Spinal Cord Organization Flashcards
function of vertebrae
protection of spinal cord, nerve roots and in conjunction with the ribs—to protect many internal organs
portion joining the body to the transverse processes to spinous procsess
lamina
opening for sc
foramina
connect vertebral body to posterior elements,
pedicles
contains the annulus fibrosus and nuslues pulposus
vertebral body
“flight or fight response”
sympathetic
“rest and digest response
parasympathetic
Gut motility
enteric
what is the autonomic nervous system
The involuntary control of physiologic functions like cardiovascular, digestive, temperature and reproductive system
afferent fibers enter via the dorsal roots)
sensory processing
motor neurons leave the cord from the ventral roots
motor outflow
Some reflex circuitry is completely contained within the spinal cord
reflexes
crossing fibers
Decussation
pia extending through the cauda equina from the conus medullaris to the end of the dural sac around the spinal cord
filum terminale
tapering caudal end of the spinal cord
conus medallaris
pain and temperature pathway
lissauer’s tract
ventral =
motor
dorsal =
sensory
higher numbers
ventral
lower numbers
dorsal
X
intermedial
what is in the dorsal horn
Lissauer’s tract, substantia gelatinosa and body of the horn
Interneurons and projections neurons (many cell bodies) for ascending sensory pathways
Cell bodies on sensory fibers in the Dorsal Root Ganglia
what are the dorsal columns
ascending afferents of cutaneous, joint and muscle receptors (axons of the ascending sensory pathways)
Cell bodies of large alpha motor neurons to skeletal muscle
ventral horns
funiculi =
column
cell bodies of neurons
grey matter
consists of axons that travel up and down the spinal cord to and from the brain
white matter
what is substantia gelatinosa
in posterior grey horn, contains neurons that specifically carry pain and temperature sensations to the brain
interneurons that make connections within the spinal cord and neurons that enter ascending pathways carrying sensory info to the brain
posterior grey horn
contains cell bodies of motor neurons that activate skeletal muscles
anterior grey horn
what are the motor neurons in the anterior grey horn
alpha motor neurons
what do AMN do
they leave the cord in the ventral roots and represents the way the nervous system enacts voluntary and involuntary movements
contains neurons involved in autonomic functions
intermediate grey matter
consists of ascending and descending fibers that carry sensory information to brain and motor ino to the body
white matter
what are the bundles of fibers in the white matter
funiculi
what are the 3 sections of white matter
posterior, lateral, anterior
what is in the dorsal white column
contains gracilis and cuneatus
contains descending pathways that are responsible for causing movement
lateral white column
contains ascending and descending pathways
ventral white column
