Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

The Chair of Anatomy

c.m.s. Milyushina Ya.A.
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

 The spinal cord is a slender

nerve column that passes
downward from the brain into the
vertebral canal.
 Although continuous with the
brain, the spinal cord begins
where nervous tissue leaves the
cranial cavity at the level of the
foramen magnum. The spinal cord
tapers to a point and terminates
near the second lumbar vertebrae
Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

• The spinal cord consists of 31

segments, each of which gives rise
to a pair of spinal nerves.
• In the neck region, a thickening in
the spinal cord, called the cervical
enlargement, supplies nerves to the
upper limbs.
• A similar thickening in the lower
back, the lumbar enlargement,
gives off nerves to the lower limbs.
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

By adulthood the area within the vertebral column below

the second lumbar vertebra contains spinal nerves that
branch from the spinal cord at higher levels.
These spinal nerves are collectively called, the cauda
equina, or “horse’s tail”. The spinal cord ends as the conus
medullaris. The conus medullaris ends at the level of the
intervertebral disc between the first and second lumbar
vertebral in adults.
From the conus medullaris a fine connective tissue
filament, the filum terminate, extends down to the
coccygeal region. The filum terminate consists mostly of pia
mater.
The spinal cord does not extend to the coccygeal region
because during development the vertebral column elon-
gates more rapidly than the spinal cord. The filum
terminate anchors the spinal cord within the vertebral
column.
Anatomy of the Spinal Cord
Anatomy of the Spinal Cord
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

A cross section of the cord reveals a core of gray matter within white matter. The
pattern of gray matter roughly resembles a butterfly with its wings spread. The
upper and lower wings of gray matter are called the posterior horns and anterior
horns, respectively. Between them on either side in the thoracic and upper
lumbar segments is a protrusion of gray matter called the lateral horn.
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

Spinal Cord Nuclei

The prominent nuclei (groups of neuron cell bodies) in the spinal cord are the:
Marginal zone – located at the tip of the dorsal horn, and is important for relaying
pain and temperature sensation to the brain.
Substantia gelatinosa – located at the top of the dorsal horn, it is important for
relaying pain, temperature and light touch sensation to the brain.
Nucleus proprius – located in the ‘neck’ of the dorsal horn, it relays mechanical and
temperature sensation to the brain.
Dorsal nucleus of Clarke – the most dorso-medial nuclei, it relays unconscious
proprioceptive information to the brain. Only found in spinal segments C8 to L3.
Interomediolateral nucleus – located in the intermediate column and lateral horn, it
relays sensory information from viscera to the brain, and autonomic signals from the
brain to the visceral organs.
Lateral motor neurons and medial motor neurons – located in the ventral horn.
Composed of motor neurons that innervate visceral and skeletal muscles.
Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

As an alternative to spinal cord

nuclei, Bror Rexed (1950s)
identified layers, or laminae, within
the spinal cord where cells were
grouped according to their
structure and function, rather than
solely on location
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

Gray matter divides the white matter of the spinal cord into three
regions on each side—the anterior, lateral, and posterior funiculi.
Each funiculus consists of longitudinal bundles of myelinated axons that
comprise major neural pathways (conducting tructs).
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

Ascending tracts convey information from the periphery to the brain. On the other
hand, the descending tracts carry information from the brain to the periphery. The
spinal cord is more than just a conduit, as it also modifies and integrates the
information that pass through it.
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

SEGMENT OF SPINAL CORD

is a transverse section of the grey matter of spinal cord with the

adjacent part of white matter (fasciculus proprius), which
corresponds to the pair of spinal nerves.
 Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

The human spinal cord

is divided into 31
different segments:
 cervical – 8
 thoracic – 12
 lumber – 5
 sacral – 5
 coccygeal – 1
Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

reflex arc
Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

Spinal nerves are an integral part of the

peripheral nervous system (PNS). They are the
structures through which the central nervous
system (CNS) receives sensory information from
the periphery, and through which the activity of
the trunk and the limbs is regulated. Also they
transmit the motor commands from the CNS to
the muscles of the periphery.

They are composed of both motor and sensory

fibres, as well as autonomic fibres, and exist as
31 pairs of nerves emerging intermittently from
the spinal cord to exit the vertebral canal.