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Questions and Answers
What are the superior and inferior boundaries of the spinal dura mater?
What are the superior and inferior boundaries of the spinal dura mater?
The superior boundary is the foramen magnum of the occipital bone, and the inferior boundary is the second sacral vertebra.
What are three spinal meninges?
What are three spinal meninges?
Dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater.
What portion of the spinal cord connects with sensory and motor nerves of the upper limbs?
What portion of the spinal cord connects with sensory and motor nerves of the upper limbs?
The cervical enlargement.
What is the difference between a horn and a column in the spinal cord?
What is the difference between a horn and a column in the spinal cord?
How many spinal cord segments are there and how are they categorized?
How many spinal cord segments are there and how are they categorized?
Why are all spinal nerves classified as mixed nerves?
Why are all spinal nerves classified as mixed nerves?
Which spinal nerve branches serve the upper and lower limbs?
Which spinal nerve branches serve the upper and lower limbs?
Which is the only spinal nerve that does not have a corresponding dermatome?
Which is the only spinal nerve that does not have a corresponding dermatome?
Why does complete severing of the spinal cord at level C2 cause respiratory arrest?
Why does complete severing of the spinal cord at level C2 cause respiratory arrest?
What five important nerves arise from the brachial plexus?
What five important nerves arise from the brachial plexus?
What is the origin of the lumbar plexus?
What is the origin of the lumbar plexus?
What is the origin of the sacral plexus?
What is the origin of the sacral plexus?
Based on its name, what are the position, origin, and destination of the anterior corticospinal tract?
Based on its name, what are the position, origin, and destination of the anterior corticospinal tract?
Why is this reflex a somatic reflex?
Why is this reflex a somatic reflex?
What is myelitis?
What is myelitis?
What is meningitis?
What is meningitis?
Where does sensory input travel?
Where does sensory input travel?
Where does motor output travel?
Where does motor output travel?
What are white matter tracts in the spinal cord?
What are white matter tracts in the spinal cord?
What is a reflex?
What is a reflex?
What are the three connective tissue coverings associated with spinal nerves?
What are the three connective tissue coverings associated with spinal nerves?
How are spinal nerves typically connected with the spinal cord?
How are spinal nerves typically connected with the spinal cord?
What are the functions of the spinal cord?
What are the functions of the spinal cord?
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Study Notes
Spinal Dura Mater Boundaries
- Superior boundary: Foramen magnum of the occipital bone
- Inferior boundary: Second sacral vertebra
Spinal Meninges
- Dura mater: Outermost layer
- Arachnoid mater: Middle layer
- Pia mater: Innermost layer
Cervical Enlargement
- Area of the spinal cord connecting with sensory and motor nerves of the upper limbs
Gray and White Matter
- Horn: Area of gray matter in the spinal cord
- Column: Region of white matter in the spinal cord
Spinal Cord Segments
- Total of 31 pairs:
- Cervical: 8 pairs
- Thoracic: 12 pairs
- Lumbar: 5 pairs
- Sacral: 5 pairs
- Coccygeal: 1 pair
Mixed Nerves
- All spinal nerves are classified as mixed due to the presence of both sensory axons in posterior roots and motor axons in anterior roots
Limb Innervation
- Anterior rami provide motor and sensory branches to the upper and lower limbs
Dermatomes
- C1 is the only spinal nerve without a corresponding dermatome
C2 Spinal Cord Injury
- Complete severing at C2 leads to respiratory arrest by obstructing nerve impulses to the phrenic nerve, essential for diaphragm contraction
Brachial Plexus Nerves
- Five important nerves:
- Axillary
- Musculocutaneous
- Radial
- Median
- Ulnar
Plexus Origins
- Lumbar plexus: Roots of spinal nerves L1-L4
- Sacral plexus: Anterior rami of spinal nerves L4-L5 and S1-S4
Anterior Corticospinal Tract
- Positioned anteriorly in the spinal cord
- Originates in the cerebral cortex
- Descends to the spinal cord, functioning as a motor tract
Somatic Reflexes
- Defined by having skeletal muscles as effectors
Myelitis
- Inflammation of the spinal cord
Meningitis
- Inflammation of the meninges often due to infection
- Symptoms: Fever, headache, stiff neck, vomiting, confusion, lethargy, and drowsiness
Sensory Input Pathways
- Travels along posterior columns and spinothalamic tracts in the white matter of the spinal cord
Motor Output Pathways
- Travels via direct and indirect pathways in the white matter of the spinal cord
White Matter Tracts
- Serve as highways for nerve impulse propagation
- Relay sensory input to the brain and motor output from the brain to effectors
Reflex Definition
- An involuntary and rapid sequence of actions in response to environmental changes
- Can be spinal or cranial and somatic or autonomic
Connective Tissue Coverings of Spinal Nerves
- Endoneurium: Covers individual axons
- Perineurium: Surrounds groups of axons
- Epineurium: Encloses the entire nerve
Connection to Spinal Cord
- Spinal nerves typically connect via a posterior root (sensory) and anterior root (motor)
Functions of the Spinal Cord
- White matter: Propagates sensory impulses to the brain and motor impulses to effectors
- Gray matter: Integrates sensory input and motor output
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