Spinal Cord Flashcards
what is grey matter in the spinal cord
the middle of the cord made up of neurons and other cells.
what is the white matter in the spinal cord
fibres that carry info up and down.
where is the dorsal horn
the back of the spinal cord - sensory information from the periphery, pain, fine touch, proprioception, temperature.
where is the ventral horn
front of the spinal cord, motor neurons, each cell is part of a motor unit
what is the function of the lateral descending system and what tracts are found there
the corticospinal and resticulospinal tracts, connect to motor neurons in the lateral ventral horn. influences lateral musculature.
what is the function of the medial descending system and which tracts are found there
Vestibulospinal and reticulospinal tracts, fibers in the medial white matter, connect to motor neurons in the medial ventral horn, involved in balance and posture.
how many pairs of spinal nerves are there
21
what is a motor unit
combination of an individual motor neuron and all of the muscle fibres it innervates
when are small motor units used
for small movements
what are all the motor neurons that innervate a single muscle called
a motor pool
what are reflexes
involuntary and often inert actions
