lecture 6 - spinal cord: internal topography Flashcards
the spinal cord is omposed of two colored tissue areas, what are they?
gray matter, white matter
which is the innermost color tissue area?
inner gray, outer white
describe the gross anatomy of the gray matter
- anterior (ventral) horn
- posterior (dorsal) horn
- lateral horn
- each side of the gray matter is a mirror image
- each sides connected by the gray commissure
- ventral roots
- dorsal roots
the anterior horn is made up of which type of neurons?
somatic motor neurons
the posterior horn is made up of which type of neurons?
sensory neurons
the lateral horn is made up of which type of neurons?
autonomic
what (specifically) are the ventral roots?
motor axons to skeletal muscle (efferents)
what (specifically) are the dorsal roots?
sensory impulses (afferents, dorsal root ganglion)
what are the types of somatic motor neurons?
alpha and gamma
what do alpha motor neurons innervate?
skeletal muscle
what do gamma motor neurons innervate?
muscle spindles
alpha motor neurons are aka?
lower motor neurons
why are alpha motor neurons organized into groups (or, longitudinal columns)?
each column innervates a different muscle
what are the alpha motor neuron columns separated by?
interneurons
what are the alpha motor neuron columns?
medial, lateral and central
what does the medial column of alpha motor neurons innervate?
axial muscles (neck, trunk and intercostal (btwn ribs))
what does the lateral column of alpha motor neurons innervate?
limbs
what is unique about the lateral column of alpha motor neurons?
anterior horn expands at this column because there are more skeletal muscles to innervate in the limbs
what does the central column of alpha motor neurons innervate?
depends on the level of the spinal cord:
- C4-C5: phrenic nucleus (motor innervation to diaphragm)
- C6-C7: spinal accessory nucleus (contains axons from cranial nerve XI)
- L2-S1: lumbosacral nucleus (dont know what this one does)
how many nerve cell groups does the posterior horn contain?
4 - substantia gelatinosa, nucleus proprius, dorsal nucleus, visceral afferent nucleus
does the substantia gelatinosa span the entire length of the cord?
yes
what type of neurons is the substantia gelantinosa composed of?
golgi type II neurons
what are the functions of the substantia gelatinosa?
pain, temperature, touch
does the nucleus proprius span the entire length of the cord?
yes
what are the functions of the nucleus proprius?
proprioception, two-point discrimination, vibration
which nucleus makes up the bulk of the posterior horn?
nucleus proprius
does the nucleus dorsalis span the entire length of the cord?
no: C8/T1 - L2/L3
what are the functions of the nucleus dorsalis?
proprioception (neuromuscular and tendon spindles)
what is the nucleus dorsalis aka?
Clarke’s Column (or, nucleus)
what is unique about the nucleus dorsalis?
actually located more in the intermediate gray matter, but does sensory processing so its considered a part of the dorsal horn
does the visceral afferent nucleus span the entire length of the cord?
no: T1-L3
what are the functions of the visceral afferent nucleus?
visceral afferents, involved in initiation of sympathetic response
where are the 4 nuclei located relative to each other?
substantia gelatinosa most dorsal, then nucleus proprius, then dorsal nucleus, then (mostly laterally) the visceral afferent nucleus
describe the intermediate horn from T1-L3
preganglionic sympathetic neurons
dscribe the intermediate horn from S2-S4
preganglionic parasympathetic neurons
what is lamina I
marginal nucleus
what is lamina II
substantia gelatinosa
what is lamina III
nucleus proprius