Spinal Cord Anatomy

Question 1

What are the 3 general functions of the spinal cord?

Answer 1

1. Sensory input and motor output for the neck, trunk, limbs and tail
2. Reflexive control of patterned movement and adjustment of glandular activity
3. Transmission of information to and from teh brain

Question 2

The spinal cord recieves sensory information from peripheral nerves via

Answer 2

dorsal roots

Question 3

Motor commands are sent to the skeletal and smooth muscle via

Answer 3

ventral roots

Question 4

What are the function of interneurons?

Answer 4

receive and integrate afferent information to adjust local muscle and glandular activity to adapt to sensory environment

Question 5

Ascending fiber pathways carry what kind of information?

Answer 5

sensory information to the brain

Question 6

Descending fiber pathways carry what kind of information?

Answer 6

Commands from teh brain to the body to regulate posture, voluntary movement and visceral aspects of behavior

Question 7

a spinal nerve, when it leaves through the intervertebral foramen splits into four branches:

Answer 7

1. meningeal
2. dorsal
3. ventral
4. communicating branches (GVE and GVA)

Question 8

Grey matter of the spinal cord contains

Answer 8

cells bodies of neurons

Question 9

What are the four regions of grey matter?

Answer 9

dorsal horn, intermediate zone, ventral horn and lateral horn

Question 10

The Dorsal horn of grey matter is responsible for?

Answer 10

receiving, processing and relaying afferent information from teh dorsal root fibers

Question 11

The intermediate zone of grey matter is responsible for?

Answer 11

interneurons, used in the production of reflexes, such as antigravity, support, balance, and voluntary movement

Question 12

The ventral horn of grey matter is responsible for?

Answer 12

contains motor neurons that send their axons through the ventral root to innervate muscle fibers

Question 13

The lateral horn of grey matter is responsible for?

Answer 13

contains cell bodies of preganglionic sympathetic neurons

only located at segments T1-L3/4

Question 14

White matter of the spinal cord contains

Answer 14

myelinated and unmyelinated axons

Question 15

Upper motor neurons are located where?

Answer 15

UMN are descending neurons originating form the cerberal motor cortex or various nuclei of the brainstem and synapse into interneurons to affect LMNs located in the spinal cord

Question 16

Lower motor neurons are located where?

Answer 16

LMN originate in the brainstem or spinal cord that synapse onto skeletal muscle fibers (femoral n)

Question 17

What is the cauda equina?

Answer 17

It is a collection of spinal nerves that stretch caudally