The Brain Exam 1 Flashcards
(210 cards)
the spinal cord has ___ pairs of spinal nerves
31
ventral surface of spinal cord blood supply
- single anterior spinal artery that supplies the anterior 2/3 of cord
dorsal surface of spinal cord blood supply
- a pair of posterior spinal arteries
CSF flow
- acts as shock absorber
- elaborated by choroid plexus in ventricles
- 1/2 L per day
- exits though foramina in brain stem then reabsorbed to keep constant volume
location of blood vessels & cerebrospinal fluid
subarachnoid space
3 layers of meninges
- dura, arachnoid, pia
- specializations in pia anchor cord to dura (denticulate ligaments & filum terminale)
vertebra function
- normally protective but may become a liability in cases of increased mass due to swelling or tumors
development of spinal cord
- 1st trimester: spinal cord & vertebral column grow at same rate, then sc slows
- birth: sc ends btwn L2/L3
- adult: sc ends btwn L1/L2
spinal taps
- performed below L2 (after spinal cord ends)
- needle won’t damage nerve roots
nerve root length
- become progressively longer from cervical to sacral levels stemming from differences in growth of spinal cord & spinal column
- allows it to exit intervertebral foramen at appropriate level
C1-C7
- exit above vertebra of name
C8-S4
- C8 exits above T1 (no C8 vertebra)
- exit below vertebra of name
spinal cord enlargements
- cervical enlargement: C5-T1
- lumbar enlargement: L3-S2
- accommodates neurons required for upper/lower extremities
segmental organization
- segment defined by a pair of spinal nerves
- dorsal (sensory) & ventral (motor)
- primary sensory neurons located in dorsal root ganglion
dermatome
- cutaneous territories innervated by spinal nerves (segmental organization)
myotome
- muscles innervated by a single nerve root (segmental organization)
reflex arc
- occur at spinal cord level (segmental organization)
- stretch reflex
- can involve multiple neurons (as in reciprocal inhibition, nociception, crossed extension)
gray matter
- contains cell bodies
- dorsal horn: sensory neurons
- ventral horn: motor neurons
white matter
- contains axons (myelin stain)
- divided into funiculi (bundle of nerves): dorsal, lateral & ventral
substantia gelatinosa
- caps dorsal horn & contains neurons that deal w/ pain & temperature (poorly myelinated)
transverse sections through spinal cord enlargements
- higher levels of cord have more white matter
- cervical & lumbar enlargements seen in ventral horn expansion
axial muscles are controlled ___ & limb muscles are controlled ___.
medially & laterally
autonomic nervous system division
- preganglionic sympathetic neurons: T1-L2
- pregnaglionic parasympathetic neurons: S2-S4
phrenic nucleus
- C3-C5
- motor neurons of diaphragm