Spinal column Flashcards by Shinree Agravante

• a mass of nerve tissue located
in the vertebral cavity from
which 31 pairs of spinal nerves
originate

SPINAL COLUMN

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•Protective Coverings of Spinal Cord
• bony structure protecting
the spinal cord

VERTEBRAL COLUMN

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• transmits impulses to & from
the brain
• integrating center for spinal
reflexes

SPINAL CORD

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•Protective Coverings of Spinal Cord
• layers of connective tissue
coverings that extend
around the spinal cord &
brain

MENINGES

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•the space bet. the dura
mater & vertebral column
contains a cushion of fat
& conn. tiss. that help
protect the spinal cord

EPIDURAL SPACE

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• the middle layer of the
meninges
• composed of collagen &
elastic fibers arranged
like a “spider’s web”

ARACHNOID MATER

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•the space bet. the
arachnoid mater &
dura mater
•contains interstitial
fluid

SUBDURAL SPACE

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PIA MATER

• the innermost meninx
• a thin, transparent layer of
collagen & elastic fibers
that adheres to the surface
of the spinal cord & brain
• has numerous blood vessels

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•the space bet. the pia
mater & arachnoid
mater
where cerebrospinal
fluid (CSF) circulates

SUBARACHNOID SPACE

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•where needle is inserted
for injection of spinal
anesthesia or to remove
CSF during a lumbar
puncture/spinal tap

SUBARACHNOID SPACE

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• are named after
adjacent vertebrae

SEGMENTS

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• length of the adult
spinal cord ranges
from 16–18 inches
& its diameter is
about 0.75 in. (2
cm)

LENGTH

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• it extends from the
medulla oblongata,
the inferior part of
the brain, to the
superior border of
2nd lumbar
vertebra.

LENGHT

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• “horse’s tail”
• an array of roots of
spinal nerves at the
inferior end of the
spinal cord

CAUDA EQUINA

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•ENLARGEMENTS
•contains nerves that
supply the upper
limbs

CERVICAL ENLARGEMENT

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ENLARGEMENTS
•contains nerves
that supply the
lower limbs

LUMBAR ENLARGEMENTS

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Internal Structure of Spinal Cord
• a small space that extends the
length of the cord & contains CSF
• continuous with the fourth
ventricle (a space that contains
CSF in the medulla oblongata of
the brain)

CENTRAL CANAL

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Internal Structure of Spinal Cord
• contains bundles of myelinated
nerve fibers ascending and
descending through the spinal
cord in separate tracts

WHITE MATTER

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Internal Structure of Spinal Cord
• surrounded by white matter
• receives & integrates incoming
& outgoing information & is a
site for integration of reflexes

GRAY MATTER

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Internal Structure of Spinal Cord
• an H-shaped or butterfly-
shaped area of gray matter in
the spinal cord
• made up of cell bodies
clustered into nuclei

HORNS

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• contain cell bodies of somatic
motor neurons

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ANTERIOR/VENTRAL HORNS

• contain cell bodies of
autonomic motor
neurons
• only found in the
thoracic & upper
lumbar segments of
the cord

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LATERAL HORNS

• contain cell bodies of somatic
& autonomic sensory neurons

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POSTERIOR/DORSAL HORNS

• group of white matter tracts in
the spinal cord
• contain both ascending
(sensory) & descending (motor)
tracts

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COLUMN

• consist of myelinated axons that conduct nerve impulses upward or toward the brain

ASCENDING (SENSORY) TRACTS

• consist of myelinated axons that carry nerve impulses from the brain down the spinal cord

DESCENDING (MOTOR) TRACTS

Structures related to Spinal Nerves • two bundles of axons that connect each spinal nerve to a segment of the cord

ROOTS

• contains motor nerve fibers/axons that conduct impulses from the CNS to muscles & glands

ANTERIOR (VENTRAL) ROOT

• contains sensory nerve fibers/axons that conduct nerve impulses for sensations from the skin, muscles, & internal organs into the CNS

POSTERIOR (DORSAL) ROOT

• a swelling found on each posterior root that contains the cell bodies of sensory neurons

POSTERIOR ROOT GANGLION

• the portion of the vertebral column from which the first cervical pair of spinal nerves emerge

ATLAS

• portion of the vertebral column from which the other spinal nerves emerge

INTERVERTEBRAL FORAMINA

• an area of skin that provides sensory input to the CNS via the posterior roots of one pair of spinal nerves

DERMATOME

• a network of nerves formed from the branching of spinal nerves

PLEXUS

• formed by spinal nerves C1 to C4 • innervates the skin & muscles of the posterior head, neck, upper part of the shoulders, and the diaphragm

CERVICAL PLEXUS

• arises from the cervical plexus • stimulates the diaphragm to contract • damage to the spinal cord above the origin of this nerve may cause respiratory failure

PHRENIC NERVE

• formed by spinal nerves C5 to T1 • innervates the upper limbs & several neck & shoulder muscles • where the median, ulnar & radial nerves arise

BRACHIAL PLEXUS

• arises from brachial plexus • innervates the skin & muscles of posterior arm, forearm, & hand • may be injured by a faulty deltoid injection , tight arm cast or improper use of crutches

RADIAL NERVE

• arises from brachial plexus • innervates the skin & muscles of anterior arm, forearm, & hand • is affected in carpal tunnel syndrome & often cut during wrist-slashing suicide attempts

MEDIAN NERVE

• refer to spinal nerves T2 to T11 that do not form plexuses • extend directly to the structures they supply: intercostal muscles, abdominal muscles & skin of the chest and back

INTERCOSTAL NERVES

• formed by spinal nerves L1 to L4 • innervates the abdominal wall, external genitals, and part of the lower limbs • where the femoral nerve arises

LUMBAR PLEXUS

• also called “lumbosacral plexus” • formed by spinal nerves L4 to S4 • innervates the buttocks, perineum, & lower limbs

SACRAL PLEXUS

• arises from sacral plexus • thickest & longest nerve of the body • innervates skin & muscles of posterior thigh, leg & foot • has two main branches: tibial nerve & common fibular nerve

SCIATIC NERVES

• may be injured by a faulty gluteal injection

SCIATIC NERVE

• the route that nerve impulses follow from a neuron in one part of the body to other neurons elsewhere in the body

PATHWAY

• a fast, involuntary sequence of actions that occurs in response to a particular stimulus

REFLEX

• refers to a reflex wherein integration takes place in the spinal cord gray matter

SPINAL REFLEX

• integration of reflex occurs in the brain stem rather than the spinal cord

CRANIAL REFLEX

• a pathway followed by nerve impulses that produce a reflex

REFLEX ARC

• effector is a skeletal muscle • e.g., patellar & triceps reflex

SOMATIC REFLEX

effector is a smooth muscle or gland • e.g., swallowing, urinating, defecating

AUTONOMIC or VISCERAL REFLEX

Spinal column Flashcards

(51 cards)