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organisation of spinal cord Flashcards

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1
Q

what makes up the cns?

A

brain and spinal cord

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2
Q

what does the spinal cord connect?

A

the brainstem and spinal nerves

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3
Q

what protects the spinal cord?

A

the bony vertebral canal

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4
Q

what makes up the brainstem?

A

midbrain, pons and medulla

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5
Q

what part of the brainstem is continuous with the spinal cord?

A

medulla

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6
Q

what foramen does the spinal cord leave through the brain?

A

magnum

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7
Q

what are the meninges?

A

3 protective layers around the CNS to protect it

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8
Q

what are the layers of the meninges?

A

dura mater
arachnoid mater
pia mater

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9
Q

what is the extra/epidural space?

A

fat-filled space between dura mater and vertebrae only found in the spinal cord

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10
Q

what is the subdural space?

A

potential space between arachnoid mater and dura mater

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11
Q

what is the subarachnoid space?

A

actual space between arachnoid mater and pia mater

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12
Q

in which space is the CSF found in the spinal cord?

A

subarachnoid layer

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13
Q

what is the function of the CSF?

A

fluid which surrounds the CNS and buffers and protects it

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14
Q

what is a lumbar puncture?

A

when a sample of CSF is taken by a needle being inserted into the subarachnoid space

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15
Q

what is an epidural?

A

Insert anaesthesia into epidural space which will then diffuse across spinal nerves.

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16
Q

describe the structure of a motor neuron

A
  • Dendrites sticking out from the cell body
  • Cell body is at one end
  • Axon covered in a myelin sheath
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17
Q

describe the structure of a sensory neuron?

A
  • Dendrites at one end picking up sensory information from environment
  • Cell body in the middle of the neuron sticking out from the axon
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18
Q

what makes up white matter?

A

axons covered in myelin

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19
Q

name the white matter funiculi?

A

posterior
lateral
anterior

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20
Q

what makes up grey matter?

A

no myelinated components (cell bodies and synapses)

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21
Q

name the grey matter horns

A

posterior
anterior
lateral - only in thoracic region

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22
Q

why is the lateral horn of grey matter found in the thoracic region?

A

thoracic region is where the cell bodies for sympathetic nerves originate

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23
Q

in the spine, is grey or white matter on the inside?

A

grey

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24
Q

in the brain, is grey or white matter on the inside?

A

white

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25
Q

what part of the spinal cord do sensory nerves enter?

A

posterior/dorsal part of the spinal cord

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26
Q

where are sensory neuron cell bodies found?

A

outside the spinal cord

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27
Q

where are motor neuron cell bodies found?

A

inside the spinal cord

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28
Q

where does information in the white matter go?

A

up or down the spinal cord

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29
Q

how are cervical spinal nerves named?

A

according to the vertebrae below?

30
Q

how many pairs of spinal nerves are there? state how many nerves are in each region

A 
31 pairs of spinal nerves
o	8 cervical
o	12 thoracic
o	5 lumbar
o	5 sacral
o	1 coccygeal
31
Q

which is shorter; the spinal cord or the vertebral column?

A

spinal cord

32
Q

at what vertebral level does the spinal cord end in an adult?

A

L1/2

33
Q

at what point in the spinal cord are there swellings?

A

cervical region

lumbosacral region

34
Q

why is there a swelling in the cervical region of the spinal cord?

A

its the point where the nerve innervating the brachial plexus and the upper limb leave the spinal cord

35
Q

why is there a swelling in the lumbo-sacral region of the spinal cord?

A

where the nerves innervating the lower limb leave the spinal cord

36
Q

what is the conus medularis?

A

tapering of the end of the spinal cord

37
Q

what is the cauda equina?

A

below L1/2 where the spinal nerves are bunched together

38
Q

when is the cauda equina formed?

A

during development

39
Q

which grows faster; the vertebral column or the spinal cord?

A

vertebral column

40
Q

at what spinal level are lumbar punctures and epidurals performed?

A

L3 to avoid spinal cord damage

41
Q

describe the proportion of grey and white matter in the cervical region of the spinal cord?

A

large amounts of white matter and large ventral and dorsal horns

bc of large amounts of sensory and motor innervation to upper limb

42
Q

describe the proportion of grey and white matter in the thoracic region of the spinal cord?

A

large proportions of white matter

lateral horns of grey present

43
Q

describe the proportion of grey and white matter in the lumbar region of the spinal cord?

A

little white matter

large ventral and dorsal horn bc a lot of sensory and motor innervation

44
Q

describe the proportion of grey and white matter in the sacral region of the spinal cord?

A
  • Narrow bc most tracts haven’t entered yet or they’ve left
  • Very little white matter
  • Predominantly grey matter
45
Q

what do vertebral arteries branch off?

A

subclavian artery

46
Q

what foramens do the vertebral arteries run through?

A

transverse foramena

foramen magnum

47
Q

what do the 2 vertebral arteries anastomose to form?

A

basilar artery

48
Q

how is an anterior spinal artery formed?

A

a branch from each vertebral artery anastomoses

49
Q

what arteries supply blood to the spinal cord?

A

anterior and posterior spinal arteries reinforced by radiculospinal arteries from body wall arteries which come in and anastomose with the anterior spinal artery at every vertebral level

50
Q

which part of the spinal cord is supplied by the anterior spinal arteries?

A

the majority

51
Q

which part of the spinal cord is supplied by the posterior spinal arteries?

A

the posterior funiculi

52
Q

describe the venous drainage system of the spinal cord

A

Venous drainage is via 3 anterior and 2-3 posterior spinal veins

53
Q

what is the function of the spinothalamic tract?

A

transmitting the sensations of crude touch (pressure), pain and temperature from the spinal cord to the thalamus

54
Q

define decussation

A

when a neuron travels from one side of the nervous system to the other

55
Q

explain the pathway of information through the spinothalamic tract

A

first order neuron transmits sensation from skin along spinal nerve and into dorsal root
synapses with SON in dorsal horn of grey
goes from grey to white matter
decussates immediately after FON and SON synapse
SON travels via spinothalamic tract to the thalamus then synapses with TON
TON travels via internal capsule to primary somatosensory cortex in the brain

56
Q

how many neurons are involved in the spinothalamic tract?

A

3

57
Q

what is the function of the dorsal column medial lemniscus?

A

Transmits sensations of vibrations, proprioception (position in space) and discriminative touch (textures of things) from periphery to the brain via the dorsal columns and medial lemniscus

58
Q

describe the pathway of information through the dorsal column medial lemniscus

A

FON transmits sensation from skin along spinal nerve to dorsal root
FON doesnt synapse - runs into dorsal column towards brainstem
FON ascends along dorsal column to enter medulla - synapses with SON within cunate/gracile nucleus
decussates to reach medial lemniscus
SON travels to thalamus via the medial lemniscus
SON synapses with TON
TON to primary somatosensory cortex

59
Q

what are the dorsal columns and where do they run?

A

fasiculus gracilis from lower limb

fasciculus cuneatus from upper limb)

60
Q

what is the function of the spinocerebellar tract?

A

Transmitting the sensations of subconscious proprioception (position in space) from the spinal cord to the cerebellum

61
Q

why is there no decussation in the spinocerebellar tract?

A

Cerebellum doesn’t work on a contralateral basis – left side works with the left side of the body

62
Q

explain the pathway of the spinocerebellar tract?

A
  • FON transmits sensation along spinal nerve and travels via dorsal root into spinal cord
  • In the spinal cord, FON synapses in dorsal horn of grey
  • SON enters ipsilateral spinocerebellar tract and ascends to the cerebellum
63
Q

what is the function of the corticospinal tract?

A

transmitting the motor signals from the cortex to the spinal cord

64
Q

describe the pathway of information in the corticospinal tract

A

FON has cell body in primary motor cortex
axon projects along the internal capsule to brainstem
FON runs anteriorly in brainstem and enters medullary pyramids
majority of fibres decussate to enter corticospinal tract
FON descends to level of innervation and enters ventral horn of grey and synapses with SON
travels out of spinal cord into spinal nerve to skeletal muscle

65
Q

name the main ascending tracts

A

Dorsal column medial lemniscus
-Fasciculus gracilis – found medially. Takes info from lower limb
Fasciculus cuneatus – found laterally. Takes info from upper limb

Spinocerebellar
Spinothalamic

66
Q

name the main descending tracts

A

corticospinal

67
Q

how does a complete spinal cord injury occur and what does it result in?

A

spinal cord is fully compressed or severed. Results in complete loss of sensory and motor information below level of lesion

68
Q

how does an incomplete spinal cord injury occur?

A

spinal cord is compressed or injured but the brain’s ability to send signals below site of injury isn’t completely removed

69
Q

name examples of incomplete spinal cord injury

A

central cord
brown-sequard
stroke to the anterior spinal artery

70
Q

how do patients with a central cord injury present?

A

upper limb weakness and sensory loss below the level of injury. Upper extremities are classically more affected than the lower extremities with motor function more severely impaired than sensory function

71
Q

which part of the spinal cord is most affected in a central cord injury?

A

medial corticospinal tract is affected

innermost part

72
Q

how does brown-sequard present?

A

paralysis and loss of proprioception/vibration/discriminative touch on the ipsilateral side as the injury

Loss of pain and temperature on the opposite (or contralateral) side as the lesion

brain and behaviour (24 decks)

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