Exam 4 Study Guide Flashcards
cylinder of nervous tissue that arises from the brainstem at the foramen magnum of the skull
spinal cord
the spinal cord passes through what?
vertebral canal
the spinal cord occupies how much of the vertebral canal?
2/3
the spinal cord gives rise to how many pairs of spinal nerves?
-first pair passes between the skull and C1
-the rest passes through intervertebral foramina
31 pairs
part of the spinal cord supplied by each pair of spinal nerves
segment
what are some longitudinal grooves on anterior and posterior sides?
anterior median fissure and posterior median sulcus
what are the four regions that the spinal cord is divided into?
-cervical
-thoracic
-lumbar
-sacral
what are the two areas of the spinal cord that are thicker than elsewhere?
cervical enlargement and lumbar enlargement
spinal enlargement: nerves to upper limb
cervical enlargement
spinal enlargement: nerve to pelvic region and lower limbs
lumbar enlargement
cord tapers to a point inferior to lumbar enlargement
conus medullaris (medullary cone)
bundle of nerve roots that occupy the vertebral canal from L2 to S5
cauda equina
three fibrous connective tissue membranes that enclose the brain and spinal cord
-separate soft tissue of central nervous system from bones of cranium and vertebral canal
meninges
what is the order of the meninges from superficial to deep?
dura mater (outside), arachnoid mater (middle), pia mater (inside)
the spinal cord has a central core of what that looks butterfly shaped in cross section
gray matter
this is visible from T2 through L1
- contains neurons of sympathetic nervous system
lateral horn
this surrounds gray matter in the spinal cord
white matter
three pairs of these white matter bundles are called what?
columns or funiculi
subdivisions of each column of white matter
tracts or fasciculi
carry sensory information up the spinal cord
ascending tracts
carry motor information down the spinal cord
-all nerve fibers in a given tract have a similar origin, destination and function
descending tracts
as the fibers pass up or down the brainstem and spinal cord they cross over from the left to the right side and vice versa
decussation
when the origin and destination of a tract are on opposite sides of the body
contralateral
when the origin and destination of a tract are on the same side of the body; does not decussate
ipsilateral