Spinal Cord

Question 1

Spinal Cord lives in the…

Answer 1

Vertebral Canal

Question 2

Spinal Cord is a continuation of the…

Answer 2

medulla oblongata

Question 3

Spinal cord begins and ends…

Answer 3

Begine at the foramen magnum and ends at the L2 vertebral body
Occupies 2/3s of the vertebral column
It tapers and terminates at L2
Vertebral levels and spinal level do NOT line up

Question 4

Conus Medullaris

Answer 4

Terminal portion of the spinal cord

Question 5

Neuron

Answer 5

Cell body and dendrites

1 nerve = thousands of neurons

Question 6

Spinal Cord… Matter

Answer 6

Gray Matter = neurons, colelction of cell bodies without myelination, centrally located in the spinal cord
White Matter = Myelinated axons and dendrites, don’t have the cell bodies, located outside the gray matter in spinal cord

Question 7

Enlargements of the Spinal Cord

Answer 7

Cervical = upper limb innervation
Lumbosacral = lower limb innervation

Question 8

Cauda Equina

Answer 8

Tail horse
All the nerve rootsgoing to go find their foramen to get out of the canal
Location = lumbar Cistern (subarachnoid space)
Dorsal and ventral rootlets are located in the subarachnoid space and are directed towards the intervertebral foramen to exit the vertebral column
Includes conus medullaris and the filum terminale

Question 9

Filum Terminale

Answer 9

Anchors the cord

No nerve process! It is a membrane

Question 10

Vasculature of the Spinal Cord

Answer 10

Anterior Spinal Artery = Anterior midline of the spinal cord

Posterior Spinal Artery = splits and stays apart

Question 11

Spinal Meninges

Answer 11

Dura Mater = thick membrane/sac
Arachnoid Mater = filmy/glassy layer inside dura mater
Pia Mater = most intimate layer, anchor, runs the grooves of the cord

Question 12

Dura Mater

Answer 12

Contains the epidural space

- Outside the dura mater (epidural anesthesia)

Question 13

Arachnoid Mater

Answer 13

Contains the subarachnoid space - fluid under the layer
CNS floats in this space
Lumbar Cistern = collects the cerebrospinal fluid

Question 14

Pia Mater

Answer 14

Contains the denticulate ligaments (saw tooth arrangements) and the filum termnale (comes off the conus medullaris) is an anchor

Question 15

Typical Spinal Nerves come off the…

How many pairs of spinal nerves?

Answer 15

Spinal Cord
Cranial nerves = off of the brain
31 pairs of spinal nerves
8C, 12T, 5L, 5S, 1C - Pair - Right and Left

Question 16

Definition of a nerve

Answer 16

Collection of neuronal cell processes, dendrites (sensory) and axons (motor) surrounded by conenctive tissue coverings

Question 17

Dermatomes and Myotomes

Answer 17

Dermatomes = sensory nerve distribution (C3 and 4 = shoulder, T4 = nipple)
Myotomes = motor nerve distribution

Question 18

Neuron

Answer 18

Basic functional unit of the nervous system (dendrite = re –> cell body –> axon –> dendrite

Question 19

Synapse

Answer 19

Functional communication between a series of neurons

Question 20

Afferent

Answer 20

Neuron that send impulses towards the CNS

Sensory

Question 21

Efferent

Answer 21

Neuron that sends impulses away from the CNS

Motor

Question 22

Somatic

Answer 22

Pertaining to the body; typically the body wall

Question 23

Visceral

Answer 23

Splanchnic

Pertaining to the gut, viscera

Question 24

Ganglion

Answer 24

Collection of cell bodies outside of the CNS

Question 25

Rootlets

Answer 25

Within subarachnoid space
Directed toward intervertebral foramina
Immediately come off of the spinal cord
Dorsal - sensory
Ventral - motor

Question 26

Roots

Answer 26

Cabeled up rootlets
Dorsal - Afferent
Ventral - Efferent

Question 27

Dorsal Roots

Answer 27

Dorsal Root Ganglion - collection of cell bodies outside of the CNS, Swelling, Located within the intervertebral foramen of the vertebral column
Sensory neuronal processes contained in a conenctive tissue sheath

Question 28

Ventral Roots

Answer 28

Motor neuronal processes contained in a connective tissue sheath

Question 29

When do they become mixed?

Answer 29

When they pass the rootlets and the roots… at the spinal nerve

Question 30

Mixed Spinal Nerve

Answer 30

31 pairs
Both motor and sensory neuronal processes combined in a conenctive tissue sheath
Named and numbered corresponding to location and relationship to the vertebrae
C1 comes out above atlas though so C8 comes out below C7 (after that it lines up again)

Question 31

Rami

Answer 31

Dorsal Primary Ramus - Synovial joints of the vertebral column, Deep muscles of the back (motor), and Overlying skin of the back (sensory)
Ventral Primary Ramus - Remaining areas of the trunk, upper limbs, lower limbs, all of the nerve plexuses
Cervical (C1-5), Brachial (C5-T2), Intercostal (T1-T11), Lumbar (T12 - L4), Sacral (L4 - S5), Coccygeal (C0)

Question 32

Components of a typical spinal nerve

Answer 32

General Sensory (General Somatic Afferent)
Somatic Motor (General Somatic Efferent)
Visceral Sensory (General Visceral Afferent)
Visceral Motor (General Visceral Efferent) 
Connective Tissue Coverings (Endoneurium, peri, epi)
Vasa Nevorum (blood vessels)

Question 33

General Sensory (General Somatic Afferent)

Answer 33

Transmits pain, temp, touch, pressure, and proprioception to the spinal cord
you can feel it consciously

Question 34

Somatic Motor (General Somatic Efferent)

Answer 34

Transmits impulses from the spinal cord to skeletal muscles

Conscious muscle movement

Question 35

Visceral Sensory (General Visceral Afferent)

Answer 35

Transmits reflex pain from viscera, glands, mucous membranes and blood vessels to spinal cord (stretch and chemistry)

Question 36

Visceral Motor (General Visceral Efferent)

Answer 36

Transmits impulses from CNS to smooth muscle and glandular tissue (ANS)