LECTURE 3 vertebral column

Question 1

componants of vertebral column

Answer 1

humans have 26 bones in vertebral column postnatally (33 prenatally), 7 cervical vertebrae, 12 thoracic vertebrae, 5 lumbar vertebrae, sacrum, coccyx

Question 2

location of vertebral column

Answer 2

extends from skull to pelvis

Question 3

functions of vertebral column (5)

Answer 3

supports body, weight transfer, muscle attachment, articulation, protects spinal cord

Question 4

vertebral canal

Answer 4

created by vertebral foramina, contains and protects spinal cord and associated structures

Question 5

intervertebral foramina

Answer 5

allows spinal nerves and vessels to reach spinal cord, only exists when more than one vertebrae stacked together, can only be seen in lateral view

Question 6

lateral curvature of vertebral column (following dorsal side)

Answer 6

cervical = concave, thoracic = convex, lumbar = concave, sacrum = convex

Question 7

primary curves of vertebral column

Answer 7

thoracic and sacrum (form prenatally)

Question 8

secondary curves of vertebral column

Answer 8

cervical and lumbar (form postnatally)

Question 9

functions of primary curves of vertebral column

Answer 9

distribute weight of body, allows muscles to hold us upright, keeps us balanced as bipeds

Question 10

functions of secondary curves of vertebral column

Answer 10

hold head up and sit up postnatally

Question 11

kyphosis

Answer 11

an exaggerated thoracic curve (“humped disease”)

Question 12

lordosis

Answer 12

an accentuated lumbar curve (“bent-backward disease”)

Question 13

scoliosis

Answer 13

abnormal lateral curve of more than 10 degrees (“twisted disease”)

Question 14

typical vertebrae features

Answer 14

body, vertebral foramen, pedicles, arch (spinous process, transverse processes, superior and inferior articular processes with facets, lamina)

Question 15

function of vertebral body

Answer 15

weight bearing and transfer

Question 16

function of vertebral arch

Answer 16

articulation with other bones, muscle/ligament attachment (through extra surface area)

Question 17

special feature of cervical vertebrae

Answer 17

transverse foramen (protects nerves)

Question 18

cervical vertebrae description

Answer 18

articular facets allow for wide range of motion (superior articular facets face superoposteriorly, inferior articular facets face inferoanteriorly), spinous process is fairly short and sometimes bifid on c2-c6, typically triangular vertebral foramen, body is wide medio-laterally

Question 19

features of c1 (atlas)

Answer 19

unique features: atlas has no body and no spinous process (therefore no arch, pedicles, or lamina), superior articular facets are kidney shaped and face superiorly

Question 20

features of c2 (axis)

Answer 20

unique feature: odontoid process/dens, all other features typical of cervical vertebrae

Question 21

dens

Answer 21

used to be part of body of atlas, moved to form pivot joint, which gives rotation of the head

Question 22

special features of thoracic vertebrae

Answer 22

transverse costal facets and superior and inferior costal facets (demifacets)

Question 23

thoracic vertebrae description

Answer 23

articular facets allow for rotation (superior articular facets face dorsally/posteriorly, inferior articular facets face ventrally/anteriorly), spinous process is long and points inferiorly, vertebral foramen is circular, body is heart-shaped

Question 24

special features of lumbar vertebrae

Answer 24

none

Question 25

description of lumbar vertebrae

Answer 25

articular facets allow for flexion, extension and lateral flexion (superior articular facets face medially, inferior articular facets face laterally); spinous process is short, rectangular, and projects dorsally; vertebral foramen is triangular; body is large and kidney shaped; largest type of vertebrae

Question 26

description of sacrum

Answer 26

5 fused sacral vertebrae; articulates with last intervertebral disc, 5th lumbar vertebra, coccyx, and ilia of os coxae (laterally); functions in weight transfer

Question 27

features of sacrum

Answer 27

body, sacral canal, anterior and posterior sacral foramina, remnants of other typical vertebrae features visible, two lateral and one median sacral crest, horizontal fusion lines

Question 28

description of coccyx

Answer 28

4 fused coccygeal vertebrae, articulates with sternum, muscle and ligament attachment, sexually dimorphic in orientation and mobility

Question 29

features of coccyx

Answer 29

does not have vertebral body, spinous process, or canal or foramina, horizontal fusion lines

Question 30

features of intervertebral discs

Answer 30

annulus fibrosus, nucleus pulposus

Question 31

annulus fibrosus

Answer 31

outer collar of concentric rings (outer rings are ligaments, inner rings are fibrocartilage), supportive/structural

Question 32

nucleus pulposus

Answer 32

center of intervertebral disc, inner disc, cushiony pad, remnants of notocord, shock absorber

Question 33

intervertebral discs absent between

Answer 33

atlas and axis (would impede rotation), sacrum and coccyx (because of weight bearing)

Question 34

description of intervertebral discs

Answer 34

symphesis joint, thicker in cervical and lumbar regions

Question 35

ligaments of vertebral column

Answer 35

anterior longitudinal ligaments, posterior longitudinal ligaments, ligamentum flavum

Question 36

anterior longitudinal ligaments

Answer 36

neck-sacrum, run vertically on anterior surface of vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs; wide, strong, thick; prevents hyperextension

Question 37

posterior longitudinal ligaments

Answer 37

neck-sacrum, run vertically on posterior surface of intervertebral discs; narrow, weak; prevents hyperflexion; located inside vertebral canal

Question 38

ligamentum flavum

Answer 38

attaches lamina of vertebrae (one on right, one on left); very strong, but flexible (contains elastic CT)