ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY LAB

 Its lower end tapers off as the

COVERAGE: cone-shaped conus
terminalis also called the
I. External Features of conus medullaris which is
Spinal Cord located in the vicinity of the
II. Functions of the Spinal first lumbar vertebra.
Cord
 Extending caudally from the
III. Organization of the
conus is a non-neural fiber
Spinal Nerves
called the filum terminale
IV. Plexuses
which is attached to the
V. Intercostal Nerves
coccyx. This filum consists of
fibrous connective tissue.

I. EXTERNAL FEATURES OF
THE SPINAL CORD
1. The spinal cord is a cylindrical cord
inside the spinal activity which is
about as thick as a pencil.
2. It extends from the foramen magnum
of the skull downward (caudally) for
about 45 cm (18 inches) to the level
of the first lumbar vertebra (L1) in
adults.

4. It is slightly flattened dorsally and

ventrally with two prominent
enlargements known as the cervical
and lumbosacral (lumbar)
enlargements.

3. The upper end of the organ is  Emerging from these

continuous with the lowermost part enlargements are the spinal nerves
of the brain (medulla oblongata). that innervate the upper and lower
limbs.

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5. The spinal cord is divided into 31

segments and each segment arises a
pair of spinal nerves.
 Each pair typically passes
through a pair of intervertebral
foramina which is located
between two successive
vertebrae, and is then
distributed to a specific pair of
segments of the body.
 There are 5 regions in the
spinal cord.
 The 31 segments are –
cervical (8), thoracic (12),
lumbar (5), sacral (5) and
coccygeal (1).

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6. The roots of all nerves pass caudally
below the conus terminalis (below
L1 vertebral level) resemble flowing
coarse strands of hair.
 For this reason, the lumbar
and sacral roots are
collectively called the cauda
equine, which means
“horse’s tails” in Latin.
7. The spinal cord and the roots of its
nerves are protected not only by the
flexible bony vertebral column and
its ligaments, but also by the spinal
meninges and cerebrospinal fluid.
 The meninges are: dura
mater, arachnoid
membrane, and pia mater.
a. Dura Mater – is a tough, fibrous
membrane that emerges with the
filum terminale;
b. Arachnoid Membrane – is a
delicate and transparent membrane
which runs caudally to the S2
vertebral level, where it joins the
filum terminale; and
c. Pia mater – is a thin membrane
highly vascularize which is tightly
attached to the spinal cord and its
roots.
8. Internally and cross-sectionally, the
spinal cord has a tiny central canal
containing the cerebrospinal fluid
and a dark portion of H-shaped or
butterfly-shaped “gray matter”
surrounded by a larger area of “white
matter”.
 It is divided into more or less
symmetrical left and right
halves by a deep groove called
anterior median fissure and
a median septum called the
posterior median septum.
 Extending out from the spinal
cord are the ventral and dorsal
roots of the spinal nerves.
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III.
1. At each segment of the spinal cord, a
2. Each nerve has a ventral (anterior)
9. The H-shaped gray matter of the
spinal cord has two (2) pairs of
columns that form the vertical bars of
the H which are called the horns.
- The pairs that form the cross bars of
the H is known as gray
commissure which functions in
cross reflexes.
 Posterior Horns – which runs
dorsally and function in
afferent input; and
 Anterior Horns – which run
ventrally and function in
efferent somatic output.
II. FUNCTIONS OF THE SPINAL
CORD
1. It is the connecting link between
the brain and most of the body;
and
2. It is involved in spinal reflex
actions both somatic and visceral.
ORGANIZATION OF THE
SPINAL NERVES
pair of nerves branches and exits the
H-shaped gray matter.
- One nerve of the pair exits to
the left, entering the left side
of the body.
- The other nerve of the pair
exits to the right, entering the
right side of the body.
and a dorsal (posterior) root which
meet shortly after leaving the spinal
cord to form a single mixed nerve.
- All spinal nerves are mixed,
containing both sensory and
motor fibers that, together
with the cranial nerves form
the peripheral nervous system.
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intrinsic (deep) muscles of the
back.
- The branches of the ventral
ramus (mixed nerve)
innervate the skin tissues and
muscles of the neck, chest,
abdominal wall, both pairs of
the limbs, and the pelvic area.
- The meningeal ramus
innervates the vertebrae,
spinal meninges, and spinal
blood vessels.
- The rami communicantes
(ramus communicans) are
composed of sensory (general
visceral afferent) and motor
nerve fibers associated with
the autonomic nervous system
3. The spinal nerves are named for their
innervating the visceral
associated vertebra (cervical,
structure.
thoracic, lumbar, sacral and
coccygeal) and numbered.
- Most spinal nerves pass
IV. PLEXUS
through an intervertebral
- Plexuses are complex networks of
foramen, and then are
nerves formed by the ventral rami of
distributed to a specific
the spinal nerves (except T2 through
segment of the body.
T12)
- The numbering of each of the
- In plexuses, the nerve fibers of the
spinal nerve other than the
different spinal nerves are sorted and
cervical nerves corresponds to
recombined, so that fibers associated
the vertebra above its exit
with a particular peripheral nerve are
from the vertebral column.
composed of the fibers from several
4. A short distance after the dorsal and
different rami.
ventral roots join together to form a
spinal nerve proper, the nerve divides
into several branches called rami
(sing. Ramus)
- The branches of the dorsal
ramus (a mixed nerve)
innervate the skin of the back,
the skin on the back of the
head, and the tissues and

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FORMS OF PLEXUSES Brachial Plexus

1. Cervical Plexus 2. Brachial plexus is made up of

2. Brachial Plexus primarily of the ventral rami of C5 to
3. Lumbar Plexus C8 and T1 spinal nerves.
4. Sacral Plexus - This extends downward and
5. Coccygeal Plexus laterally, passing behind the
clavicle and into the armpit.
- This plexus gives rise to five
major nerves that supply a
Cervical Plexus number of neck and shoulder
1. Cervical plexus is composed of the muscles in addition to the
ventral rami of the spinal nerves C1 entire upper extremity.
through C4.
- Its branches supply the
muscles, skin of the neck, and
posterior part of the scalp.
- The phrenic nerve is the most
important branch of the
cervical plexus. It is formed
by the rami of C3, C4 and C5.
- This nerve descends into the
thorax to innervate the
diaphragm.

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BRANCHES OF BRACHIAL PLEXUS
a. Musculocutaneous Branch supplies
the anterior arm muscles (biceps
brachii) and the skin of the lateral
forearm.
b. Axillary Branch supplies the deltoid
muscle and the skin over the deltoid
muscle.
c. Median Branch supplies the flexor
muscles in the anterolateral aspect of
the forearm and the hand and the skin
in the radial half of the palm.
Lumbar Plexus
- This nerve supplies the
gluteus maximus and the
hamstring muscles.
Tibial Nerve supplies the
posterior calf muscles
Common Peroneal Nerve
supplies the lateral and anterior
muscles of the leg.
b. Superior Gluteal Nerve innervates
the gluteus medius and gluteus
minimus, and tensor fascia lata
muscles.

3. Lumbar Plexus is composed of fibers b.1. Inferior Gluteal Nerve innervates

of the ventral rami of L1 to L4 nerves.
Supplies the motor and sensory fibers
to the anterior and lateral abdominal
wall, external genitals and the thigh.
-there are two major nerves arising
from the lumbar plexus:
the gluteal maximus muscle
c. Pudendal Nerve innervates the
voluntary muscles of the perineum,
especially the sphincters of the urethra
and anus.

Sacral Plexus

4. Sacral Plexus is composed of fibers

of the ventral rami of L4, L5, S1
through S3 spinal nerves.
- Its branches supply the
structures in the buttocks, the
perineum and the lower
extremity.
- Several important branches
are derived from the sacral
plexus;

Branches of Sacral Plexus

a. Sciatic nerve is the thickest and

longest nerve in the body which
extends from the pelvic area to the
foot and dividing above the knee into
the common peroneal and tibial
nerves.
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Coccygeal Plexus

5. Coccygeal plexus is formed by the

coccygeal nerve (Co1) and sacral
nerves S4 and S5.
- a few nerve filaments supply
the skin in the coccyx region.

V. Intercostal Nerves

Intercostal nerves are the second

through twelfth thoracic nerves (T2 to T12).

- The ventral rami of the intercostals

nerves innervate muscles and skin in
the thoracic and abdominal walls.
- After nerves leave the intervertebral
foramina, they take a course parallel
to the bony ribs but continue past
them.
- Intercostal nerves T2 through T6
innervate intercostals muscles and
the skin on the lateral and anterior
thoracic walls.
- Nerves T7 through T12 innervate the
intercostals muscles and the
abdominal wall and its overlying skin.
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