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Neuropsych > Spinal cord > Flashcards

Spinal cord Flashcards

1
Q

What forms the cauda equina?

A

Roots of lower 4 pairs lumbar nerves, 5 pairs of sacral nerves, and pair of coccygeal nerves

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2
Q

What are the two enlargements of the spinal cord?

A

Cervical enlargement for upper limbs
Lumbosacral enlargement for lower limbs

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3
Q

What is the anterior/ventral median fissure of the spinal cord?

A

Deep anterior midline groove where the anterior spinal A lies

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4
Q

What is the anterior/ventral lateral sulcus of the spinal cord?

A

Shallow groove where the anterior rootlets emerge

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5
Q

What is the posterior/dorsal lateral sulcus of the spinal cord?

A

Shallow groove where the posterior rootlets enter

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6
Q

What is the posterior/dorsal intermediate sulcus of the spinal cord?

A

Shallow groove continuous with posterior intermediate septum rostral to T6

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7
Q

What is separated by the posterior intermediate sulcus of the spinal cord?

A

Fasciculus gracilis from fasciculus cuneatus

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8
Q

What is the posterior/dorsal median sulcus?

A

Shallow posterior midline groove continuous with the posterior median septum

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9
Q

What are the structures pierced during a lumbar pucture?

A

Skin
Subcutaneous tissue and fascia
Supraspinatus ligament
Interspinous ligament
Ligamentum flavum
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Into subarachnoid space

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10
Q

What are reasons for a lumbar puncture?

A

CSF obtained for diagnostic or therapeutic processes
Spinal tap and spinal anaesthesia

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11
Q

What forms the spinal nerve?

A

Posterior and anterior roots joined within intervertebral foramen

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12
Q

How many spinal nerves are there?

A

8 cervical pairs
12 thoracic pairs
5 lumbar pairs
5 sacral pairs
1 coccygeal pair

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13
Q

What is conveyed in the posterior/dorsal root of the spinal nerve?

A

Sensory input from body

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14
Q

What is conveyed in the spinal/dorsal root ganglion?

A

Synapses with posterior root from periphery

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15
Q

What is conveyed in the anterior/ventral root?

A

Motor output from visceral and somatic motor neurons

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16
Q

What is innervated by posterior rami of spinal nerves?

A

Skin and muscles of back

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17
Q

What is innervated by anterior rami of spinal nerves?

A

Ant and lat muscles and skin of the trunk, extremities, and viscera

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18
Q

What is innervated by the meningeal rami of the spinal nerves?

A

Meninges and vertebral column

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19
Q

What is the gray communicating rami of spinal nerves?

A

Unmyelinated postganglionic sympathetic fibers of all spinal nerves

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20
Q

What is the white communicating rami of the spinal nerves?

A

Myelinated preganglionic sympathetic fibers and myelinated visceral fibers (splanchnic nerves) only found from segments T1-L2

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21
Q

Where are the cervical segments 1-8 of the spinal cord located?

A

Foramen magnum to C6 vertebra

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22
Q

Where are the thoracic segments 1-6 located?

A

C6 vertebra to T4 vertebra

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23
Q

Where are the thoracic segments 7-12 located?

A

T4 vertebra to T9 vertebra

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24
Q

Where are the lumbar and sacral spinal segments located?

A

T10 vertebra to L1 vertebra

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25
Q

What are the 3 general divisions of the spinal cord white matter?

A

Dorsal funiculus
Lateral funiculus
Ventral funiculus

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26
Q

When is white matter in the spinal cord the greatest?

A

Cervical levels

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27
Q

What are the parts of the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord?

A

Medial group
Lateral group
Central group

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28
Q

What are characteristics of the medial group of the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord?

A

Innervates axial musculature of neck and trunk
Subdivided into ventromedial and dorsomedial parts

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29
Q

What are characteristics of the lateral group of the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord?

A

Confines cervical and lumbar enlargements
Supplies limb muscles

30
Q

What are the two nuclei in the central group of the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord?

A

Phrenic nucleus in cervical region for diaphragm
Spinal nucleus of CN XI in cervical region

31
Q

What are the nerve cell groups on the posterior gray horn from most posterior?

A

Substantia gelatinosa
Nucleus propius
Nucleus dorsalis - Clarke’s column
Visceral afferent nucleus

32
Q

What is the function of the substantia gelatinosa?

A

Receives afferents for pain and temperature

33
Q

What is the function of nucleus proprius?

A

Receives fibers from posterior white column associated with proprioception, two-point discrimination, and vibration

34
Q

What is the function of the nucleus dorsalis (Clarke’s column)?

A

Projects somewhat into the posterior funiculus
Receives proprioceptive, touch, and pressure afferents from trunk and lower limbs

35
Q

At what levels is the nucleus dorsalis located?

A

C8/T1 to L2/L3

36
Q

What is the function of the visceral afferent nucleus?

A

Receives visceral afferents from dorsal nerve roots

37
Q

What is the extent of the visceral afferent nucleus?

A

T1 to L2 and S2 to S4

38
Q

What are the two nuclei of the intermediate/lateral gray column?

A

Intermediolateral nucleus
Intermediomedial nucleus

39
Q

What is the function of the intermediolateral nucleus?

A

Origin of preganglionic fibers of SyNS

40
Q

What is the function of the intermediomedial nucleus?

A

Origin to preganglionic fibers of PsNS

41
Q

What is the extent of the intermediomedial nucleus?

A

S2 to S4 segments

42
Q

What are the parts of the dorsal column tracts of the spinal cord?

A

Fasciculus gracilis
Fasciculus cuneatus

43
Q

What are the ascending tracts of the spinal cord?

A

Dorsal column tracts
Spinothalamic tract
Spinocerebellar tract

44
Q

What are the descending tracts of the spinal cord?

A

Corticospinal tract
Rubrospinal tract
Vestibulospinal tract
Olivospinal tract
Descending autonomic fibers

45
Q

What are the divisions of the spinothalamic tract of the spinal cord?

A

Lateral
Ventral

46
Q

What are the divisions of the spinocerebellar tract of the spinal cord?

A

Ventral
Dorsal
Cuneocerebellar
Rostral

47
Q

What are the divisions of the corticospinal tract of the spinal cord?

A

Lateral
anterior

48
Q

Where do the fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus synapse?

A

Gracile and cuneate nuclei in caudal medulla forming medial lemniscus which terminates in the VPL of thalamus

49
Q

What is the function of the spinothalamic tract?

A

Crude touch, pain, and temperature sensation

50
Q

Where does the spinothalamic tract synapse?

A

Decussate in anterior white commissure and ascend in anterolateral funiculus to terminate in VPL and intralaminar nuclei of thalamus

51
Q

What is the function of the dorsal part of the spinocerebellar tracts?

A

Uncrossed
Unconscious proprioception of lower limb

52
Q

What is the function of the cuneocerebellar part of the spinocerebellar tracts?

A

Uncrossed
Unconscious proprioception of the upper limb and trunk

53
Q

What is the main function of the ventral and rostral parts of the spinocerebellar tracts?

A

Crossed
Monitor state of activity of spinal reflex arcs for upper and lower limbs

54
Q

What are the two major pathways involved in somatic sensory perception?

A

Dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway
Spinothalamic tract

55
Q

What is the origin of the fibers of the corticospinal tracts?

A

Majority from pyramidal cells of the motor cortex
Some from premotor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and parietal lobe

56
Q

What fibers form the lateral corticospinal tract?

A

Fibers that cross at the pyramidal decussation in the medulla

57
Q

What fibers form the anterior corticospinal tract?

A

Fibers that do not cross

58
Q

Where do the majority of fibers in the corticospinal tracts terminate?

A

Interneurons in spinal cord that project to motor neurons in the anterior horn

59
Q

What are the signs of a UMN lesion?

A

Decreased strength
Hypertonia
Hyperreflexia
Mild atrophy
Clonus
Babinski reflex present

60
Q

What are the signs of a LMN lesion?

A

Decreased strength
Hypotonia
Hyporeflexia
Severe atrophy
Fasciculations
Fibrillations

61
Q

What arteries supply the spinal cord?

A

Two posterior spinal As
Anterior spinal A
Reinforced by segmental arteries at each intervertebral foramen

62
Q

What are characteristics of veins of the spinal cord?

A

Mirror arteries
Lack valves

63
Q

What are characteristics of syringomyleia?

A

Development of fusiform cyst/syrinx in or around the central canal of spinal cord
Obliterates spinothalamic fibers decussating in white commissure

64
Q

What are symptoms of syringomyelia?

A

Dissociated sensory loss - pain and temp lost, but proprioception and touch remain

65
Q

What are characteristics of tabes dorsalis?

A

Late manifestation of neurosyphilis
Affects lumbosacral dorsal spinal roots and spinal columns

66
Q

What are symptoms of tabes dorsalis?

A

Loss proprioception leading to sensory ataxia
Positive Romberg’s sign

67
Q

What are characteristics of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord?

A

Deficiency of vit B12
Associated with pernicious anemia

68
Q

What are symptoms of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord?

A

Sensory ataxia
Weakness and spasticity of limbs

69
Q

What are symptoms of MS into the spinal cord?

A

Loss of proprioception in hands and fingers

70
Q

What are characteristics of the ALS?

A

Involves both LMNs and UMNs
Progressive spinal muscular atrophy or progressive bulbar palsy - LMN component
Pseudobulbar palsy or primary lateral sclerosis refers to UMN component

Neuropsych (20 decks)

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