Spinal Cord Flashcards
How many cervical nerves and vertebrae are there?
nerves: 8
vertebrae: 7
How many thoracic nerves and vertebrae are there?
nerves: 12
vertebrae: 12
How many lumbar nerves and vertebrae are there?
nerves: 5
vertebrae: 5
How many sacral nerves and vertebrae are there?
nerves: 5 nerves
vertebrae: 5
How many coccygeal nerves and vertebrae are there?
nerves: 1
vertebrae: 1
Which spinal cord segment(s) has/have there nerves below their respective vertebrae?
thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal
Which spinal cord segment(s) has/have there nerves above their respective vertebrae?
cervical
At which vertebral level does the spinal cord terminate?
L1/L2
What is the name of the structure where the spinal cord ends? At what level of the spinal cord is this structure located?
conus medullaris; L1/L2
Through which sulcus do the ventral roots leave the spinal cord?
anterolateral sulcus
Through which sulcus do the dorsal roots leave the spinal cord?
posterolateral sulcus
What is filum terminale?
pia mater that attaches to coccygeal bones
At which vertebral level does the dural sac end?
S2
Between which vertebral levels should you do a spinal tap to access CSF? Why?
- below L1/L2 so not spinal cord damage
- above S2 so still in dural sac (with CSF)
List the ascending pathways in white matter of the spinal cord.
- fasciculus gracilis
- fasciculus cuneatus
- posterior (dorsal) spinocerebellar tract
-spinothalamic and spinoreticular tract - anterior (ventral) spinocerebellar tract
List the descending pathways in white matter of the spinal cord.
- lateral (crossed) corticospinal (pyramidal) tract
- anterior (uncrossed) corticospinal tract
List the fibers in the white matter of the spinal cord that both ascends and descends.
dorsolateral fasciculus (of Lissauer)
Which levels of the spinal cord have an enlarged ventral horn?
cervical and lumbar
What is special about the cervical and lumber levels of the spinal cord? Why?
- more grey matter b/c cervical innervates arms and lumbar innervates legs
How many anterior spinal arteries are in the spinal cord?
1
How many posterior spinal arteries are in the spinal cord?
2
which spinal artery/arteries supplies almost all the grey matter in the spinal cord?
anterior spinal artery
Which spinal artery/arteries only supplies white matter in the spinal cord?
posterior spinal arteries and pial branches of the radicular artery
Where is the motor neuron in the spinal cord found?
ventral horn
Which rami are both sensory and motor?
ventral rami
What do the ventral rami supply?
- ventral/anterior trunk
- limbs
What do the dorsal rami supply?
dorsal/posterior trunk
What are segmental spinal nerves?
spinal nerves that arise from a certain spinal level and innervate somatic structures derived from the somites of the same level
Which levels of the spinal cord contain segmental nerves?
T2-T12
What is another name for the T2-T12 nerves?
intercostal nerves
What are non-segmental spinal nerves?
spinal nerves where the ventral primary rami fuse together to form a nerve plexus