Spinal Tracts Flashcards
Cervical enlargement
Cervical swelling
Due to the emergence of the nerves of the brachial plexus
Extra inputs and outputs for the arms
Lumbar enlargement
Lumbar swelling
Due to emergence of nerves of the lumbar plexus
Extra inputs and outputs for the legs
Conus medullaris
At level L2
Spinal cord terminates by tapering to a conus medullaris
Below L2 is filled with the nerves roots from the lumbosacral spine
Filum terminale internum
Thin connective tissue
Anchors the spinal cord
Sensory pathways
Information from sensory receptors to the brain
Conscious - reach cerebral cortex
Unconscious - dont reach cerebral cortex, Proprioception information, delivered to cerebellum
Sensory receptors: free nerve endings
Widespread, especially in epithelia and connective tissues
Pain
Heat
Cold
Sensory receptors: tactile discs (merkel)
Stratum basale of epidermis
Light touch
Texture
Edges
Shapes
Sensory receptors: hair receptors (hair cell plexus)
Around hair follicle
Movement of hair
Sensory receptors: tactile corpuscles (meissner’s)
Dermal papillae of fingertips, palms, eyelids, lips, tongue, nipples, genital
Light touch
Texture
Sensory receptors: Krause end bulbs
Mucous membrane
Similar to tactile corpuscles
Light touch
Texture
Sensory receptors: lamellated corpuscles (pacinian)
Dermis, joint capsules, breasts, genitals, some visceral
Deep pressure
Stretch
Tickle
Vibration
Sensory receptors: Ruffini corpuscles
Dermis, subcutaneous tissue, joint capsules
Heavy touch
Pressure
Stretching of skin
Joint movement
Sensory receptors: muscle spindles
Skeletal muscle near tendon
Muscle stretch (Proprioception)
Sensory receptors: Golgi tendon organ
Tendons
Tension on tendons (Proprioception)
Sensory receptors: kinaesthetic receptors
Position and movement of muscles and joints
Generic sensory pathway: first order neurone
Connects sensory receptors to spinal cord via posterior (dorsal) nerve roots
Cell bodies lie in the posterior (dorsal) root ganglia of the spinal nerves
Generic sensory pathway: second order neurone
Connects spinal cord to the to the thalmus
Cell bodies lie in the dorsal horn/grey matter of spinal cord
Generic sensory pathway: third order neurone
Connects the thalamus to the ipsilateral portion of the somatosensory cortex
Cell bodies lie in the thalamus
Spinothalemic pathway (direct): first order neurone
Connects sensory receptors to spinal cord via posterior (dorsal) nerve roots
Cell bodies lie in the posterior (dorsal) root ganglia of the spinal nerves
Spinothalemic pathway (direct): second order neurone
Connects spinal cord to the thalamus
Cell bodies lie in the dorsal horn/grey matter of the spinal cord
Decussate in the spinal cord across the midline
Spinothalemic pathway (direct): third order neurone
Connects the thalamus to the ipsilateral portion of the somatosensory cortex
Cell bodies lie in the thalamus
Ventral spinothalemic
Crude touch
Lateral spinothalemic
Pain
Temperature
Spinothalemic damage
Life side spinal cord injury causes loss of sense of - touch, pain, warmth/cold in the right leg/side
Sensory loss in the controlateral side