ANAPHY LEC – SPINAL CORD AND SPINAL Note: When you get pricked at your middle finger, it’ll
d at your middle finger, it’ll send a
NERVES
Nervous system – composed of CNS and PNS
CNS – central nervous system; composed of the brain, brain
stem, and the spinal cord
PNS – peripheral nervous system; composed of autonomic
nervous system, spinal nerves, and cranial nerves (found in
the brain stem)
Note: Spinal cord and brain are the nervous system and the
spinal nerves, ANS, and cranial nerves are PNS
Spinal Cord Protection and Coverings
- the spinal cord and its associated spinal nerves contain
neural pathways that control some of the most rapid reactions
to environmental changes
Vertebral column – protects the spinal cord
Meninges – 3 layers of CT coverings around the brain and
SC:
Dura mater – thickest outermost layer
Arachnoid mater – middle layer
Pia mater – innermost layer
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) – circulates in the subarachnoid
space (between the arachnoid and pia mater); functions as a
cushion and distribute nutrients and waste products; found in
the CNS
- can be found in the brain or cortex, brain stem, and spinal
cord
- the brain stem is consist of midbrain, pons, medulla
oblongata, cerebellum
Spinal Meninges and Spaces
Epidural space – between vertebrae and dura mater
Dura mater – tough, dense CT; extends to vertebra S2 (well
beyond spinal cord)
Arachnoid mater – resembles a spider’s web; extends into
subarachnoid space
Subarachnoid space – CSF circulates in this space
Pia mater – thin, delicate layer, adheres to surface spinal
cord (brain); contains blood vessels
Blood Supply
Vertebral artery
1 anterior spinal artery – supplies upper 2/3 of the spinal
cord
2 posterior spinal artery – supplies upper 1/3 of the spinal
cord
Radicular artery – supplies the remaining anterior and
posterior lower spinal cord
Adamkiewicz – largest radicular artery; supplies the T8 to L4
Gross Anatomy of Spinal Cord
- extends form medulla of brain to L2 vertebra
Cauda equina – horse’s tail; extends inferior to end of spinal
cord; consists of roots of lumbar, sacral and coccygeal spinal
nerves; hairy structure appearance
Internal structure of Spinal Cord
Gray matter – forms “H” or “butterfly”; 3 horns on each side;
sites of cell bodies; consists of cell body
Posterior gray horns: contain sensory neurons (narrow)
Anterior gray horns: contain somatic motor neurons
(wider) Lateral gray
horns: contain autonomic motor neurons
VEM – ventral, efferent (descending fiber or downward), motor
neuron
DAS – dorsal, afferent (ascending fiber or upward), sensory
neuron (stimulus or sensation)
Middle finger – assigned or connected with C7
signal through your PNS to the C7, the posterior gray horn part
of the spinal cord , to the white matter then to your brain. Our
brain then interprets the message and sends the signal
through the white matter then anterior gray horn of the spinal
cord to the spinal nerve then to the muscle to contract or do its
response
White matter – surrounds gray “H”; consists of white columns
- posterior, anterior, and lateral columns
- contain tracts (bundles of axons)
Sensory tracts: ascending to brain
Motor tracts: descending from brain
- consists of the axons
Spinal Nerves – 31 pairs; named according to level of
vertebra; C1-C8, T1-T12, L1-L5, S1-S5, 1 coccygeal
- emerge form spinal cord trough intervertebral foramina
- exits in the upper vertebra; exits above the C1, above C2 and
until C6; C7 will terminate the spinal nerve above but C8 will
exit at T7 vertebra or below the C7
- T1 spinal nerve will exit below the T1 vertebra and so on until
T12
- nerves attached to spinal cord by 2 roots: dorsal and ventral
roots
Dorsal root – made of axons of sensory neurons
Dorsal root ganglion – swelling containing cell bodies of
sensory neurons
Ventral root – composed of axons of motor neurons
(somatic motor and autonomic motor)
- CT coverings
- individual axons wrapped in endoneurium
- axons grouped in fascicles wrapped in perineum
- outer covering = epineurium
Distribution of Spinal Nerves
- spinal nerves branch after pass through intervertebral
foramina
- some join with branches from neighboring nerves to form
plexuses (networks of nerves or connecting nerves)
- in the cervical, it is called cervical plexus
- in brachial, it’s brachial plexus
- in lumbar, it’s lumbar plexus
- in sacral, sacral plexus
- nerve names relate to region innervated (muscles and
inventory)
- spinal nerves T2-T12 do not form plexuses
- called intercostal nerves (until sacral)
- supply abdominal muscles, skin of chest and back, and
muscles between ribs
Dermatome – skin; sensation
Myotome – innervation of the nerves through the muscle
C1 – face and head
C2 – occiput
C3 – subclavicular fossa
C4 – AC joint
C5 – lateral antecubital fossa
C6 – index finger
C7 – middle finger
C8 – little finger
T1 – middle arm
T2 – apex of axilla
T4 – nipple
T6 – xiphesternum
T10 – umbilicus
T12 – inguinal
L1 – groin and great trochanter
L2 – mid, anterior thigh
L3 – medial knee
L4 – medial malleolus
L5 – dorsum of the foot
S1 – lateral heel
S2 – popliteal fossa
S3 – ischeal tuberosity
S4-S5 – perianal area
Plexuses
Cervical plexus – supplies posterior head, neck, shoulders,
and diaphragm; important nerves: phrenic to diaphragm
Brachial plexus – supplies upper limbs + some neck and
shoulder muscles; important nerves: radial, ulnar, axial,
median to arm, forearm, hand
Lumbar plexus – supplies abdominal wall, external genitalia,
and part of lower limbs; important nerves: femoral (to anterior
thigh: quads)
Sacral plexus – supplies buttocks, perineum, and most of
lower limbs; important nerves: gluteal, sciatic (to posterior
thigh and all of leg and foot)
Spinal Cord Functions
- pathways for nerve impulses within tracts
- ascending (sensory); ex. Spinothalamic
- descending (motor) ex. Cortocospinal
- reflexes: fast, involuntary sequences of actions in response
to stimuli
- can be simple (withdrawal) or complex (learned sequence
such as driving car)
- levels: spinal (reflex arc): simple; cranial: more complex
Reflex arc
1. Sensory receptor – responds to stimuli
2. Sensory neuron – through dorsal root ganglion and root to
posterior horn
3. Integrating center – single synapse between sensory and
motor neurons
4. Motor neuron – from anterior horn to ventral then to spinal
nerve to
5. Effector – muscle responds
Example of Reflex Arc: Patellar Reflex
1. Sensory receptor is stimulated by tap on patellar tendon
2. Sensory neuron – through dorsal root to spinal cord
3. Integrating center – single synapse in spinal cord
4. Motor neuron – through ventral root to spinal to femoral
nerve to
5. Effector – quads contract, extend leg