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Anatomy - Spinal Cord & Spinal Nerves
Anatomy - Spinal Cord & Spinal Nerves
Arachnoid – “spidery”
web-like middle layer
Pia Mater – delicate, thin inner layer;
filum terminale - extension of pia
mater extends from tip of cord to
coccyx to anchor cord in place;
denticulate ligaments anchor cord
laterally
Subarachnoid space – between arachnoid & pia
mater; contains cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)
Lumbar cistern – area of subarachnoid space
below the conus medularis; site for lumbar
puncture (“spinal tap”)
Lumbar cystern
The Spinal Cord
Begins at foramen magnum & ends at
L2 vertebral level by forming conus
medularis
Has 2 thickened areas-
cervical enlargement - supplies
nerves to upper extremity
lumbar enlargement - supplies
nerves to lower extremity
Dorsal root
Ventral root
Cauda equina
Sectional Anatomy of the Spinal
cord
Posterior median sulcus
Posterior column
Posterior gray horn -
sensory
Central canal
Lateral column
Lateral gray horn (T1-L2,
Gray commissure
S2-S4) - autonomic
THALAMUS
Posterior Column Pathways
Fasciculus cuneatus & fasciculus
gracilis –
conscious proprioception (joint
position)
discriminitive (fine) touch (2-point
discrimination, stereognosis,
graphism)
vibration
pressure
Spinocerebellar Tracts
Dorsal ramus –
transmits sensations from
skin of back & neck;
provides motor control of
deep muscles of back
Ventral ramus –
provides motor control to
muscles of extremities,
anterior & lateral trunk;
transmits sensations from
all but skin of back
Rami communicantes –
carry autonomic motor
fibers (ANS) to smooth
muscles & glands in
ventral body cavity;
transmit visceral
sensations
Nerve Plexuses
Adjacent ventral rami will
form complex interwoven
networks of nerve fibers
known as a nerve plexus
Emerging from each plexus
will be specifically named
peripheral nerves, which will
contain fibers from multiple
spinal cord levels
Cervical plexus (C1-C5)
Phrenic nerve (C3-C5)
Brachial plexus (C5-T1)
Axillary nerve (C5-C6)
Musculocutaneous
nerve (C5-7)
Radial nerve (C5-T1)
Median nerve (C6-T1)
Ulnar nerve (C8-T1)
Lumbar plexus (T12-L4)
Femoral nerve (L2-L4)
Iliohypogastric nerve (T12-L1)
Obturator nerve (L2-L4)
Sacral plexus (L4-S4)