Spinal Tracts and Spinal Cord Flashcards

1
Q

What is a nerve?

A

A cord composed of many nerve fibers or axons bound together by CT

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2
Q

What three kinds of CT are found in nerves?

A

Epineurium
Perineurium
Endoneurium

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3
Q

How many fibers can be in a nerve?

A

Just a few to a million

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4
Q

What color are nerve fibers?

A

Pearly white

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5
Q

How do nerves branch?

A

They divide into smaller and smaller branches as they go out

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6
Q

What is a ganglion?

A

A collection of neuronal cell bodies outside the CNS

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7
Q

What does a ganglion look like?

A

It looks like a knot in thread (knot= neuronal cell body)

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8
Q

What usually occurs at a ganglion?

A

A synapse

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9
Q

Are there synapses in a dorsal root ganglion?

A

No synapses in a dorsal root ganglion. No synapses because there are no gaps.

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10
Q

What is an example of a sensory nerve?

A

Sight and smell

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11
Q

What is an example of a motor nerve?

A

A nerve to skeletal muscle

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12
Q

What is a mixed nerve? And an example?

A

A nerve with both sensory and motor functions.

Ex: a spinal nerve

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13
Q

__________ diagnose and manage spinal cord injuries

A

Neurologists

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14
Q

What is an ascending spinal tract?

A

Carry sensory information up the spinal cord to the brain

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15
Q

What is a descending spinal tract?

A

Carry motor information down the spinal cord to the body

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16
Q

All ______ _____ in a given tract have a singular orientation, destination, and function

A

nerve fibers

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17
Q

_____ is the crossing of nerve fibers

A

Decussation

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18
Q

Decussation can happen in the _______ _______, but the decussation of ______ nerves happens in the pyramid of the medulla/

A

spinal cord

motor

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19
Q

Each cerebral hemisphere receives sensory information from and sends motor info to the __________ side of the body.

A

contralateral

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20
Q

Cranial nerves carry fibers between the brainstem and __________ receptors and effectors

A

ipsilateral

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21
Q

A stroke in the left hemisphere will affect motor control on the ______ side.

A

Right

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22
Q

In which cranial nerve do only 1/2 the fibers decussate?

A

The optic nerve

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23
Q

Where do ascending spinal tracts go?

A

To sensory cortex (postcentral gyrus)

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24
Q

How are ascending spinal tracts named?

A

The prefix spino- followed by a root describing the destination of the fibers

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25
Spinothalamic tracts head to? And later onto?
From the spine to thalamus (and on to cortex)
26
What kinds of signals does the spinothalamic tract carry?
Carries signal for pain, temperature, itch, pressure, and tickle.
27
What are the two ascending tracts Beachy wants us to know?
Spinothalamic and spinocerebellar tracts
28
Where do spinocerebellar tracts go?
From spine to cerebellum
29
What signals does the spinocerebellar tract carry?
These carry proprioception from the limbs and trunk to the cerebrum
30
The spinocerebellar tract is ___consious.
Subconscious
31
The spinocerebellar tract provides cerebellum the information needed to coordinate _____ _______.
muscle action
32
How many nerves are in a spinocerebellar tract?
Usually 3
33
What are the names of the three nerves in the spinocerebellar tract?
1st order neuron 2nd order neuron 3rd order neuron
34
What does a 1st order neuron in the spinocerebellar tract go?
Detects stimuli and transmits signals to the spinal cord
35
What does a 2nd order neuron in the spinocerebellar tract go?
Begins at spinal cord, crosses over, and ends at thalamus
36
What does a 3rd order neuron in the spinocerebellar tract go?
Thalamus to postcentral gyrus
37
Where do descending tracts begin and what do they coordinate?
Come from the motor cortex (precentral gyrus) | Carry signals for precise, finely coordinated movement.
38
How are descending tracts named?
Most descending tracts have -spino as the main word, with a prefix indicating where its fibers are coming from.
39
What does the pyramidal tract govern?
Limb movement
40
The pyramidal tract is also called...
Corticospinal tract
41
What does the reticulospinal tract do?
Maintain balance by varying the form of the postural muscles
42
How many neurons are in a descending tract, and what are they called?
2 Upper Motor Neuron Lower Motor Neuron
43
Where does the upper motor neuron go?
Generally from the cortical motor nuclei to the spinal cord (these cross in the pyramid)
44
Where does the lower motor neuron go?
Generally from the ventral horn of the spinal cord to skeletal muscle
45
The spinal cord is a _____ shaped cylinder and lies in the _____ ______.
Oval | Spinal Canal
46
The spinal cord starts at the _______ ______ and ends at ____ or _____.
Foramen Magnum | L1 or L2
47
The spinal cord is ______ inches long as as thick as a ______.
17-18 inches | Finger
48
The spinal cord can be compared to a "________" and is covered with ________.
Highway | Meninges
49
What are the two enlargements of the spinal cord?
Cervical | Lumbar
50
What comes from the cervical enlargement of the spinal cord?
Where nerves to/from the upper extremity leave
51
What comes from the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord?
Nerves to/from the lower extremity
52
What is the conus medullaris?
Where the spinal cord tapers to a point (cone in 3D) as it ends at L1 or L2
53
What is the filum terminale?
An extension of pia mater coming from the inferior conus medullaris This merges with the dura at S5 and forms the coccygeal ligament
54
The coccygeal ligament anchors _____ ______ to ______.
Spinal cord | Coccyx
55
What is the cauda equina?
The “horses tail,” Arising from the lumbar enlargement and the conus medullaris is a bundle of nerve roots that occupy the vertebral canal from L2S5
56
What does the cauda equina innervate?
Innervates the pelvic organs and lower limbs
57
Where do lumbar punctures take place? Why there?
Occurs between L3-L4 or L4-L5 because there’s no cord, but lots of lithe fibers; but the canal still has CSF in it.
58
Name the sulci, fissure, and canal in the spinal cord
Posterior median sulcus Anterior median fissure Central canal
59
Name the three horns. What kind of matter are they?
Dorsal horn Lateral horn Ventral horn Gray matter
60
Name the three columns. What kind of matter are they?
Dorsal column Lateral column Ventral column White matter
61
The central canal lies in the middle of the ______ ______.
Gray commissure
62
What is the gray commissure?
Mirror-image lateral gray masses connected by a cross-bar of gray matter