Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the point of termination of the spinal cord in the spinal canal?
What is the point of termination of the spinal cord in the spinal canal?
- Disc between S1 and S2
- Disc between T9 and T10
- Disc between L1 and L2 (correct)
- Disc between C1 and C2
What is the function of the CSF in the spinal cord?
What is the function of the CSF in the spinal cord?
- Acting as a shock absorber (correct)
- Regulation of body temperature
- Protection of the spinal cord from injury
- Transmission of nerve signals
What is the innermost layer of the spinal meninges?
What is the innermost layer of the spinal meninges?
- Epidural Space
- Arachnoid Mater
- Dura Mater
- Pia Mater (correct)
What is the location of the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord?
What is the location of the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord?
What is the structure that arises from the conus medullaris and anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx?
What is the structure that arises from the conus medullaris and anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx?
What is the space between the dura mater and the vertebra?
What is the space between the dura mater and the vertebra?
What is the main function of the autonomic motor nuclei in the spinal cord?
What is the main function of the autonomic motor nuclei in the spinal cord?
What is the difference between the posterior column and the lateral and anterior columns in the spinal cord?
What is the difference between the posterior column and the lateral and anterior columns in the spinal cord?
Which nerve plexus supplies the diaphragm?
Which nerve plexus supplies the diaphragm?
What is the name of the nerve that supplies the serratus anterior muscle?
What is the name of the nerve that supplies the serratus anterior muscle?
What is the purpose of the meninges in the spinal cord?
What is the purpose of the meninges in the spinal cord?
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there in the human body?
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there in the human body?
What is the term for the clustering of cell bodies of motor neurons in the spinal cord?
What is the term for the clustering of cell bodies of motor neurons in the spinal cord?
What is the name of the tract that transmits sensory information from the diaphragm to the spinal cord?
What is the name of the tract that transmits sensory information from the diaphragm to the spinal cord?
Which part of the spinal cord contains the gray matter?
Which part of the spinal cord contains the gray matter?
What is the term for the formation of nerve branches from the spinal cord?
What is the term for the formation of nerve branches from the spinal cord?
What is the primary function of the cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space?
What is the primary function of the cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space?
Which of the following nerves is NOT aligned with its respective vertebra?
Which of the following nerves is NOT aligned with its respective vertebra?
What is the cauda equina composed of?
What is the cauda equina composed of?
Which of the following is NOT a component of a spinal nerve?
Which of the following is NOT a component of a spinal nerve?
What is the function of the posterior (dorsal) root of a spinal nerve?
What is the function of the posterior (dorsal) root of a spinal nerve?
What is the gray matter of the spinal cord composed of?
What is the gray matter of the spinal cord composed of?
What is the purpose of the central canal of the spinal cord?
What is the purpose of the central canal of the spinal cord?
What is the function of the anterior (ventral) horn of the spinal cord?
What is the function of the anterior (ventral) horn of the spinal cord?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the spinal cord?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the spinal cord?
What is the primary function of the spinal cord in regards to reflexes?
What is the primary function of the spinal cord in regards to reflexes?
What is the purpose of the dorsal root ganglion?
What is the purpose of the dorsal root ganglion?
Which of the following nerves passes through the greater sciatic notch?
Which of the following nerves passes through the greater sciatic notch?
What is the term for the area of skin supplied by sensory neurons from a single spinal nerve?
What is the term for the area of skin supplied by sensory neurons from a single spinal nerve?
What is the name of the reflex that is abnormal in adults, but normal in infants, and is characterized by hyperflexion of the toes?
What is the name of the reflex that is abnormal in adults, but normal in infants, and is characterized by hyperflexion of the toes?
What is the purpose of the intervertebral foramina?
What is the purpose of the intervertebral foramina?
What is the name of the enlargement of the spinal cord that corresponds to the cervical region?
What is the name of the enlargement of the spinal cord that corresponds to the cervical region?
Meninges extend to the level of?
Meninges extend to the level of?
Lumbar puncture is done at what level?
Lumbar puncture is done at what level?
All nerves form a plexus except for/
All nerves form a plexus except for/
Phrenic nerves that keep diaphragm alive are at what levels?
Phrenic nerves that keep diaphragm alive are at what levels?
Brachial plexus formed by?
Brachial plexus formed by?
Damage to thoracic nerve shows what sign on body?
Damage to thoracic nerve shows what sign on body?
Lumbar plexus is at what level?
Lumbar plexus is at what level?
What vertebral level is sacral plexus?
What vertebral level is sacral plexus?
Dermatomes, majority of back of leg is? What about front?
Dermatomes, majority of back of leg is? What about front?
Position to best demonstrate Intervertebral foramina of
C spine
T spine
L spine
Sacrum
Position to best demonstrate Intervertebral foramina of C spine T spine L spine Sacrum
Cell bodies grouped together in CNS vs PNS?
Cell bodies grouped together in CNS vs PNS?
Axons bundled together in CNS vs PNS
Axons bundled together in CNS vs PNS
Study Notes
Gray Matter and White Matter
- Gray matter is composed of cell bodies and unmyelinated axons of interneurons, and it forms the "H" or butterfly shape in the spinal cord.
- White matter is composed of myelinated axons, and it forms the tracts in the spinal cord.
Spinal Cord Organization
- The spinal cord has a central canal that extends the entire length of the spinal cord and is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- The spinal cord is organized into anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) horns, and lateral horns.
- The anterior (ventral) horn contains somatic motor nuclei, which are clusters of cell bodies in the CNS that send nerve impulses for contraction of skeletal muscles.
- The posterior (dorsal) horn contains cell bodies and unmyelinated axons of interneurons, and incoming sensory neurons.
Spinal Nerves
- There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves that exit the spine through the intervertebral foramina.
- Spinal nerves are formed by 2 roots from the spinal cord: posterior (dorsal) root and anterior (ventral) root.
- The posterior (dorsal) root contains only axons of sensory neurons, while the anterior (ventral) root contains motor axons.
- All spinal nerves are mixed nerves, containing both sensory and motor axons.
Spinal Nerve Roots
- The posterior (dorsal) root ganglion is a swelling that contains cell bodies of sensory neurons.
- The anterior (ventral) root contains motor axons.
Nerve Plexuses
- Nerve plexuses are formed by the anterior rami of spinal nerves, which branch into smaller nerves that supply specific areas of the body.
- There are five nerve plexuses: cervical, brachial, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal.
- The cervical plexus is formed by the anterior rami of C1-C5, and supplies the head, neck, and superior part of the chest and shoulders.
- The brachial plexus is formed by the anterior rami of C5-C8 and T1, and supplies the arm.
- The lumbar plexus is formed by the anterior rami of L1-L4, and supplies the anterolateral abdominal wall, external genitals, and anterior part of the lower limbs.
- The sacral plexus is formed by the anterior rami of L4-S4, and supplies the buttocks, perineum, and posterior part of the lower limbs.
Spinal Reflexes
- Spinal reflexes are rapid, automatic responses to sensory stimuli, and they do not require the brain to function.
- Examples of spinal reflexes include the patellar reflex, pupillary light reflex, and withdrawal reflex.
Meninges
- The meninges are three layers of protective membranes that surround the spinal cord and brain: pia mater, arachnoid mater, and dura mater.
- The pia mater is the innermost layer, the arachnoid mater is the middle layer, and the dura mater is the outermost layer.
- The meninges are continuous with the cranial meninges, and they extend to the level of S2.
- The epidural space is a potential space between the dura mater and the vertebra, and it can be used for epidural injections.
- The subarachnoid space is a space between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater, and it contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- The CSF acts as a shock absorber, and it helps to protect the spinal cord from injury.
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Description
Test your knowledge of the spinal cord, including its continuation from the medulla oblongata, cervical and lumbar enlargements, and its relationship to the conus medullaris and filum terminale. Based on Tortora's Principles of Anatomy and Physiology Chapter 13.
