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YR2: Neuroscience and Mental Health > Spinal Cord Function and Dysfunction > Flashcards

Spinal Cord Function and Dysfunction Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 2 enlargements in the spinal cord and what is their significance?

A 
Cervical enlargement (C3-T1): extra motor neurons to muscles of the upper limb 
Lumbosacral enlargement (L1-S3): extra motor neurons to the muscles of the lower limb
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2
Q

Name the little protrusions of pia mater that anchor the spinal cord to the dura

A

Denticulate ligaments

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3
Q

Which space is present in the spinal meninges but not in the cranial meninges?

A

Epidural space – this can be used for injecting anaesthetics (as the spinal cord ends at ~L2)

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4
Q

What are the 3 most important tracts in spinal cord injury? State their roles.

A

Lateral corticospinal tract: fine motor movements
Dorsal columns: discriminative touch, vibration, proprioception
Spinothalamic tract: pain and temperature

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5
Q

What are the 2 stages of lateral corticospinal tract damage?

A

SPINAL SHOCK: loss of reflexes below the level of the lesion leading to flaccid paralysis (days- weeks)
RETURN OF REFLEXES: hyperreflexia and/or spasticity = rigid paralysis

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6
Q

How are pain neurons arranged differently to other sensory and motor neurons?

A

1st order neurons synapse in the dorsal horn, the 2nd order neuron crosses to the contralateral side immediately (at the level of the synapse with the 1st order neurone)
2nd order neurons ascend on the contralateral side

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7
Q

How many spinal nerves and segments are there?

A

31 spinal segments

31 pairs of spinal nerves

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8
Q

Describe the distribution of the spinal nerves

A 
8 Cervical
12 Thoracic
5 Lumbar
5 Sacral
1 Coccygeal
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9
Q

Through what do nerves leave the vertebral column?

A

Intervertebral foramina

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10
Q

Why is there a discrepancy between spinal and vertebral levels?

A

Spinal cord is much shorter than vertebral column
C1-C7 nerves emerge above their corresponding vertebrae
C8 nerve and onwards emerge below their corresponding vertebrae

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11
Q

Names the 3 meningeal layers

A

Dura Mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater

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12
Q

Describe the composition of the epidural space and subarachnoid space in the spine

A

Epidural: Fat + Veins
Subarachniod: CSF

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13
Q

What features are only seen in cervical segments of the spinal cord

A

Dorsal projections

Transverse vertebral foramina

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14
Q

What anchors the spinal cord to the sacrum and suspends the spinal cord in CSF?

A

Filum Terminale

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15
Q

When are spinal blocks given?

A

When duration of the procedure is known e.g. routine caesarean

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16
Q

What is a dermatome?

A

Area of skin innervated by a single spinal nerve or segment

17
Q

What is a myotome?

A

Muscles innervated by a single spinal nerve or spinal nerve segment

18
Q

What is contained in the anterior and posterior roots?

A

Anterior: only MOTOR fibres
Posterior: only SENSORY fibres

19
Q

What is formed when anterior and posterior roots coalesce?

A

Mixed spinal nerve

20
Q

What does a mixed spinal nerve split to form?

A 
Posterior ramus (small)
Anterior ramus (larger)
21
Q

What is the posterolateral sulcus?

A

Entry point of the posterior (sensory) root

22
Q

What is the anterolateral sulcus?

A

Exit point for the anterior (motor) root

23
Q

What divides the anterior and posterior surface of the spinal cord into 2 halves?

A

Anterior: Anterior median fissure
Posterior: Posterior median sulcus

24
Q

What are grey and white matter comprised of?

A

Grey: Cell bodies
White: Tracts

25
Q

What is a fasciculus?

A

A bundle

26
Q

Name the 2 tracts that bring fine touch information from the upper and lower limbs

A

Ipsilateral upper limb: Fasciculus cuneatus

Ipsilateral lower limb: Fasciculus gracilis

27
Q

Where do each of the main spinal tracts decussate?

A

Lateral corticospinal tract: Medulla
Dorsal columns: Medulla
Spinothalamic tract: at level of entry to spinal cord

28
Q

Describe the composition of the corticospinal tracts

A

85% Lateral corticospinal tract decussate, innervates limbs

15% Ventral corticospinal tract, don’t decussate, innervate trunk

29
Q

Describe the principle 3 neurones between skin and brain

A

Primary: Brings info to spinal cord
Secondary: Decussates, takes info from spinal cord to thalamus
Tertiary: Takes inför from thalamus to cortex

30
Q

Where are sympathetic neurone cell bodies located?

A

Thoracolumbar region of spinal cord

extra intermediate lateral horn

31
Q

Where are parasympathetic nerves found?

A

Brainstem

Sacral spinal cord

32
Q

List 3 factors that affect severity of spinal lesion

A 
Loss of neural tissue (how much is lost)
Vertical level (the higher the lesion, the greater the disability)
Transverse plane (most lesions are incomplete- if dorsal will result in sensory deficit, if ventral will result in motor disability)
33
Q

Is there currently a cure for spinal cord injuries?

A

No

YR2: Neuroscience and Mental Health (20 decks)

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