Introduction to the Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerves Flashcards

1
Q

2 important functions of the spinal cord and its attached spinal nerves

A
  • pathway for sensory and motor impulses

* responsible for reflexes

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2
Q

what is another word for anterior

A

ventral

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3
Q

what is another word for posterior

A

dorsal

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4
Q

what is another word for dorsal plate

A

alar plate (dorsal horn/sensory)

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5
Q

what is another word for ventral plate

A

basal plate (ventral horn/motor)

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6
Q

what are the 3 layers of the meningeal coverings

A
  1. Dura mater
  2. arachnoid mater
  3. pia mater
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7
Q

what are the three spaces in the spinal cord

A

subdural
subarachnoid
epidural

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8
Q

what is the intervertebral foramen

A

hole between vertebrae: where spinal cords exit out into the body

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9
Q

what is the difference between roots and rami

A

roots carry either motor or sensory while rami carry both motor and sensory

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10
Q

what are the 4 plexuses in the spinal cord and where are they located

A
  • cervical (C1-C8)
  • thoracic (T1-T12)
  • lumbar (L1-L5)
  • sacral (S1-S5)
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11
Q

what is the dorsal root attributed with (sensory or motor)

A

sensory

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12
Q

what is the ventral root attributed with (sensory or motor)

A

motor

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13
Q

define dermatome

A

area of skin innervated by the sensory fibers of a single nerve root

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14
Q

define myotome

A

a group of muscles that is primary innervated by the motor fibers of a single nerve root

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15
Q

what are the three ways that spinal nerves are distributed in the body

A
  1. intercostal nerves (anterior rami)
  2. dorsal rami (epaxial/back)
  3. nerves plexuses (anterior rami)
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16
Q

what are the major terminal branches (peripheral nerves)

A
  • musculocutaneous
  • median
  • ulnar
  • radial
  • axillary
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17
Q

what is a reflex

A

rapid, automatic, involuntary reactions of muscles or glands to a stimulus

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18
Q

what are the components of a reflex arc

A
  • the neural wiring of a single reflex
  • always begins at a receptor in the PNS
  • communicates with the CNS
  • ends at a peripheral effector (muscle or gland)cell
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19
Q

define ipsilateral

A

when both the receptor and effector organs of the reflex are on the same side of the spinal cord

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20
Q

define contralateral

A

when the sensory impulses from a receptor organ cross over through the spinal cord to activate effector organs in the opposite side limb

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21
Q

what does the golgi tendon reflex do

A

prevents skeletal muscles from tensing excessively

22
Q

what are the 2 division of the nervous system

A

CNS and PNS

23
Q

what are the components of the CNS

A

spinal cord and brain

derived from epiblast

24
Q

what are the components of the PNS

A

(everything outside the CNS)

  • includes cranial nerves, spinal nerves and their roots and branches, peripheral nerves, and neuromuscular junctions
  • primarily derived from neural crest precursor cells and epiblast
25
Q

what are the 2 functional division of the nervous system

A

somatic and autonomic

26
Q

what is the role of the sensory nervous system

A
  • afferent
  • receives sensory info from receptors and transmits it to the CNS. Somatic and visceral sensory components detect different types of stimuli
27
Q

what is the role of the motor nervous system

A
  • efferent
  • initiates and tramsits motor output from the CNS to effectors and controls muscle tissues and glands. Somatic and autonomic components exert voluntary and autonomic control
28
Q

what is the different between somatic and visceral

A

somatic: touch, taste, smell, hearing, balance
visceral: blood vessels, internal organs

29
Q

what is general sensory

A

transmit sensations from the body to the CNS

30
Q

what is somatic motor fibers

A

transmit impulses to skeletal muscles

31
Q

what do visceral sensory fibers do

A

transmit pain or subconscious visceral reflex sensations from hollow organs and blood vessels to the CNS

32
Q

what do visceral motor fibers do

A

transmit impulses to smooth muscle and glandular tissues

33
Q

what are the 4 types of CNS glial cells

A

astrocytes
ependymal cells
microglia
oligodendrocytes

34
Q

what are astrocytes

A

star-like due to projections from their surface and help form the BBB, regulate tissue fluid composition, form structural network, assist neuronal development and occupy space of dying neurons

35
Q

what are ependymal cells

A

ciliated simple cuboid or columnar cells lining the interal cavities of the brain and spinal cord to assist in the production of CSF

36
Q

what are microglia

A

typically small with branches representing smallest percentages of CNS glial cells and act as protectors to infection or remove harmful substances

37
Q

what are oligodendrocytes

A

large with bulbous body and slender extensions that en-sheath portions of axons creating a myelin sheath. it insulates and provides faster transport of signals along the axon

38
Q

what are the 2 types of PNS glial cells

A

satellite and neurolemmocytes

39
Q

what are satellite cells

A

surround cell bodies of sensory neurons and regulate continuous exchange of nutrients and waste products between neurons and their environment

40
Q

what are neurolemmocytes/schwann cells

A

they ensheath PNS axons to form a myelin sheath and allow faster AP propagation within the PNS

41
Q

what is the subdural space

A

fluid-filled space or potential space between dura mater and arachnoid

42
Q

what is the subarachnoid space

A
  • located between the arachnoid and pia mater and is filled with CNS
  • enlargement is in the dural sac, caudal to the conus medullaris
43
Q

what is the epidural space

A

area between the dura mater and the vertebral wall, containing fat and small blood vessels. The space is located just outside the dural sac which surrounds the nerve roots and is filled with CSF

44
Q

what is the conus medularis

A

inferior tapering portion of the spinal cord
where spinal cord ends
ends between L1 and L2

45
Q

what is the cauda equina

A
  • collection of nerves at the base of the spinal column, near the first lumbar vertebra
  • primary function= to send and receive messages between the lower limbs and the pelvic organs, which consist of the bladder, the rectum, and the internal genital organs
46
Q

what is the dura mater

A
  • composed mainly of tough fibrous tissue with some elastic fibers
  • outermost covering membrane of the spinal cord
  • tapers to coccygeal ligament
47
Q

what is the arachnoid mater

A
  • delicate, avascular membrane composed of fibrous and elastic tissue that lines the spinal dural sac and its dural root sheaths
  • encloses the CSF-filled subarachnoid space containing the spinal cord, spinal nerve roots, and spinal ganglia
48
Q

what is the pia mater

A
  • intermost covering membrane of the spinal cord, thin and transparent, and closely follows all the surface features of the spinal cord
  • meshwork of elastic and collagen fibers
  • denticulate ligaments
  • filum terminalis
49
Q

what is the cervical plexus and what nerves are included

A

(C1-C4)
hypoglossal, accessory, lesser occipital, greater auricular, transverse cervical, ansas cervicalis, branch to brachial plexus, supraclavicular nerve, phrenic nerve

50
Q

what is the brachial plexus and what nerves are included

A

(C5-T1)
pectoral, subscapular, nerve to subclavius, musculocutaneous, median, axillary, radial, thoracodorsal, long thoracic, ulnar

51
Q

what is the lumbar plexus and what nerves are included

A

(L1-L4)

iliohypoglastric, ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, lateral femoral cutaneous, femoral, obturator

52
Q

what is the sacral plexus and what nerves are included

A

(L4-S4)

superior gluteal, inferior gluteal, nerve to piriformis, sciatic nerve, posterior femoral cutaneous, pudendal