Nervous System 5 - Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerves Flashcards
What pathways is the spinal cord in charge of?
Afferent (ascending) pathways:
Transmission of impulses from the periphery to the brain.
Efferent (descending) pathways:
Transmission of impulses from the brain to the effector muscles and organs.
Coordination of spinal reflexes:
Quick reactions to stimuli.
Where does the spinal cord terminate in the vertebral canal at birth compared to adults?
At birth = terminates at L3 vertebra.
Adults = terminates at L1 vertebra.
What are the segments of the spinal cord?
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccygeal (very small and is incorporated within the sacral part).
Identify the segments of the spinal cord?
Where does the spinal cord end?
Conus medullaris.
What fibres are the meninges made of?
Dura mater = dense collagen fibres.
Arachnoid mater = simple squamous cells, arachnoid trabeculae and elastic fibres.
Pia mater = elastic and collagen fibres.
Label the features of the spinal nerve?
Label the cross-section of the spinal cord’s segments?
Label the grey matter of the spinal cord?
Label the white matter of the spinal cord?
Identify the meninges and spinal nerve components of the spinal cord?
Label the transverse section of the spinal cord?
Label the spinal nerve, placing attention to the posterior root ganglion and the ramuses?
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there in each segment?
8 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral
1 coccygeal
Locate the epineurium, perineurium and the endoneurium on the peripheral nerve?
What is a dermatome?
The area of the skin supplied by a single spinal nerve.
What is a myotome?
A portion of a skeletal muscle innervated by a single spinal cord level or by a single nerve.
