Lecture 10: Spinal Cord

Question 1

soft tissue around vertebral column

Answer 1

skin/hypodermis; muscles/tendons; ligaments

Question 2

epidural space

Answer 2

lipid (fat) filled space b/w wall of vertebral canal and dura mater

Question 3

what is so important about the epidural space?

Answer 3

when you bend, you need space so you don’t kink your spinal cord; the epidural space prevents this impingement of the spinal cord

Question 4

true or false: anything that restricts the epidural space will impinge the spinal cord

Answer 4

• true

- main restrictors of the epidural space = pathological bone growth (i.e. bone spurs) and herniated discs

Question 5

dura mater

Answer 5

• aka dural sac
• connective tissue membrane covering of spinal cord from foramen magnum to sacral hiatus
• continuous with epineurium; covering dorsal/ventral roots, spinal nerves, and brain

Question 6

subdural space (dura-arachnoid interface)

Answer 6

potential space filled with interstitial fluid

Question 7

arachnoid mater

Answer 7

connective tissue membrane (thinner than dura) covering the spinal cord, roots, and dorsal root ganglion.

Question 8

subarachnoid space

Answer 8

• space between the arachnoid and pia maters
• filled with CSF
• contains connective tissue trabeculae (connect arachnoid mater to pia mater)

Question 9

pia mater

Answer 9

thin, translucent covering adhering to spinal cord

Question 10

denticulate ligaments

Answer 10

• lateral sheets of pia running from sacrum to foramen magnum
• attach laterally to the arachnoid
• help hold the spinal cord in place

Question 11

filum terminale

Answer 11

• inferior continuation of pia

- connects the conus medullaris to the coccyx

Question 12

the spinal cord occupies ____ of the vertebral column

Answer 12

2/3

Question 13

The spinal cord is ____ in the cervical and lumbosacral regions where it carries more ____ to form the brachial and lumbosacral plexus, respectively.

Answer 13

enlarged; neurons

Question 14

There are ____ spinal cord segments and ____ total individual spinal nerves

Answer 14

31; 62

Question 15

there are ___ cervical spinal cord segments

Answer 15

8

Question 16

there are ___ thoracic spinal cord segments

Answer 16

12

Question 17

there are ___ lumbar spinal cord segments

Answer 17

5

Question 18

there are ___ sacral spinal cord segments

Answer 18

5

Question 19

there are ___ coccygeal spinal cord segments

Answer 19

1

Question 20

What is the cauda equina and why does it exist?

Answer 20

• structure in the lumbosacral vertebral canal consisting of roots from lumbosacral spinal cord segments going to their original IV foramen in the vertebral column
• exists bc spinal cord stops growing before vertebral column stops elongating

Question 21

what arteries supply the cervical spinal cord?

Answer 21

vertebral + subclavian arteries

Question 22

what arteries supply the thoracic spinal cord?

Answer 22

• intercostal arteries (12 pairs)

- branch directly off the thoracic aorta

Question 23

what arteries supply the lumbar spinal cord?

Answer 23

• lumbar arteries (5 pairs)

- branch directly off the abdominal aorta

Question 24

what arteries supply the sacral spinal cord?

Answer 24

lateral sacral arteries

Question 25

segmental branches from the main arteries form ____ arteries

Answer 25

longitudinal

Question 26

what are the longitudinal arteries?

Answer 26

• anterior spinal artery

- posterior spinal arteries (2)

Question 27

pain and weakness might be a result of ____ of the longitudinal arteries (vascular ischemia)

Answer 27

obstruction