Spinal Cord Anatomy

Question 1

Caudal extent of spinal cord in newborns

Answer 1

L3

Question 2

Caudal extent of spinal cord in adults

Answer 2

L1-L2

Question 3

Areas of spinal cord that have enlargements

Answer 3

Cervical (C5-T1 due to brachial plexus) and Lumbosacral (L1-S3 due to lumbosacral plexus)

Question 4

Meningeal layer that adheres to the spinal cord

Answer 4

Pia mater

Question 5

Pial extensions that attach to the dura and anchor the spinal cord

Answer 5

Denticulate ligaments

Question 6

Filum terminale is considered an extension of which meningeal layer?

Answer 6

Pia mater

Question 7

Coccygeal ligament

Answer 7

Caudal continuation of filum terminale after it has fused with dura at the vertebral level of S2 and before it attaches to the back of the coccyx

Question 8

Lumbar cistern

Answer 8

Largest pocket of space within subarachnoid mater located caudal to the conus medullaris and containing the caudal equina

Question 9

At what vertebral level does a lumbar puncture usually occur?

Answer 9

L3-L5

Question 10

What vertebral levels does the lumbar cistern extend?

Answer 10

L1-S3

Question 11

Whiplash injuries usually affect which vertebral levels?

Answer 11

C1-C2 and C4-C6

Question 12

What type of accidents are injuries to T1-L2 usually associated with?

Answer 12

Industrial accidents

Question 13

How many cervical nerves are there?

Answer 13

8 cervical nerves

Question 14

What is a dermatome?

Answer 14

Cutaneous area innervated by a single dorsal root

Question 15

What dermatome innervates the back of the head?

Answer 15

C2

Question 16

What dermatome innervates the thumb and index finger?

Answer 16

C6

Question 17

What dermatome innervates the nipples?

Answer 17

T4

Question 18

What dermatome innervates the umbilicus

Answer 18

T10

Question 19

What dermatome innervates the kneecap?

Answer 19

L3

Question 20

What dermatome innervates the lateral foot?

Answer 20

S1

Question 21

What are mixed nerves?

Answer 21

Nerves containing both sensory and motor fibers

Question 22

GSA

Answer 22

• Superficial discomfort such as pain, temperature, touch, pressure, position sense, and vibration from skin/muscle
• CN V, VII, IX, & X

Question 23

GVA

Answer 23

• Deep discomfort such as sensations of fullness/stretch from viscera
• CN VII, IX, & X

Question 24

GVE

Answer 24

• Subconscious autonomic control of viscera, glands, & vessels
• CN III, VII, IX, & X

Question 25

GSE

Answer 25

- Conscious control of skeletal muscles | - CN III, IV, VI, & XII

Question 26

Dorsal funiculus

Answer 26

White matter, consists of fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus

Question 27

Lateral funiculus

Answer 27

White matter, consists of ascending and descending tracts

Question 28

Ventral funiculus

Answer 28

White matter continuous with lateral funiculus, aka anterolateral funiculus

Question 29

Arrangement of white matter/grey matter in brain vs. spinal cord

Answer 29

Brain: - White matter = deep - Grey matter = superficial Spinal cord - White matter = superficial - Grey matter = deep

Question 30

Area of spinal cord grey matter containing the substantia gelatinosa and nucleus proprius

Answer 30

Dorsal horn of spinal grey matter

Question 31

Synapses on dendrites of neurons in the nucleus proprius and receives small dorsal root afferents

Answer 31

Substantia gelatinosa of dorsal horn

Question 32

Receives many dorsal root afferents and contains interneurons and tract cells that project contralaterally as the STT

Answer 32

Nucleus proprius (aka chief sensory/proper sensory nucleus)

Question 33

Area of spinal cord grey matter containing the nucleus dorsalis, IML, sacral autonomic nucleus, and IMM

Answer 33

Intermediate gray of spinal grey matter

Question 34

Receives muscle afferents that innervate muscle spindles, projects ipsilaterally to cerebellum as DSCT, and homologous to cuneate nucleus of medulla

Answer 34

Nucleus dorsalis (aka Clarke's nucleus/column)

Question 35

Origin of cholinergic preganglionic sympathetic efferents

Answer 35

Intermediolateral nucleus (IML)

Question 36

Origin of cholinergic preganglionic parasympathetic efferents

Answer 36

Sacral autonomic nucleus

Question 37

Receives visceral afferents, projects to the IML, and gives rise to sympathetic fibers

Answer 37

Intermediomedial nucleus (IMM)

Question 38

Area of spinal cord grey matter containing the Lamina VIII and Lamina IX

Answer 38

Ventral horn of spinal grey matter

Question 39

Base of the ventral horn that receives input from descending tracts and is the origin of ascending and descending axons that interconnect cervical and lumbar spinal cord levels

Answer 39

Lamina VIII

Question 40

Largest at cervical and lumbosacral enlargements, innervates skeletal muscles, and contains GABA neurons. phrenic nucleus, and spinal accessory nucleus

Answer 40

Lamina IX