Spinal Cord Flashcards
Length and width of spinal cord?
42 cm long
1.8 cm thick
Where does the fused spinal cord run from?
From foramen magnum to L1-L2
Describe the composition of the spinal cord
Outside = white matter Inside = grey matter
Are there meninges on the spinal cord?
Yes
What is the conus medullaris?
End of the fused spinal cord
What is the cauda equina?
Hair like appendages
What is the filum terminale?
Connective tissue which anchors the fused spinal cord to the coccyx.
What am I? Connective tissue which anchors the fused spinal cord to the coccyx.
Filum terminale
What am I? Hair like appendages
Cauda equina
What am I? End of the fused spinal cord
Conus medullaris
Feature of the posterior spinal cord
Dorsal median sulcus
Feature of anterior spinal cord
Ventral median fissure
What is the arrangement of grey matter in the spinal cord?
H-zone of grey matter Posterior to anterior: -somatic sensory (from muscle) -visceral sensory (from visceral organs) -visceral motor (to visceral organs) -somatic motor (to muscle)
What is the arrangement of white matter in the spinal cord?
Three directions:
- Ascending (sensory)
- Descending (motor)
- Transverserly (commisura fibres - across)
What are the rules of a spinal tract?
Decussate at some stage
Relay (serial processing): 2-3 neutrons involved
Somatotopy - can map different functions to different regions
Symmetry
