Spinal Cord

Introduction :

Spinal cord vertebral

• lie
loosely in the canal .

It extends from foramen where it in continuous with

magnum
•

medulla
oblongata -

- Dura mater
-1
. Covered
by sheaths called meninges 1- Piamate .

Arachnoid mater
Cylindrical shape length
.

.
in 45cm -

ales,
-

.
em

43 un
(females )
Two
spindle shaped swellings namely cervical & Lumbar
enlarge
°
-

- merits .

. Come
shaped termination called Conus medullar
-
is .

. Non -
nervous filament called filum terminal extends from conns e

medulla mis downward to the fundus g dural at level

g
second sac

sacral vertebra .

cervical 8

segments
ca , -

( bi Thoracic 12 g correspond to
cord
segments
=

Spinal = 31
(c, Lumbar = 5

(( nerve -

ed , sacral 5
31
pains g spinal
pair )
=

nerves in a
symmetrical
ie ,
coccygeal -
- t m an he

•
Each
spinal nerve is formed by an anterior ( ventral ) root and

a
posterior ( dorsal ) root -

Both the roots either side leave cord and

the
spinal through
°
on
pass
the
corresponding intervertebral foramina .

The
first cervical through foramen between
spinal
a
nerves
pass
•

occipital bone &

Atlas .

.
Bundle g
descending roots
surrounding
cauda
the filum terminate resembles
the tail horse thus called
g
equina .

•
Anterior surface g spinal cord ,
deep furrow =
Ant median
-

fissure
Depth g this fissure in about 3mm .
•
lateral to anterior median
fissure slight
,
depression =
Anterolateral
sulcus .

- Gt denotes the exit g

anterior nerve root .

• On posterior aspect .
there is a
depression =
Posterior median
sulcus
Test extends inside cord
the
spinal for 5mm .

lateral intermediate posterolateral

. to the
posterior sulcus ,
in the
sum
denotes root
entry posterior
.

This the nerve

g
.

Internal structure
g Spinal cord .

Neural substance cord in divided into matter and

.
g spinal gray
outer white matter .

matter cord the collection bodies

.

Gray og spinal is
g nerve cell ,

dendrites and Gt placed centrally the

form
parts g axons .
in in 7

wing g butterfly .

matter contains two types

•

Gray g multipolar neurons :

lls
Golgi type I neurons : Have
long axons and are
usually
found in anterior horn .
 Golgi horn
H I
type : short axons
,
found in
posterior .

Organisation g neurons in matter g spinal cord is described

gray
in two methods :

(a) Nuclei or columns

(b) Laminae or

layers .

White matter Cord

g spinal
•

surrounds the matter

gray
.

•
gt formed by the
is bundles
g
both myelinated and non -

myelinated fibres ,
but
predominantly
the
myelinated fibres .

white matter divided

half bywhitethe fibers
Each
•

g
is
g Anterior
and roots into three funiculi
posterior nerve columns / :

I .
Anterior ( Venkat White column
I . lateral hi hi te column

II Posterior / Dorsal Cal hite column .

Tracts g spinal Cord :

 Diseases g Spinal Cord
syringomyelia cord disorder characterised
it ' : gt in a
spinal by the

fluid filled cavities

presence og
in the spinal cord
-
.

It due to
.
occurs the
overgrowth g neuroglia cells in
spinal
cord
accompanied by cavity formation and accumulation

of fluid .

Characters tic features this disease the loss and

are
pain
•

g og

temperature sensations and muscular

weakness .

(2) Tabes on sale's : 9 t in ano the disease

og spinal cord . Gt in

slowly progressive nervous disorder

affecting both

sensory functions
the motor &
g spinal cord .

o
gt occurs due to degeneration g posterior ( sensory ) nerve roots .

It
usually occurs in
syphilis .

. Both
sensory functions
and motor
affected are .

- There in loss g movement (Ataxia )

a

Micturition lost
-

reflexes are
.

bladder
Urinary bladder becomes Atomic
- .

131 Multiple Selene sis : Gt in a chronic and

progressive inflammatory
disease characterised
by demy himation in brain &
spinal
cord .

• Cause Unknown Can be due to combination and interaction

in .

environment factors
genetic factors resulting in
and
g
abnormal reactions 7 Immune
system .

Symptoms : ca , Mild disturbance in sensations

( b, late a
Kness
( Ci Parle al blindness
 (d) Tremor
ee ,
speech difficulty
CF Bowel problems .

(g) Bladder dysfunction -

ch , short term loss

memory
.

ii, complete blindness Kaler)

cis suicidal tendency .

② Me
Notum )