Vertebral Column

Question 1

what is a primary curvature?

Answer 1

an anterior concavity

Question 2

what is a secondary curvature?

Answer 2

a posterior concavity

Question 3

what is an anterior concavity vs a posterior concavity?

Answer 3

anterior = concavity at the body of the vertebra

posterior = concavity at the spinous process of the vertebra

Question 4

As development occurs, where are primary curvatures located?

Answer 4

thoracic region
sacral region

Question 5

as development occurs, where are the secondary curvatures located?

Answer 5

cervical region
lumbar region

Question 6

what element of the vertebral column holds the majority of the weight? How much does it hold?

Answer 6

vertebra body
75-80%

Question 7

what is the pedicle?

Answer 7

a bilateral, tubular structure that protrudes from the body posteriorly

Question 8

what is important about the pedicle? when stacked, what do the pedicles form?

Answer 8

there are superior and inferior notches that when stacked form the intervertebral foramen.

Question 9

what exits from the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 9

spinal nerves

Question 10

what are the laminae?

Answer 10

bilateral, obliquely oriented structures that lead to the spinous processes

Question 11

how do spinous and transverse processes differ?

Answer 11

spinous - points posteriorly
transverse - points laterally from laminae/pedicles

Question 12

what structure supports a minority of a person’s body weight? How much does it hold?

Answer 12

Articular processes
20-25%

Question 13

How many cervical vertebra are there?

Answer 13

7

Question 14

What is kyphosis? what type of curvature is that?

Answer 14

excess curvature in the thoracic region
1st degree

Question 15

what is lordosis? what type of curvature is that?

Answer 15

excess curvature in the lumbar region
2nd degree

Question 16

what is scoliosis?

Answer 16

a lateral deviation, typically due to a missing/extra portion of vertebra

Question 17

of the 33 vertebral elements, how many are moveable vs immoveable?

Answer 17

moveable = 24
immoveable = 9

Question 18

how many cervical vertebrae are there?

Answer 18

7

Question 19

what is different about CV1?

Answer 19

no spinous process or vertebral body

Question 20

What is an inferior vertebra named in relation to the superior?

Answer 20

atlas = superior
axis = inferior

Question 21

what is the odontoid process? (Dens)
what does it allow for?

Answer 21

the vertebral body of CV2
acts as a stable pivot that allows for lateral rotation of the head

Question 22

what is the main action between CV1 and the skull?

Answer 22

flexion and extension

Question 23

what are the characteristics of all cervical vertebrae?

Answer 23

bifid spinous process
nearly horizontal articular processes
transverse foramen

Question 24

what is a bifid spinous process?

Question 25

what is the downside of having nearly horizontal articular processes?

Answer 25

there is a greater chance of slippage that could in turn sever the spinal cord

Question 26

what purpose does the transverse foramen serve in the cervical region?

Answer 26

allows for the vertebral artery to pass through up to the brain

Question 27

what vertebrae does the vertebral artery pass through in the cervical region?

Answer 27

CV6 to CV1

Question 28

what is significant about CV7?

Answer 28

it has the first prominent spinous process

Question 29

what is the name of the significance at CV7?

Answer 29

vertebra prominens

Question 30

what motions are permitted at the cervical vertebrae?

Answer 30

flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation

Question 31

How many vertebrae are there in the thoracic region?

Answer 31

12

Question 32

what is interesting about TV1-4? what is interesting about TV9-12?

Answer 32

more like cervical vertebrae and more like lumbar vertebrae

Question 33

what are the characteristics of the thoracic vertebra?

Answer 33

long, sharp, oblique spinous processes vertical articular processes

Question 34

how do ribs 1-10 articulate with thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 34

head of the rib articulates with the body and the transverse process

Question 35

how do ribs 11 & 12 articulate with the thoracic vertebra?

Answer 35

the head of the rib articulates with the body of the vertebra itself.

Question 36

how does the number of the thoracic vertebra relate to the number of the ribs?

Answer 36

they are the same, TV1 = Rib 1

Question 37

how is the articular process of the thoracic vertebrae different than that of the cervical vertebrae in the transverse plane?

Answer 37

Thoracic = vertical articular processes cervical = horizontal articular processes

Question 38

what movements are possible at the thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 38

flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation.

Question 39

how are the degrees of movement different between cervical and thoracic vertebrae? what causes this?

Answer 39

thoracic is more limited because of relatively thin intervertebral discs whereas cervical is more free due to relatively thicker intervertebral discs.

Question 40

how do elements of lumbar vertebrae differ from the other regions?

Answer 40

larger bodies larger intervertebral foramen block-like spinous processes vertically oriented articular processes

Question 41

what motions are allowed in the lumbar region? what isn't? why is that?

Answer 41

flexion and extension are fairly free, but rotation is limited. more stability = less freedom of movement

Question 42

what is different about the sacral region compared to the other 3?

Answer 42

immovable, fused elements

Question 43

what are the holes in the sacral region?

Answer 43

sacral foramina

Question 44

what structure can pass through the anterior sacral foramina?

Answer 44

ventral rami

Question 45

what structure can pass through the posterior sacral foramina?

Answer 45

dorsal rami

Question 46

what main structure does the sacrum articulate with?

Answer 46

ilium of os coxae

Question 47

what is the sacral hiatus? what passes through this structure? why is it important?

Answer 47

a gap at the inferior portion of the sacrum. the coccygeal nerve exits this structure allowing the epidural space to be accessed.

Question 48

what are intervertebral discs?

Answer 48

fibrocartilaginous structures that form symphysis joints

Question 49

how much of the vertebral column do the intervertebral discs count for?

Answer 49

1/4 the length

Question 50

what is the nucleus pulposus?

Answer 50

central region of the intervertebral disc

Question 51

what is the nucleus pulposus derived from / made of?

Answer 51

derived from the embryonic notochord primarily water

Question 52

what is the annulus fibrosis?

Answer 52

concentric rings of fiber that surround the nucleus pulposus

Question 53

how much of the intervertebral disc is comprised of water? what happens to that as we age?

Answer 53

80 % the water content decreases and becomes more fibrous which means it is more susceptible to compression and rupturing

Question 54

what causes a herniated disc? which direction of herniation causes nerve impingement?

Answer 54

rupture of the annulus fibrosis causes the nucleus pulposus to herniate in any direction. posteriorly or posterior laterally

Question 55

what is the anterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 55

a broad ligament that covers the anterior aspect of the vertebral body

Question 56

what is the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 56

a less broad ligament that covers the posterior aspect of the vertebral body anterior to the spinal cord

Question 57

what is the ligamentum flavellum?

Answer 57

a dense, yellowish structure that connects the adjacent lamina

Question 58

how long are the anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments?

Answer 58

the entire length of the vertebral column

Question 59

what is the supraspinous ligament?

Answer 59

ligament that covers the posterior aspect of the spinous process

Question 60

what is the interspinous ligament?

Answer 60

a segmented ligament that holds adjacent spinous processes together.

Question 61

which ligaments are full-length? which ligaments are segmented?

Answer 61

full - anterior longitudinal, posterior longitudinal, supraspinous segmented - ligamentum flavum, interspinous

Question 62

what is in the epidural space?

Answer 62

fat and internal vertebral venus plexus

Question 63

how does the internal venus plexus communicate with the external venus plexus?

Answer 63

veins that run through intervertebral foramen and veins that pass through the bones of vertebral elements.

Question 64

what is the cause of sciatica?

Answer 64

posterolateral herniation of nucleus pulposus causing pressure on the spinal nerve in the vertebral foramen.

Question 65

what is in the subarachnoid space?

Answer 65

cerebrospinal fluid

Question 66

what forms the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 66

superior/inferior notches of the pedicles intervertebral discs articular processes

Question 67

how does herniation affect the spinal nerve of adjacent vertebra?

Answer 67

herniation in a vertebra affects the spinal nerve of an inferior vertebra

Question 68

how do spinal nerves exit lumbar intervertebral foramen vs cervical?

Answer 68

lumbar = nerve exits below the vertebra cervical = nerve exits above the vertebra

Question 69

what information do dorsal and ventral roots provide the nervous system?

Answer 69

dorsal - sensory ventral - motor

Question 70

what does the junction of the dorsal/ventral root signify?

Answer 70

the beginning of the spinal nerve

Question 71

what does the dorsal root ganglion contain?

Answer 71

sensory cell bodies

Question 72

what is a ramus?

Answer 72

a branch of the spinal nerve