Neuroanatomy

Question 1

What is a spinal nerve root?

Answer 1

Connects spinal nerve

to segment of spinal cord

Question 2

What are the two types of spinal nerve roots?

Answer 2

Dorsal root

Ventral root

Question 3

What does the dorsal root carry?

Answer 3

Sensory fibres

Question 4

What is the dorsal root ganglion?

Answer 4

Collection of cell bodies of afferent sensory neurones

Question 5

What does the ventral root carry?

Answer 5

Motor and autonomic fibres

Question 6

What are spinal nerves?

Answer 6

Merging of dorsal and ventral roots

contain both sensory and motor fibres

Question 7

Where are spinal nerves located?

Answer 7

As they pass though the intervertebral foramen

Question 8

What is the significance of the spinal nerve passing through the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 8

Marks the division of the CNS and PNS

Question 9

How many spinal nerve roots are there?

Answer 9

31

Question 10

How are the spinal nerve roots numbered?

Answer 10

Depending on the level at which they leave the vertebral column

Question 11

Where does the spinal cord begin?

Answer 11

Inferior margin of medulla oblongata

Question 12

Where does the spinal cord end?

Answer 12

Conus medullaris

at L2

Question 13

Are spinal cord segments vertically aligned with their corresponding vertebrae?

Answer 13

Not really

Question 14

How do lumbar, sacral, coccygeal nerves exit?

Answer 14

Long spinal nerve roots
descent down in cauda equina
then exit at their own intervertebral foramina

Question 15

Where do C1 - C7 nerves exit?

Answer 15

Above their corresponding vertebrae

Question 16

Where does C8 exit?

Answer 16

Above T1

Question 17

Where do T1-L5 exit?

Answer 17

Below their corresponding vertebrae

Question 18

Where do S1-S4 exit?

Answer 18

4 pairs of sacral foramina

Question 19

Where do S5 and Co1 exit?

Answer 19

Posterior sacral hiatus

Question 20

What do spinal nerves divide into?

Answer 20

Anterior rami

Posterior rami

Question 21

What do the posterior rami divide into?

Answer 21

Medial branch

Lateral branch

Question 22

What do posterior rami supply?

Answer 22

Dorsal trunk - DEEP muscles

Dorsal trunk - skin

Question 23

What do the anterior rami do?

Answer 23

Enter plexuses

Question 24

What do anterior rami supply?

Answer 24

Upper limb - muscles and skin
Lower limb - muscles and skin
Ventral and lateral trunk - muscles and skin

Question 25

What is the meningeal branch?

Answer 25

Branch off spinal nerve

Question 26

Where does the meningeal branch run?

Answer 26

Re-enters vertebral canal through intervertebral foramen

Question 27

What does the meningeal branch supply?

Answer 27

Vertebrae Ligaments Blood vessels Meninges

Question 28

What are the rami communicantes?

Answer 28

Branch off spinal nerve | join the sympathetic chain of the ANS

Question 29

What are the divisions of the spinal cord?

Answer 29

Anterior Posterior

Question 30

What are the functions of the anterior cord?

Answer 30

Sensory and motor Light touch pinprick pain

Question 31

What are the functions of the posterior cord?

Answer 31

Vibration sense Proprioception

Question 32

How can the anterior motor part of the cord be divided up?

Answer 32

Central tracts Lateral tracts

Question 33

What is the function of the central tracts?

Answer 33

Move arms

Question 34

What is the function of the lateral tracts?

Answer 34

Move legs

Question 35

What is anterior cord syndrome?

Answer 35

Injury to the anterior part of the spinal cord

Question 36

What are the general consequences of anterior cord syndrome?

Answer 36

Loss of sensation | Loss of movement

Question 37

What do the specific consequences of anterior cord syndrome depend on? Give some examples

Answer 37

The level of the injury Cervical affects both arms and legs Thoracic affects legs only

Question 38

What is central cord syndrome?

Answer 38

Injury to central part of spinal cord

Question 39

What are the consequences of central cord syndrome?

Answer 39

Loss of upper limb sensory and motor function much more compared to lower limb

Question 40

What is posterior cord syndrome?

Answer 40

Injury to posterior part of spinal cord

Question 41

What are the consequences of posterior cord syndrome?

Answer 41

Loss of vibration sense Loss of proprioception

Question 42

How do patients with posterior cord syndrome present?

Answer 42

Loss of co-ordination

Question 43

What is a neural level?

Answer 43

Last functioning level in terms of sensory and motor power