Neuroanatomy Revision Flashcards
Describe the difference between an upper and lower motor neuron
Upper - Cell body is within the cerebral cortex.
Lower - Cell body is in the ventral horn of spinal cord or brainstem
Describe the organisation of the spinal cord
Grey matter is organised into dorsal horns, lateral horns and ventral horns.
White matter is organised into ventral lateral and dorsal columns.
What is the difference between somatic and visceral sensory information?
Visceral - Info from viscera (internal organs ect)
Somatic - Information from skin, muscle, bone and joints
What is the difference between somatic and visceral motor divisions?
Visceral - Autonomic so regulates internal body functions.
somatic - Voluntary control of skeletal muscles.
What are some key features about cervical spinal nerves?
There are 8 cervical spinal nerves with C1 being purely motor.
Where is the sympathetic system? (Division of autonmonic/visceral NS)
The cell bodies are located in the lateral horns of the spinal cord from segments T1-L2. Postganglionic cell bodies are found in the paravertebral ganglia.
Where is the parasympathetic division of the autonomic/visceral NS found?
Cell bodies are located in the brainstem and S2-4 spinal segments
What occurs to the cervical SNS ganglia?
They fuse to form the superior (C1-4), Middle (C5-6) and inferior (C7-8) cervical ganglia.
What is the stellate ganglion?
This occurs when the inferior cervical ganglia fuses with the T1 ganglion.
What are the neurotransmitters and receptors located at the synapse between the two autonomic neurons (pre and post synaptic neurons.)
Receptor is usually nicotinic and the neurotransmitter is acetylcholine.
What are the neurotransmitters and receptors located at the postsynaptic synapse?
Receptors - muscarinic or adrenergic.
Neurotransmitters - acetylcholine or noradrenaline
Explain the nuclei order change from the spinal cord to brain stem
In the spinal cord the grey matter lines up vertically whereas in the brainstem is lines up more horizontally.
What are the layers of the protection for the spinal cord?
Dura Mater,
Arachnoid mater,
Pia Mater
What is the arterial supply of the spinal cord?
paired posterior spinal arteries - mainly branches from posterior inferior cerebellar artery.
Single anterior spinal arteries - mainly from vertebral artery
What is the major arterial supply for the lower two thirds of the spinal cord?
The great anterior medullary artery of adamkiewicz (branch of aorta)
What is the venous drainage of the spinal cord?
Internal vertebral venous plexus which lies in epidural/extradural space. Communicates with cranial dural sinus and pelvic veins to infection can spread.
What are the key symptoms of an UMN lesion?
- Hypertonia,
- Hyperflexia,
- Abnormal reflexes (positive babinski)
What are the key symptoms of an LMN lesion?
- Hypotonia/flaccidity
- Hyporeflexia,
- Fasciculations,
- Atrophy of muscles
