The Vertebral Column, Spinal Cord and Spinal Tracts (Neuro) Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Vertebral column also known as? Where does it run to and from?

A

Spine or spinal column
Head to pelvis

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2
Q

How many vertebrae are there? What are the 5 types of vertebrae? How many of each is there?

A

33 vertebrae
Cervical-7
Thoracic-12
Lumbar-5
Sacral-5
Coccygeal-4

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3
Q

What do the sacral and coccygeal vertebrae fuse to form respectively? Where are they found?

A

Sacrum and Coccyx
In the Pelvis

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4
Q

What are the name for the two types of curvatures in the Vertebral column? What does each one mean?

A

Lordosis- Inwards curvature
Kyphosis- Outwards curvature

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5
Q

What are the three curvatures in the vertebral column?

A

Cervical lordosis
Thoracic kyphosis
Lumbar Lordosis

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6
Q

What 4 things can cause excessive lordosis or kyphosis?

A
  1. Poor posture
  2. Muscle weakness
  3. Anatomical abnormalities
  4. Injuries
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7
Q

What is the third type of curvature known as which is abnormal? What direction does it curve?

A

Scoliosis
Spine curves laterally

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8
Q

Name the structures of the vertebrae (Superior and lateral view)

A

a-Transverse process
b-Pedicle
c- Spinal Canal
d- Spinous process
e- body (anaterior) and laminae (posteriorly)
f- Intervertebral foramen
g- Spinous process
h- Articular process
i- Transverse process

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9
Q

Which part of the vertebrae is located most anteriorly? What does it support?

A

Body
Supports weight of vertebral column above it

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10
Q

What connects Vertebrae to each other?

A

Intervertebral discs

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11
Q

What structure stems posteriorly from the vertebral body? What does it form?

A

Pedicle
Forms lateral wall of spinal canal

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12
Q

What forms the posterior wall of the spinal canal? What stems from it?

A

Lamina
Spinous process

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13
Q

What is the spinal canal? What travels in it?

A

Hole formed by body, pedicle and lamina
Spinal cord travels in it

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14
Q

What protrusions are formed at the junction between the pedicle and lamina? What do they provide?

A

Transverse processes
Provide attachment for the muscles

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15
Q

What do the Transverse processes form in the cervical and thoracic spine respectively?

A

Cervical- Canal for vertebral arteries
Thoracic- Primary site of articulation with ribs

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16
Q

What are the articular processes? What do they provide?

A

Vertical protrusions
Provide a site of attachment for vertebrae above and below

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17
Q

Where do the spinal nerves leave the spinal cord? What is this space formed by?

A

Intervertebral foramina
Body and the pedicles of neighbouring vertebrae

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18
Q

What is Vertebrae C1 known as? What does it articulate with? What does it allow us to do?

A

Atlas
Occipital bone
Nod our heads

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19
Q

What shape is the atlas? What does it not have?

A

Ring shaped
Doesn’t have a spinous process and a vertebral body

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20
Q

What is vertebrae C2 known as? What does it allow us to do? What structure allows us to do this and what is the structure of this structure?

A

Axis
Rotate our head
Otonoid process
The body is a vertical protrusion

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21
Q

What is different about the body, the transverse process and the Spinous process in C3-C6? Why?

A

Smaller body- support less weight
Holes in transverse process- Transverse foramina allow vertebral arteries to pass through
Have a bifoid transverse process (two-pronged)

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22
Q

What three features makes C7 different to the other cervical vertebrae

A

Transverse foramen doesn’t transmit vertebral arteries
Doesn’t have a bifoud spinous process
Spinous process more prominent

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23
Q

How do the thoracic vertebrae change from superior to inferior? What extra structure do they contain? How is there spinous process different?

A

Increasingly larger
Articular surfaces for ribs
Longer sharper spinous process that faces downwards

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24
Q

Why are the lumbar vertebrae larger than the thoracic vertebrae? How do their transverse processes project? How do their spinous process compare to thoracic vertebrae?

A

Carry more weight
Laterally
Larger spinous process

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25
What is the shape of the sacrum? Where in the pelvis is it located?
Large triangular shape Central and posterior part of the pelvis
26
Where does the sacrum articulate with the pelvis?
Sacroiliac joints
27
What is the Sacral promontory? What attaches to the inferior aspect of the sacrum?
Anterior prominence at the top of the sacrum Coccyx
28
Primary movements of the atlas, axial and cervical vertebrae respectively?
Atlas & axis- Rotation at atlanto-axial joint Cervical (C3-C7)- Flexion, extension and lateral flexion
29
Primary movements of the Thoracic and Lumbar vertebrae respectively?
Thoracic- Rotation Lumbar- Flexion, extension and lateral flexion
30
Primary movements of the sacral and coccygeal vertebrae?
None
31
What is between non fused vertebrae? What is it made of and what does this allow (3)?
Intervertebral discs Fibrocartilaginous structure Withstand compression, flexibility and movement
32
What is at the centre of the intervertebral discs? What surrounds it? what is each made of?
Nucleus pulposus- geltinous Annulus fibrosus- made of concentric rings
33
What separates intervertebral discs from the vertebral bodies? What is the combination of vertebrae and intervertebral discs called?
Thin layer of Hyaline cartilage Secondary cartilaginous joint (Bone- hyaline cartilage- fibrocartilage- hyaline cartilage- bone)
34
What are spinal ligaments? (2) and function?
Several ligaments that help maintain upright posture and prevent hyperflexion and hyperextension injuries
35
What are the 5 spinal ligaments?
Anterior longitudinal ligament Posterior longitudinal ligament Ligamentum flavum Interspinous ligament Supraspinous ligament
36
Where do the anterior longitudinal ligaments and posterior longitudinal ligaments run respecively?
Anterior surfaces of vertebral bodies Posterior surface of vertebral bodies but anterior to spinal canal
37
Where does the Ligamentum flavum run? What colour is it and why?
Inside of laminae Yellow High amount of elastin
38
Where do the interspinous and supraspinous ligament run respectively?
Interspinous- between spinous processes Supraspinous- tips of the spinous processes
39
Name the structures
a- anterior longitudinal ligament b- Ligamentum flavum c- Posterior longitudinal ligament d- Interspinous ligament e- Supraspinous ligament
40
What is the name of the group of muscles that support the vertebral column? What do they form? What do they contribute towards and where can they be palpated?
Erector spinae Either side of spinous processes Maintaining upright posture Either side of lumbar spine
41
What can result from repetitive compression of the intervertebral discs?
Weakening of annulus fibrosus causing posterior herniation of the nucleus pulposus and can narrow the intervertebral foramina Called disc herniation
42
Where does the spinal cord terminate? What does this mean in terms of collecting cerebro spinal fluid?
L1/L2 Lumbar puncture can be performed as no damage to spinal cord
43
What leaves the spinal cord at every level and through where? How are these named?
Pair of spinal nerves through the intervertebral foramina Named by the level that they leave at
44
Where do the spinal nerves leave their corresponding vertebrae in the cervical spine and the then the rest of the spine?
Cervical- above their corresponding vertebrae Rest of spine- Below their corresponding vertebrae
45
What is the extra pair of spinal nerves in the cervical spine? How many pairs of nerves are there in the coccygeal spinal cord?
C8- exits below C7 Coccygeal spinal cord only has one pair
46
What level does the spinal cord taper off and into what shape? What is this shape called?
L1/L2 into a cone shape Conus medullaris
47
What carries on around the vertebral column after the spinal cord terminates? Where does it carry on to?
Dura and arachnoid meninges Carries on to the sacrum
48
What happens to the pia mater after the spinal cord terminates? What does it form? Where does it travel to?
Thickens to form a thin strand of fibrous tissue known as the filum terminale To the coccyx
49
What happens to the remaining spinal nerves once the cord has terminated? What is it called?
They all leave the spinal cord and descend to their designated level Cauda equina (Resembles a horse tail)
50
What are the two roots of each spinal nerve called? Why?
Dorsal and ventral roots Stem from either the dorsal or ventral aspects of the spinal cord
51
What does the dorsal root carry? Where? Through what?
Sensory fibres into spinal cord Dorsal root ganglion
52
What does the Ventral root of the spinal cord carry (2)? What direction? How are they different from the dorsal roots?
Motor fibres and sympathetic fibres out of the spinal cord Doesn't have ganglion on it
53
Where is the grey matter found in the spinal cord What four structures does this form?
In the centre Two dorsal horns and two ventral horns
54
What surrounds the central horns?
White matter
55
What forms the spinal nerve? What does it then divide into?
Dorsal and Ventral root Dorsal and ventral ramus (rami plural)
56
What does each Rami contain (2)? Which ramus is larger? What does each rami supply?
Contain motor and sensory fibres Ventral is larger Dorsal rami supplies dorsal structures and ventral supplies ventral structures
57
2 examples of what the dorsal ramus sypplies
Skin of back and paraspinal muscles
58
In the ascending sensory pathways How many neurones are there what are they each called?
3 First, second and third order neurones
59
Where does each neurone carry information to and from in the ascending pathway? (3)
Receptor to CNS CNS to thalamus Thalamus to somatosensory cortex
60
How many order neurones are there in the descending motor tracts? Where does each one carry information to and from?
First order (UMN)- motor cortex to ventral horn Second order (LMN) Spinal cord to target muscle
61
What do most neurones do during their pathway in the ascending or descending tracts? What is this known as? Do they all do this at the same point?
Cross over to the contralateral side Decussation No decussate at different points
62
What are bundles of neurones organised into within the white matter of the cord? What are they known as?
Vertical columns Spinal tracts
63
What spinal tracts are located most dorsally in the spinal cord? What information do they carry? (4)
Dorsal Columns Medial Lemniscus (DCML) 1. Fine touch 2. Two-point discrimination 3. Vibration 4. Proprioception
64
Where do the first order neurones travel in the DCML? What are the dorsal columns divided into on each side? What are they called and where are they located?
Along dorsal root to medulla Fasciculus gracilis- Medial Fasciculus Cuneatus- Lateral
65
What do the fasciculus gracilis and fasciculus cuneatus carry information for respectively? Where do they synapse in what structure?
Lower limbs and upper limbs Gracile and cuneate nuclei in the medulla
66
What happens to the second order neurones within the medulla in the DCML? Where do they travel to? What is this part of the tracts called?
Decussate onto the other side To the Thalamus (On the contralateral side) Dorsal column
67
Where is the second synapse in the DCML? Where does the third order neurone travel to? through what structure?
In the thalamus Travels to Primary somatosensory cortex in the parietal lobe Via the internal capsule
68
Where are the Spinothalamic tracts located in the spinal cord? What fibres do they carry?
Antero-laterally Sensory fibres
69
What do the spinothalamic tracts carry information about(3)? Where do they first synapse?
Crude touch, pain and temperature within the Dorsal horn
70
Where do the Spinothalamic tracts decussate? Where does the second order neuron travel to?
In the Spinal cord after travelling one or two vertebral levels upwards Travels to thalamus on contralateral side
71
Where is the second synapse in the spinothalamic tract? Where do the third order neurones travel through and to where?
Thalamus Via internal capsule to the primary somatosensory cortex
72
Where are the Lateral corticospinal tracts located within the Spinal cord? What type of impulses do they carry?
Laterally Motor impulses
73
What is the route of the First order neurones in the Lateral corticospinal tract? Where do the decussate?
Leave Motor cortex and pass through the internal capsule Decussate at the level of the medullary pyramids Continue contralaterally down the spinal cord
74
Where do the first order neurones synapsein the lateral corticospinal tract? Where do the LMN/ SON go?
Ventral horn of desired spinal cord level Second order neurones leave the cord via the ventral root
75
What tracts are located most laterally in the spinal cord? What do they carry?
Anterior and Posterior spinocerebellar tracts Carries unconscious proprioceptive information to the cerebellum
76
Which spinocerebellar tract decussates? Where?
Anterior spinocerebellar Once at the level of entry into the spinal cord and once as soon as it enters the cerebellum
77
Does the posterior spinocerebellar tract decussate? What level? What side does each tract reach the cerebellum on?
No it doesn't- no level Both reach it on the ipsilateral side
78
What syndrome is classified as damaged to one side of the spinal cord?
Brown-Sequard Syndrome
79
Name of joints that connects individual vertebrae together and allows movements between them?
Facet joints
80
Ligamentum flavum connects which parts of the vertebrae together?
Laminae
81