Lecture 1: CNS- The Spinal Cord

Question 1

Where does the spinal cord end?
(Hint: Between L1 and L2)

Answer 1

Conus medullaris

Question 2

_ is the collection of dorsal and ventral roots of spinal segments L2 to S5 along with filum terminale

(Hint: Name comes from resemblance to a horse’s tail)

Answer 2

Cauda Equina

Question 3

What is filium terminale?

Answer 3

A fibrous tissue that connects the spinal cord and the coccyx.

Question 4

True or False.
Filum terminale is not a nervous tissue.

Answer 4

True

Question 5

Is the spinal cord in need of the brain in order to function?

Answer 5

No, the spinal cord is capable of functioning on its own without the brain.

Question 6

What are the functions of the brain and the spinal cord?

Answer 6

• Receive sensory input from receptors.
• Contain reflex center
• Send motor output to effectors

Question 7

Approximately how long is the adult spinal cord?

Answer 7

18 inches

Question 8

True or False.
The Spinal cord is as long as the vertebral column.

Answer 8

False

Question 9

Between which spinal bones does the spinal cord end?

Answer 9

L1 and L2

Question 10

True or False
There is a total of 31 spinal nerves.

Answer 10

False

Question 11

How many sacral spinal nerves are there?

Answer 11

6

Question 12

How many lumbar spinal nerves are there?

Answer 12

5

Question 13

How many cervical spinal nerves are there?

Answer 13

8

Question 14

How many thoracic spinal nerves are there?

Answer 14

12

Question 15

What are the four regions of the spinal cord?
* In order *

Answer 15

Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral

Question 16

__ is a shallow groove on a dorsal (posterior surface)

Answer 16

posterior median sulcus

Question 17

__ is a deeper groove on the ventral (anterior) surface containing folds of pia matter.

Answer 17

Anterior median fissure

Question 18

What is a spinal meninge?

Answer 18

series of specialized membranes surrounding the spinal cord.

Question 19

What is the function of the spinal meninges?

Answer 19

• provide physical stability and shock absorber
• blood vessels within layers deliver oxygen and nutrients to spinal cord.

Question 20

What are the three layers of the CRANIAL meninges?

Answer 20

1. Dura Mater: tough and fibrous outer layer
2. Arachnoid matter: middle layer
3. Pia Mater: innermost layer.

Question 21

True or False:
The Dura Mater is fused to the bony vertebral canal.

Answer 21

False

Question 22

What is the space called between the Dura Matter and the bony vertebral canal?

Answer 22

Epidural Space

Question 23

__ is contains areolar connective tissue and adipose tissue for padding.

Answer 23

Epidural space

Question 24

What two matters does the spinal cord contain?

Answer 24

Gray matter and White matter.

Question 25

Which matter is centered, h shaped or butterfly-shaped?

Answer 25

Gray matter

Question 26

What is gray matter composed of?

Answer 26

Mostly cell bodies (soma) and some unmyelinated neurons.

Question 27

True or False. The white matter surrounds the gray matter.

Answer 27

True

Question 28

White matter is composed of?

Answer 28

myelinated axons

Question 29

Which canal contains CSF and closes with age?

Answer 29

Central Canal

Question 30

__ integrates both motor and sensory information from the peripheral nervous system.

Answer 30

Gray Matter

Question 30

__ receives sensory information from the peripheral nervous system.

Answer 30

sensory nuclei

Question 31

__ sends motor commands to the peripheral nervous system.

Answer 31

motor nuclei

Question 32

which area is where the axons cross between the half of the spinal cord?

Answer 32

Gray commissures

Question 33

__ carries information between segments of the spinal cord and to/ from the brain.

Answer 33

White Matter

Question 34

White matter is arranged in columns in which contain bundles of neurons called ___.

Answer 34

Tracts

Question 35

__ tract carries sensory information to the brain.

Answer 35

ascending

Question 36

__ tract carries motor commands to spinal cord from brain.

Answer 36

descending

Question 37

What are the names of the three columns that the white matter is divided into?

Answer 37

1. Posterior White Column 2. Lateral White Column 3. Anterior White Column

Question 38

What is unique about each column?

Answer 38

Each column carries information that is specific to region and side of the body.

Question 39

True or False Anterior and Posterior white commissures join the anterior and posterior white columns to coordinate activity on either side of the body.

Answer 39

True

Question 40

True or False There is a total of 62 spinal nerves.

Answer 40

True

Question 41

What do the spinal nerves contain?

Answer 41

A large Number of Axons, along with blood vessels and connective tissue.

Question 42

Spinal nerves have a combination of both _ and _ axons.

Answer 42

1. afferent (sensory) 2. efferent (motor)

Question 43

What is one thing that the bundle of nerve axons has in common?

Answer 43

Share common pathways and are surrounded by connective tissue.

Question 44

What are the three layers of the connective tissues of the spinal nerve?

Answer 44

1. Epineurium - dense irregular connective tissue; covers outside. 2. Perineurium - divides inferior of nerve to fascicles. 3. Endoneurium - delicate connective tissue layer that surrounds the neurons

Question 45

Fascicles are __.

Answer 45

bundles of neuron axons.

Question 46

endoneurium fluid is ___.

Answer 46

Similar to CSF.

Question 47

What occurs when there is too much endoneurium fluid ?

Answer 47

Compresses the nuerons

Question 48

__ contains afferent fibers from the periphery.

Answer 48

Dorsal Root

Question 49

The cell bodies for the dorsal root are found in the __.

Answer 49

dorsal root ganglia

Question 50

__ contains efferent fibers carrying signals from the anterior gray horn out the body.

Answer 50

Ventral Root

Question 51

Both the dorsal and ventral root form a spinal nerve, however, they split again. Each form two branches called:

Answer 51

1. Dorsal Ramus 2. Ventral Ramus

Question 52

__ is afferent, innervates (motor and sensory) muscles, joints, and skin of the back (dorsal surface)

Answer 52

Dorsal Ramus

Question 53

__ is efferent, innervates (motor and sensory) structures in the lateral and anterior trunk and limbs.

Answer 53

Ventral Ramus