Organization of the spinal cord

Question 1

what is contained in the dorsal horns of the gray matter?

Answer 1

1. central processes of pseudounipolar neurons whose cell bodies are located in the DRG 2. tract cells whose axons form ascending tracts 3. axon terminals of descending tracts 4. interneurons

Question 2

what is contained in the lateral horns of the gray matter?

Answer 2

preganglionic sympathetic nerve cell bodies

Question 3

what is contained in the ventral horns of the gray matter?

Answer 3

1. motor neurons whose axons innervate skeletal muscle 2. medial region contains motor neurons that innervate axial muscles 3. lateral region contains motor neurons that innervate limb muscles

Question 4

what is contained in lamina 2 (substantia gelatinosa)?

Answer 4

interneurons which play a role in the modulation of nociceptive transmission - filters information to prevent it from reaching higher brain centers and conscious awareness

Question 5

what is contained in laminae 4, 5, 6 (nucleus proprius)?

Answer 5

neurons of the spinothalamic tract

Question 6

what is contained in lamina 9?

Answer 6

motor neurons whose axons run in peripheral nerves to innervate skeletal muscle

Question 7

what is contained in the intermediolateral cell column?

Answer 7

autonomic neurons in the T and upper L segments of the spinal cord; cell bodies of preganglionic sympathetic neurons

Question 8

what is contained in the nucleus dorsalis (Clarke’s column)?

Answer 8

column of neurons in the T and upper L segments; origin of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract (C8-L2)

Question 9

what is contained in the sacral autonomic nucleus?

Answer 9

column of neurons in the mid-sacral segments; contains cell bodies of preganglionic parasympathetic neurons

Question 10

what is the function of the dorsal funiculus?

Answer 10

relays discriminative touch, vibratory sense, position sense, and light touch sensation from the body

Question 11

what are the components and functions of the lateral funiculus?

Answer 11

1. lateral corticospinal tract - motor 2. rubrospinal tract - motor 3. dorsal spinocerebellar tract - position 4. lateral spinothalamic tract - pain, temperature, touch 5. ventral spinocerebellar tract - position

Question 12

what is the function of the ventral funiculus?

Answer 12

anterior corticospinal tract - motor

Question 13

where is the dorsolateral tract of Lissauer? what is its function?

Answer 13

1. between dorsal horn and spinal cord surface 2. consists of central processes of sensory unipolar neurons relaying pain and temperature sensation from the body

Question 14

at what spinal cord level is the most white matter seen? least?

Answer 14

1. most - cervical 2. least - lumbosacral

Question 15

where does the spinothalamic tract arise? where does it go?

Answer 15

1. arises from nucleus proprius (laminae 4, 5, 6) 2. crosses to opposite side and ascends in ventrolateral funiculus