Spinal Cord Function & Dysfunction Flashcards
2 areas of the spinal cord which has enlargement?
Cervical (C3-T1)
Lumbar (L1-S3)
Why do these 2 areas of the spinal cord have enlargement?
Cervical - extra motor neurones to innervate the upper limbs
Lumbar - extra motor neurones to innervate the lower limbs
Spinal cord segements?
31 spinal segments
Which regions make us the pair of spinal nerves?
8 - cervical 12 - thoracic 5 - lumbar 5- sacral 1 - coccygeal
How do the nerves leave the vertebral column?
Through the intervertebral foramina
Do the nerves come UP or BELOW the vertebrae?
C1 - C7 - ABOVE
C8 onwards BELOW (as only have 7 cervical vertebrae so C8 comes out BELOW C7)
Relationship betw. spinal levels and vertebral levels?
Spinal cord stop developing early on - so smaller than number of vertebrae
Meningeal coverings of the spinal cord?
3 layers of meninges - dura, arachnoid & pia
Where is the CSF located in the spinal cord?
Subarachnoid space
Difference in meningeal coverings in cranial and spinal cord?
Spinal cord - has unique extradural space (space betw. SC and vertebral column)
What is unique about the extradural space in the SC?
Full of venous plexuses & fatty tissue
Clinical relevance of extradural space in SC?
Can be used to clinically inject anaesthetic - epidural
Denticulate ligaments?
Small protrusions of pia mater that tether the spinal cord
How can you identify cervical vertebrae?
Has TWO transverse foramina - to transmit nerves to the brain
At which level does the spinal cord end?
At around L2
Filum terminale?
An extension of the pia mater that is attached to the coccygeal segments, whose function is to suspend the cord in the CSF (like the denticulate ligaments)
Grey & white matter in spinal cord?
Grey matter - cell bodies
White matter - tracts
Dermatome?
Area of SKIN innervated by a single pair of nerves
Myotome?
Collection of MUSCLES innervated by a single pair of nerves
Anterior/ventral root?
Only contains MOTOR fibres
Posterior/dorsal root?
Only contains SENSORY fibres
Spinal nerve?
When both ROOTS join together (both sensory & motor fibres)