Spinal cord Flashcards
What forms the cauda equina?
Roots of lower 4 pairs lumbar nerves, 5 pairs of sacral nerves, and pair of coccygeal nerves
What are the two enlargements of the spinal cord?
Cervical enlargement for upper limbs
Lumbosacral enlargement for lower limbs
What is the anterior/ventral median fissure of the spinal cord?
Deep anterior midline groove where the anterior spinal A lies
What is the anterior/ventral lateral sulcus of the spinal cord?
Shallow groove where the anterior rootlets emerge
What is the posterior/dorsal lateral sulcus of the spinal cord?
Shallow groove where the posterior rootlets enter
What is the posterior/dorsal intermediate sulcus of the spinal cord?
Shallow groove continuous with posterior intermediate septum rostral to T6
What is separated by the posterior intermediate sulcus of the spinal cord?
Fasciculus gracilis from fasciculus cuneatus
What is the posterior/dorsal median sulcus?
Shallow posterior midline groove continuous with the posterior median septum
What are the structures pierced during a lumbar pucture?
Skin
Subcutaneous tissue and fascia
Supraspinatus ligament
Interspinous ligament
Ligamentum flavum
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Into subarachnoid space
What are reasons for a lumbar puncture?
CSF obtained for diagnostic or therapeutic processes
Spinal tap and spinal anaesthesia
What forms the spinal nerve?
Posterior and anterior roots joined within intervertebral foramen
How many spinal nerves are there?
8 cervical pairs
12 thoracic pairs
5 lumbar pairs
5 sacral pairs
1 coccygeal pair
What is conveyed in the posterior/dorsal root of the spinal nerve?
Sensory input from body
What is conveyed in the spinal/dorsal root ganglion?
Synapses with posterior root from periphery
What is conveyed in the anterior/ventral root?
Motor output from visceral and somatic motor neurons
What is innervated by posterior rami of spinal nerves?
Skin and muscles of back
What is innervated by anterior rami of spinal nerves?
Ant and lat muscles and skin of the trunk, extremities, and viscera
What is innervated by the meningeal rami of the spinal nerves?
Meninges and vertebral column
What is the gray communicating rami of spinal nerves?
Unmyelinated postganglionic sympathetic fibers of all spinal nerves
What is the white communicating rami of the spinal nerves?
Myelinated preganglionic sympathetic fibers and myelinated visceral fibers (splanchnic nerves) only found from segments T1-L2
Where are the cervical segments 1-8 of the spinal cord located?
Foramen magnum to C6 vertebra
Where are the thoracic segments 1-6 located?
C6 vertebra to T4 vertebra
Where are the thoracic segments 7-12 located?
T4 vertebra to T9 vertebra
Where are the lumbar and sacral spinal segments located?
T10 vertebra to L1 vertebra
What are the 3 general divisions of the spinal cord white matter?
Dorsal funiculus
Lateral funiculus
Ventral funiculus
When is white matter in the spinal cord the greatest?
Cervical levels
What are the parts of the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord?
Medial group
Lateral group
Central group
What are characteristics of the medial group of the ventral gray horn of the spinal cord?
Innervates axial musculature of neck and trunk
Subdivided into ventromedial and dorsomedial parts