Spinal Cord and Reflexes Flashcards
There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves. How many are in each spinal segment [Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, Sacral, Coccygeal]?
Cervical: 8
Thoracic: 12
Lumbar: 5
Sacral: 5
Coccygeal: 1
C1-C7 exits above or below their respective vertebrae?
Above
C8 exits between which vertebraes?
Between C7 and T1
T1 and below exits above or below their respective vertebrae?
Below
Central Relay Station
A. receives incoming information from the body and the brain
B. conveys outgoing information to the body and the brain
A. receives incoming information from the body and the brain
Central Processing Station
A. receives incoming information from the body and the brain
B. conveys outgoing information to the body and the brain
B. conveys outgoing information to the body and the brain
Conus Medullaris
conical distal end of the SC
Cauda Equina
horse’s tail; bundle of spinal nerves and spinal nerve rootlets; made up of dorsal and ventral
Filum Terminale
extends from the tip of conus and attaches to the distal dural sac; anchors the conus medullaris and the tecal sac of the first coccygeal vertebrae which limits the superior movement and the extension of pia mater
Denticulate Ligaments
connected tissue extending form the lateral side of the spinal cord to the dura mater by tooth-like processes; limits lateral movement
Cervical Enlargement
origin of the brachial plexus
Lumbosacral Enlargement
origin of lumbosacral plexus
Epidural Space
separates dura mater from vertebral column, anesthetic can be injected to anesthetize the local spinal nerve
Dura Mater
Outermost, thickest
Subdural Space
a potential space that can be opened by the separation of the arachnoid mater from the dura mater as the result of trauma
Arachnoid Mater
very thin
Subarachnoid Mater
usually contains the CSP, extends to the S2 level of vertebra
Pia Mater
deepest
What are the 6 meningeal coverings of the spinal cord?
Epidural space, Dura mater, subdural space, arachnoid mater, subarachnoid mater, and pia mater
At birth, the cord extends at what level?
3rd lumbar vertebrae
At the adult stage, the tip of the cord lies at what level?
1st/2nd level of the vertebrae
Divides the cord into symmetric right and left portions
Anterior Median Fissure
Posterior Median Sulcus
The spinal cord is continuous with the medulla oblongata and starts from the level of foramen magnum and will extend up to an adult’s
lower border of L1 vertebra
The spinal cord is continuous with the medulla oblongata and starts from the level of foramen magnum and will extend up to a young child’s
upper border of L3 vertebra
The anterior median fissure contains a fold of pia and blood vessels and its floor is the
Anterior (white) Commissure
Ventral nerve roots
Anterior
exits at the anterolateral sulcus
Dorsal nerve roots are
Posterior
attached to the spinal cord along a shallow vertical groove, the posterolateral sulcus
Dorsal Root Ganglion
swelling that contains nerve cell bodies that gives rise to the sensory axons
Peripheral Nerves
portions of the spinal nerve outside the vertebral column
Dorsointermediate Sulcus
responsible for dividing the dorsal column into fasciculus gracilis (lower extremities, medial) and fasciculus cuneatus (upper extremities, lateral)
Dorsolateral Sulcus
contains the vertebral grove which is where the dorsal nerve rootlets are attached