Spinal Cord Gross Anatomy Flashcards
Where is CNS tissue enclosed within the vertebral column?
from the foramen magnum to L1/L2
Ascending communication is provided by?
Afferent fibers (sensory)
Descending communication is provided by?
efferent fibers (motor)
What protects the spinal cord?
bone, meninges, and CSF (like the brain)
what is epidural space?
the space between the vertebrae and the dural sheath (dura mater) which is filled with fat and a network of veins
How is epidural anesthesia delivered?
Into the epidural space via flexible cannula
What is the terminal portion of the spinal cord called?
The Conus Medullaris
Where does the spinal cord narrow to a cone shape?
between L1 and L2
What will happen if a needle is inserted below L2?
It won’t hit the spinal cord (spinal tap/lumbar puncture; epidural anesthesia)
What is the fibrous extension of the pia mater,
which anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx called?
Filum terminale
What are the delicate shelves of pia mater,
which attach the spinal cord to the vertebrae called?
Denticulate ligaments
How many pair of spinal nerves attach to the cord by paird roots?
31 pairs
How are the spinal nerve pairs divided along the spinal column?
8 - cervical pairs
12 - thoracic pairs
5 - lumbar pairs
5 - sacral pairs
1 coccygeal pair
How many cervical pairs of spinal nerves are there?
8
How many thoracic pairs of spinal nerves are there?
12
How many lumbar pairs of spinal nerves are there?
5
How many sacral pairs of spinal nerves are there?
5
How many coccygeal pairs of spinal nerves are there?
1
What are cervical and lumbar enlargements?
sites where nerveds serving the upper and lower limbs emerge, so large ventral horns and multiple nerve roots leaving the cord in these regions
What is the Cauda equina (horse tail)?
Collection of nerve roots at the inferior end (below L2)
What makes up the Meninges of the spinal cord?
- Dura mater (single layer only; no periosteal attachment)
- Arachnoid mater with CSF in subarachnoid space
- Pia mater
Where does the CSF circulate?
It circulates in the central canal which continues
superiorly into the medulla oblongata
