Spinal Cord Flashcards
Function of the Spinal Cord?
Serve as a conduit for signal flow between peripheral sensory structures and brain and back to motor outpus
What are the 3 main types of signals?
Sensory - afferent to brain
Motor - efferent from brain
Intrinsic circuits - those involved in spinal reflexes
How many pairs of spinal nerves emerge from the spinal cord?
31 pairs
How many of each division of spinal nerves are there?
8 Cervical, 12 Thoracic, 5 Lumbar, 5 Sacral and 1 Coccygeal
Name the 3 coverings of the spinal cord from deep to superficial.
Pia, Arachnoid and Dura mater
Where is the CSF located? Btwn which two layers?
In the subarachnoid space - btwn the pia and the arachnoid mater
Where does the spinal cord end? What structure exists there in the absence of the cord?
L1/L2 - conus medularis; lack of cord produces a lumbar cistern
The denticulate ligaments come from which meningeal layer?
The pia mater = lateral projections outwards to the dura that stabilize the spinal cord
The filum terminale is an extension of which meningeal layer?
Caudal extension of the pia mater
The coccygeal ligaments is an extension of which meningeal layer?
The dura mater
Nucleus Posteromarginalis - dorsal horn
Lamina I: reception of pain signals
Substantia Gelatinosa - dorsal horn
Lamina II: reception of pain and temperature
Nucleus Proprius - dorsal horn
Lamina III-VI: touch, pain and temperature
Nucleus Dorsalis - dorsal horn
Lamina VII: Clarke’s column (C8-L2/3) - muscle sense to brain
Lateral Horn
Lamina VII: found only in thoracic segments; autonomic efferent cell bodies
