution

Question 13

What are primary curves?

Answer 13

Baby starts C-shaped, only has primary curves = thoracic and sacral, formed during fetal development.

Question 14

What are secondary curves?

Answer 14

Baby holds head up - cervical (4 months)

Walk and stand up - 1 year; lumbar

Question 15

Intervertebral discs
Cushion-like pads between _________
Act as _______-absorbers
Composed about ___ of height of vertebral column
Composed of _______ ______ and ______ _______

Answer 15

Vertebrae
shock
25%
anulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus

Question 16

What is the nucleus pulposus?

Answer 16

Gelatinous inner sphere of intervertebral disc

Enables spine to absorb compressive stresses

Question 17

What is the anulus fibrosus?

Answer 17

Outer collar of ligaments and fibrocartilage
contains the nucleus pulposus
Functions:
- bind vertebrae together
-resist tension on the spine
- absorb compressive forces

Question 18

What leaves during compression of the spine?

Answer 18

Water

Question 19

What is the importance of the ligaments of the spine?

Answer 19

Prevents too much movement of the vertebral column.
Ligaments prevent hyperextension and aid in recoiling to original shape.
Prevent damage to spinal cord and nerves.

Question 20

What is a herniated disc?
Cause?
Contributing factor?

Answer 20

Nucleus pulposus loses cushioning properties or anulus fibrosus weakens.
Age is a contributing factor.
May be caused by trauma to the spine

Question 21

How are herniated discs painful?

How can this issue be rectified?

Answer 21

Different grades.
Press on nerves, kill off nervous tissue supplying muscle.
Surgery can realign or, if bad enough, fuse vertebrae/use synthetics

Question 22

What does fusion of vertebrae cause?

Answer 22

Reduced range of motion

Question 23

What is the spinal canal?

Answer 23

All the vertebral foramen together

Question 24

What are the intervertebral foramen formed by and, what purpose do they serve?

Answer 24

Formed by the superior and inferior vertebral notches of adjacent vertebrae.
These function to form holes for nerves and blood vessels to go through.

Question 25

Which vertebrae are typical cervical vertebrae?

Answer 25

C3-C7

Question 26

Why are the cervical vertebrae the smallest and lightest vertebrae?

Answer 26

Only have to bear the weight of the skull, rather than that of most of the body.

Question 27

What are basic characteristics of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 27

Spinous process short and bifid (except C7)
Vertebral foramen - large and triangular
Transverse processes contain transverse foramina
Superior articular facets face superposteriorly

Question 28

Atlas
Lacks a \_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_\_\_ process
Supports the skull
- \_\_\_\_\_\_ articular \_\_\_\_\_ receive the \_\_\_\_\_\_ condyles
Allows \_\_\_\_\_ and \_\_\_\_\_ of the neck
- \_\_\_\_\_ the head \_\_\_

Answer 28

lacks a body and spinous process
supports the skull
- superior articular facets receive the occipital condyles
Allows flexion and extension of the neck
i.e. nodding the head yes

Question 29

Axis
Comparatively to atlas, it has a _____ and _____ ______
Has the _____ which projects ________
Dens acts as a pivot for rotation of atlas, allows which movement?

Answer 29

Body and spinous process
Dens - superiorly

“No” movement of head

Question 30

Thoracic vertebrae:
Larger and stronger _____ than cervical
______ processes are long and point ______.
Longer ______ process than cervical vertebrae
Vertebral foramen are _______.

Answer 30

body
spinous, inferiorly
transverse
circular