Unit 5 (Spinal Cord, Spinal Nerves, and Spinal Reflexes) Flashcards
(43 cards)
Describe the structure and function of the spinal cord
Ok so you’ve got two branches: the ventral root, and the dorsal root and they have neurons that relay information from your body to your brain or the other way around
spinal nerve contains both sensory + motor neurons, and this is called “mixed nerves”
Ventral Root
a branch of spinal nerves, part of the spine’s anatomy, and they contain axons of motor neurons
Dorsal Root
a branch of spinal nerves, part of the spine’s anatomy, and they contain axons of sensory neurons; and also dorsal root ganglions contain cell bodies of senosroy neurons
Describe the location of the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions of the spinal cord
Top to bottom: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and then sacral spinal nerves
Conus Medullaris
Terminal end of the spinal cord
Filium Terminale
a slender strand of fibrous tissue, extends from the inferior tip of the conus medullaris
Cauda Equine
bundle of nerves that projects from the inferior end of spinal cord, it’s made up of um bar and sacral spinal nerves
Arrangement of spinal cord
Top to bottom: cervical enlargement, lumbar enlargement, conus medullaris., and then filum terminale
White matter
contains mostly myelinated and some unmyelinated axons; each column contains tracts of fasciculi (bundles of axons relaying info up + down spinal cord)
you have 1) Ascending tracts, and 2) Descending tracts
Ascending Tracts
In white matter, carries info up TO the brain
Descending Tracts
In white matter, carries motor commands DOWN to the spinal cord
Enlargements
of the spinal cord; two made up of segments of grey matter
Cervical Enlargement
supplies nerves to the shoulders and upper limbs
Lumbosacral enlargement
innervates structures of the pelvis and lower limbs
Grey Matter
contains neuron cell bodies, and unmyelinated axons; it’s greatest in segments of the spinal cord dedicated to the sensory and motor control of limbs
Spinal Meninges
they’re specialized membranes that isolate spinal cord from its surroundings, and their jobs are to protect the spinal cord, carry blood supply, and they’re continuous w/cranial meninges
we have three: 1) dura, 2) arachnoid, and 3) pia
Dura Mater
Spinal meninge, the layer that forms the outermost/superficial layer covering the spinal cord; it’s made up of dense collagen fibers
Epidural Space
between the dura and walls of vertebral canal, and it is a region that contains aerolar tissue, blood vessels, and a protective padding of adipose tissue
Arachnoid Mater
the middle meninges layer, comes into contact w/inner dura; made up of a delicate network of collagen fibers; contains subarachnoid space
Subarachnoid Space
between the arachnoid membrane + outer surface of pia mater, FILLED w/CSF (cerebral spinal fluid)
Pia Mater
the subarachnoid space between the arachnoid epithelium and innermost meninges layer; a meshwork of elastic + collagen fibers that are firmly bound to underlying tissue
Tract
a bundle of axons relaying info up and down the spinal cord
Illustrate the anatomy of spinal nerves including each layer of connective tissue and the location of blood vessels
ok so you’ve got the 1) Epinerium, 2) Perinerium, 3) Endonerium
Epinerium
outer layer, contains blood vessels
