Topic 4: PNS Road Maps Flashcards
In the lumbosacral region, the nerve roots descend almost vertically below the cord to form the
Cauda Equina
The area from which a pair of dorsal and ventral roots arise is defined as
A segment of the SC
How many roots does each segment of the spinal cord connect to
4 roots
Each root consists of bundled nerve fibers.
The anterior and posterior roots join together at the intervertebral foramen, to form a
Spinal nerve
The ventral (anterior) root contains axons that carry _________ signals from the spinal cord to muscles and viscera.
The cell bodies of these axons lie in the SC.
Efferent
The dorsal root contains ________ signals. A dorsal root ganglion contains cell bodies of 1st order neurons. Unipolar.
Afferent
On emerging from the intervertebral foramen, a spinal nerve divides immediately into anterior and posterior ramus with medial and lateral branches each containing what fibres
Motor and Sensory fibres
Supplies the posterior body trunk and back of the head
Dorsal Rami
Supplies the lateral and anterior trunk and upper and lower extremities
Ventral Rami
Both dorsal and ventral rami contain autonomic fibers. Both dorsal and ventral rami are mixed nerves because
They are branches of the spinal nerve, not the root.
Axons in the ventral rami that serve the upper and lower extremities mix and mingle with each other to form nerve networks called
Plexuses
Peripheral nerves
Peripheral nerves i.e. Those serving the upper and lower extremities, usually contain fibres from more than one spinal nerve. Why is this advantageous?
Because a muscle getting innervation from multiple spinal nerves can retain some function if one spinal nerve is damaged at the spinal cord location
True or False?
Only ventral rami form plexus’?
True
The level of SC injury is indicated by the highest level that remains intact.
Give an example:
A C3 lesion means that the dermatomes and myotomes associated with C1 to C3 are fully functioning. All those below C3 are affected.
The brachial plexus supplies the upper limb and supporting musculature of the scapula. The brachial plexus is formed by the ventral rami _________ (which spinal segments)
C5 - T1
