Spinal Cord Flashcards
Function of spinal cord
Sends and receives signals between brain and rest of the body
Where does the spinal cord begin
Foremen magnum in the skull
Where does the spinal cord terminate
Lumbar region
Where is the spinal cord situated
In the vertebral canal of the vertebral column
What is the spinal cord surrounded by
3 meninges (pia, aranchoid, dura)
What is the centre of the spinal cord
Inner core of grey matter - H shaped pillar with anterior and posterior grey horns
What is the inner grey matter core surrounded by
Outer covering of white matter divided into anterior, lateral and posterior white columns
What does gray matter consist of
Nerve cells, neuroglia and blood vessels
Which part of the spine contains the most grey matter and why
Crevical and lumbosacral as the amount of grey matter is related to the amount of muscle innervated at that level
What is the cervical enlargement
4th cervical to 2nd thoracic
What is the lumbo sacral enlargement
2nd lumbar to 3rd sacral
How many oairs of spinal nerves
31
How many pairs of nerves in the cervical region
8
How many pairs of nerves in the thoracic region
12
How many pairs of nerves in the lumbar
5
How many pairs of nerves in the sacral
5
How many pairs of nerves in the coccygeal
1
How are the spinal nerves attached
Anterior - motor roots
Posterior - sensory roots
What does each posterior nerve root possess
A posterior root ganglion
What is a sensory ganglia
Ovoid shape with and oval bell body
What are motor ganglia
A long chain in the spine from base of skull to tail which contains irregular shaped cell bodies
What is cauda equine
A collection of nerve cells at the end of the spinal cord
What is the size of the vertebral canal in the cervical area
Large
Size of vertebral canal in thoracic
Small
What are the levels of spinal cord injury
A-E
What do the long axons in the spinal cord control
Skeletal muscles in the neck, torso, limbs called motor neurons
What do the sensory neurons in the spinal cord control
Dorsal root ganglion carry info from the body to spinal cord found immediately outside of the spinal cord
What do the spinal interneurons in the spinal cord control
Cells help integrate sensory info and generate coordinated signals that control muscles
What is myelin
A white fatty substance produced by Schwann cells
What do the peripheral nerves consist of
Parallel bundles of fibres that may be efferent or afferent
What are the peripheral nerves and what surrounds them
Cranial and spinal surrounded by connective tissue sheaths
What do proprioreceptors detect
Change in balance and spatial awareness
What do the mechanoreceptors detect
Pressure / touch in the skin
What do the norcireceptors detect
Pain
What do thermoreceptors detect
Temperature
What is laceration in peripheral nerves
Complete splitting in the axon and it is irreversible
What is compression in the peripheral nerves
When the axon of the nerve compresses
What is stretch in the peripheral nerve
When the axon in the nerve is pulled
