Torso - Spinal cord Flashcards
Gross anatomy
Conus medullaris
thin, conical spinal cord below lumbar enlargement
Gross anatomy
Cauda equina
Nerve roots extending below conus medullaris, they exit through the intervertebral foramen as spinal nerves
Gross anatomy
Filum terminale
Thin thread of fibrous connective tissue at end of conus medullaris and connects to the coccyx
Where does the spinal cord end?
Ends between vertebrae L1 and L2
Spinal nerves proximal branches
Anterior (Ventral) root
- Contains axons of motor neurons
- All signals leaving the spinal cord leave through the ventral root
Spinal nerves proximal branches
Posterior (Dorsal) root
- Contains axons of sensory neurons
- All signals going to the psinal cord go through the posterior or dorsal root
Spinal nerves proximal branches
Posterior (Dorsal) root ganglia
- A ganglia is a swelling of a nerve that contain nerve cell bodies
- The nerve cell bodies of the sensory neurons of the skin are located in the dorsal root ganglia
Spinal nerve proximal branches
Spinal nerve
- Where the anterior and posterior roots meet
- Exits through the intervertebral foramen
Cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord
Central canal
Filled with cerebral spinal fluid
Cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord
Posterior median sulcus
depression/groove on the posterior side of the spinal cord
Cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord
Anterior median fissure
Deep groove on the anterior side of the spinal cord
Cross-sectional anatomy of the grey anatomy of the spinal cord
Grey commissure
“Body of butterfly”
Surrounds central canal of spinal cord and allows for contralateral communication
Cross-sectional anatomy of grey matter of spinal cord
Posterior (dorsal) gray horns
Contain somatic and visceral sensory nuclei
Cross-sectional anatomy grey matter of spinal cord
Anterior (ventral) gray horns
Contain somatic motor nuclei
Cross-sectional anatomy grey matter of spinal cord
Lateral gray horns
Contain visceral motor nuclei
Thoracic and lumbar segments
Cross-sectional anatomy grey matter of spinal cord
Sensory nuclei
- Dorsal (posterior) grey horn
- Visceral and somatic
- Receive and relay signals from sensory neurons from peripheral receptors
Cross-sectional anatomy grey matter of spinal cord
Motor nuclei
- Somatic motor-ventral (anterior) grey horn
- Innervate skeletal muscles
- Visceral motor- lateral horn
- Innervates smooth muscle and glands
Cross-sectional anatomy white matter of spinal cord
White matter
Is superficial and contains myelinated and unmyelinated axons
Cross-sectional anatomy white matter of spinal cord
Posterior white columns
Lie between posterior gray horns and posterior median sulcus
Cross-sectional white anatomy white matter of spinal cord
Anterior white columns
Lie between anterior gray horns and anterior median fissure
Cross-sectional anatomy white matter of spinal cord
Lateral white columns
Located on each side of spinal cord between anterior and posterior columns
Cross-sectional anatomy white matter of spinal cord
Fasciculus gracilis
Posterior white column
Closest to the median sulcus
Transmits touch, pressure sensations from lower body to cerebrum
Cross-sectional anatomy white matter of spinal cord
Fasciculus cuneatus
Posterior white column
Lateral to the gasciculus gracilis
Transmits touch, pressure sensations from upper body to cerebrum
Cross-sectional anatomy of white matter of spinal cord
Spinothalmic tract
Anterior white column
Transmits pain, temperature impulses to the thalamus
Cross-sectional anatomy white matter of spinal cord
Spinocerebellar tract
Lateral white column
Transmits proprioception sensations (the sense of the relative position fof parts of the body) to the cerebellum
