spinal cord (part of CNS)

Question 1

what does the spinal cord run through?

Answer 1

vertebral canal

Question 2

what is the spinal cord continuous with?

Answer 2

medulla oblongata

Question 3

where does the spinal cord begin?

Answer 3

foramen magnum

Question 4

where does the spinal cord taper in and what is it called?

Answer 4

in the lumbar region to end in the conus medullaris “cone shaped”

Question 5

what is the spinal cord anchored to sacrum by?

Answer 5

fillum terminale (c.t)

Question 6

how many pairs of spinal nerves?

Answer 6

31 pairs and cauda equina (spinal nerves roots) which come off the spinal cord (part of PNS)

Question 7

where does the spinal cord thicken?

Answer 7

where many spinal nerves emerge cervical enlargement

Question 8

how many meninges does the spinal cord have?

Answer 8

3- pia mater, arachnoid, and dura mater

Question 9

what large space does the spinal cord have?

Answer 9

large epidural space above dura has adipose tissue, spinal anesthics go here as they are lipid soluble drugs

Question 10

what circulates in spinal cord?

Answer 10

CSF circulates in central canal (continuous with ventricles of brain) and flows around spinal cord in subarachnoid space

Question 11

what are the layers of white and grey matter

Answer 11

white matter is superficial to grey matter

Question 12

how is gray matter organized?

Answer 12

organized into horns connected by central commissure

Question 13

how is white matter organized?

Answer 13

organized into tracts which form columns

Question 14

what does each spinal nerve have?

Answer 14

has a dorsal root and a ventral root

Question 15

what does the dorsal root have?

Answer 15

each has a ganglion

Question 16

how are posterior gray horns functionally organized?

Answer 16

somatic sensory input ss
visceral sensory input vs

Question 17

how are lateral gray horns organized?

Answer 17

visceral motor output VM to cardiac smooth muscles and glands

Question 18

how are the anterior gray horns organized?

Answer 18

somatic motor output SM to skeletal muscle

Question 19

what is the white matter in the spinal cord?

Answer 19

bundles of myelinated axons
tracts are organized into columns
tracts ascend (sensory to CNS)
or descend (motor from CNS)

Question 20

what are the two ascending tracts?

Answer 20

spinothalmic tracts and spinocerebellar

Question 21

how do the spinothalmic tracts function?

Answer 21

sensations from body surface (touch pain)
goes through spinal cord
then medulla oblongata
then midbrain
to thalamus which screens info
then cerebrum
are contralateral

Question 22

how do the spinocerebellar tracts function?

Answer 22

sensory info from muscles/joints/tendons
goes through spinal cord
to medulla
through pons
then to cerebellum (subconscious motor)
posterior tract so is ipsilateral

Question 23

what is the type of descending tract and its function? (motor)

Answer 23

corticospinal tracts or pyramidal
brain to spinal cord
conscious control of skeletal muscle
starts in cerebrum
to midbrain -cerebral peduncles
to spinal cord
to skeletal muscle