Spinal Cord

Question 1

How many spinal nerves are there?

Answer 1

31

Question 2

Where do the spinal nerves exit the vertebral column?

Answer 2

Intervertebral and sacral foramina

Question 3

What comprises spinal nerves?

Answer 3

Bundles of axons, Schwann cells, and connective tissue sheaths.

Question 4

Cervical enlargement

Answer 4

the location where nerves fibers of upper limbs enter and leave the spinal cord

Question 5

Lumbosacral enlargement

Answer 5

where nerve fibers exit the spinal cord to supply the lower limbs

Question 6

Conus medullaris

Answer 6

the tapered part of the spinal cord inferior to the lumbosacral enlargement

Question 7

Cauda equina

Answer 7

Roots of spinal nerves extending from the lumbosacral enlargement and conus medullaris

Question 8

Meninges

Answer 8

Connective tissue membranes that surround the spinal cord and brain

Question 9

Dura mater

Answer 9

The most superficial and thickest membrane of the meninges

Question 10

Thecal Sac

Answer 10

A sac formed by the dura mater that surrounds the spinal cord

Question 11

Epidural space

Answer 11

A space between the vertebral canal and dura mater that contains spinal nerve roots, blood vessels, areolar connective tissue, and adipose tissue.

Question 12

Epidural anesthesia

Answer 12

anesthetic injected into epidural space of spinal cord for women during childbirth

Question 13

Arachnoid mater

Answer 13

Next deepest meningeal membrane. Thin, whispy

Question 14

Subdural space

Answer 14

A small space between the arachnoid mater and dura mater.

Contains a small amount of serous fluid

Question 15

Pia mater

Answer 15

the third, deepest meningeal layer which is bound tightly to the surface of the spinal cord.

Question 16

What holds the spinal cord in place of the thecal sac?

Answer 16

Denticulate ligaments

Filum terminale

Question 17

subarachnoid space

Answer 17

The space between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater

Question 18

What is contained the in subarachnoid space? (3)

Answer 18

weblike strands of arachnoid mater,
blood vessels, and
cerebrospinal fluid.

Question 19

Spinal anesthesia

Answer 19

Drugs that block action potential transmission are inserted into the subarachnoid space.

Prevent pain sensations in the lower half of the body.

Introduced at L3/L4 of L4/L5 vertebra because spinal cord doesn’t extend as long as the vertebral column.

Question 20

Lumbar puncture (spinal tap)

Answer 20

removal of CSF from subarachnoid space to examine it for infection

Question 21

Myelogram

Answer 21

a radiograph of the spinal cord

Question 22

Which two deep clefts partially separate the two halves of the spinal cord?

Answer 22

Anterior median fissure

Posterior median sulcus

Question 23

What are the names of three columns of spinal cord white matter?

Answer 23

Ventral
Dorsal
Lateral

Question 24

What is the subdivision of the columns of the spinal cord called? (3 names)

Answer 24

Tracts or fascicles referred to sometimes as pathways.

Question 25

A tract vs. a nerve?

Answer 25

A tract - collection of axons inside the CNS

A nerve - a collection of axons outside the CNS

Question 26

What are the three horns that organize the central gray matter of the spinal cord?

Answer 26

Posterior horn -
Anterior horns - cell bodies of multipolar somatic motor neurons
Lateral horns - autonomic motor neuron cell bodies

Question 27

What connects the two halves of the spinal cord?

Answer 27

Gray and white commissures

Question 28

What structure circulates CSF associated with the ventricular system?

Answer 28

The central canal

Question 29

What types of axons do dorsal roots contain?

Answer 29

Sensory, which are pseudo-unipolar

Question 30

What types of axons do ventral roots contain?

Answer 30

Motor, which innervate muscles and glands.

Question 31

Where are the cell bodies of the motor neurons located?

Answer 31

Spinal cord gray matter