Spinal Nerves Flashcards
Networks of nerves serving motor and sensory needs of the limbs.
Plexus
Plexuses form from the ventral rami of spinal nerves of what regions?
Cervical, lumbar, and sacral regions.
What are the four plexuses?
Cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral
What is the origin of the cervical plexus?
C1-C5
What is the origin of the brachial plexus?
C5-C8; T1
What is the origin of the lumbar plexus?
L1-L4
What is the origin of the sacral plexus?
L4-L5; S1-S4
This important nerve of the cervical plexus serves the diaphragm, skin and muscles of shoulder and neck.
Phrenic
What are the important nerves of the brachial plexus?
Axillary, radial, median, musculocutaneous, ulnar
What are the important nerves of the lumbar plexus?
Femoral (including lateral and anterior cutaneous branches) and obturator
What are the important nerves of the sacral plexus?
Sciatic, common fibular (superior and deep branching), tibial (sural and plantar branches), superior and inferior gluteal
This brachial nerve serves the deltoid muscle and skin of shoulder, muscles and skin of superior thorax.
Axillary
This brachial nerve serves the triceps and extensor muscles of the forearm, skin of posterior upper limb.
Radial
This brachial nerve serves the flexor muscles and skin of forearm ad some muscles of hand.
Median
This brachial nerve serves the flexor muscles of arm, and skin of lateral forearm.
Musculocutaneous
This brachial nerve serves some flexor muscles of forearm, wrist and many hand muscles, skin of hand.
Ulnar
This lumbar nerve serves the lower abdomen, anterior and medial thigh muscles, and skin of anteromedial leg and thigh.
Femoral
This lumbar nerve serves the adductor muscles of medial thigh and small hip muscles, skin of medial thigh and hip part.
Obturator
This nerve is the largest nerve in the body.
Sciatic
The sciatic nerve splits into what two nerves?
Common fibular and tibial
This sacral nerve serves the lower trunk and posterior surface of thigh.
Sciatic
This sacral nerve serves the lateral aspect of the leg and foot.
Common fibular
This sacral nerve serves the posterior aspect of the leg and foot.
Tibial
This sacral nerve serves the gluteal muscles of hip.
Superior and inferior gluteal
Damage to this nerve results in respiratory paralysis (death if not treated promptly).
Phrenic
Damage to this nerve results in paralysis and atrophy of deltoid muscle.
Axillary
Damage to this nerve results in wristdrop (inability to extend hand at wrist).
Radial
Damage to this nerve results in decreased ability to flex and abduct hand & flex and abduct thumb and index finger (inability to pick up small objects).
Median
Damage to this nerve results in decreased ability to flex forearm on arm.
Musculocutaneous
Damage to this nerve results in clawhand (inability to spread fingers apart).
Ulnar
Damage to this nerve results in inability to extend leg & flex hip (loss of cutaneous sensation).
Femoral
Damage to this nerve results in inability to adduct thigh.
Obturator
Damage to this nerve results in inability to extend hip & flex knee; sciatica.
Sciatic
Damage to this nerve results in footdrop (inability to dorsiflex foot).
Common fibular
Damage to this nerve results in inability to plantar flex and invert foot; shuffling gait.
Tibial
Damage to this nerve results in inability to hip (maximus) or abduct & medially rotate thigh (medius).
Superior and inferior gluteal
