spinal cord and autonomic nervous system W5 Flashcards
how do the meninges in the spinal cord differ from the brain?
epidural/extradural space normally filled with epidural fat and small blood vessels, separating the dura from the vertebral column.
in contrast the dura around the brain is firmly attached to the inner aspect of the skull
what are the normal contents of the lumbar cistern?
cauda equina
filum terminale
CSF
why is the lumbar cistern clinically relevant
region you can safely sample CSF from using a lumbar puncture
brachial plexus overview?
roots: C5-7, T1
trunks: superior, middle, inferior
divisions: anterior and posterior
cords: lateral, posterior, medial
terminal nerves: musculocutaneous, median, radial, ulnar, axillary
3 main nerves arising from the lumbosacral plexus?
femoral
obturator
sciatic
where do the spinal nerves emerge from?
C1-7 emerge above their corresponding vertebrae
C8 emerges above T1 (below C7)
all other spinal nerves emerge below their corresponding vertebrae
functional deficits from a C5 spinal nerve injury?
weakness in muscles innervated by C5 nerve and loss of sensory information from the C5 dermatome
how can you tell a cross section is definitely through the thoracic spina cord?
the intermediate/lateral grey horn is a specific feature of the thoracic spinal cord, housing the cell bodies of pre-ganglionic sympathetic neurons
what functional type of neurons would you find in the intermediate/lateral grey horn?
cholinergic neurons
what happens to preganglionic sympathetic neurons once they have entered the sympathetic chain?
synapse straight away
OR
ascend then synapse
OR
descend then synapse
OR
pass straight through by entering a thoracic splanchnic nerve
how many pairs of thoracic splanchnic nerves are there and what are they called? where are the thoracic splanchnic nerves passing to?
3 pairs (greater, lesser and least nerve on each side of the body)
greater -> coeliac ganglion
lesser -> superior mesenteric
least -> inferior mesenteric
diagram?
check and learn it in the worksheets (W6?)
what region of the spinal cord do the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system arise from?
sympathetic - thoracic
parasympathetic - cranial nerves 3, 7, 9, 10, and some of the sacral region
names of the parasympathetic cranial nerves? exit foramina?
3 - oculomotor (superior orbital fissure)
7 - facial (internal acoustic meatus)
9 - glossopharyngeal (jugular foramen)
10 - vagus (jugular foramen)
which functional type of neuron makes up the parasympathetic contribution to the cranial nerves?
cholinergic (preganglionic parasympathetic neurons)
