spinal column

Examples of spinal column in the following topics:

• Spinal Cord

  • Connecting to the brainstem and extending down the body through the spinal column is the spinal cord: a thick bundle of nerve tissue that carries information about the body to the brain and from the brain to the body.
  • The spinal cord is contained within the bones of the vertebral column, but is able to communicate signals to and from the body through its connections with spinal nerves (part of the peripheral nervous system).
  • The spinal cord also controls motor reflexes.
  • While a reflex may only require the involvement of one or two synapses, synapses with interneurons in the spinal column transmit information to the brain to convey what happened (the knee jerked, or the hand was hot).
  • For example, if the spinal cord is damaged at the level of the neck, it can cause paralysis from the neck down, whereas damage to the spinal column further down may limit paralysis to the legs.

• Fractures of the Vertebral Column

  • A spinal fracture (or vertebral fracture) is a fracture affecting the bones of the spinal column.
  • A spinal fracture (or vertebral fracture) is a fracture affecting the bones of the spinal column.
  • Abnormal movement of bones or pieces of bone can cause spinal cord injury resulting in loss of sensation, paralysis, or death.
  • Immobilization is imperative to minimize or prevent further spinal cord injury.

• Axon Bundles

  • Some examples of CNS tracts are the large pyramidal (corticospinal) tracts descending from the motor cortex to the medulla while continuing into the spinal cord.
  • Nerves in the PNS are typically divided into cranial and spinal nerves.
  • There are twelve pairs of cranial nerves and thirty one pair of spinal nerves.
  • Spinal nerves innervate much of the body, and connect through the spinal column to the spinal cord.
  • They are given letter-number designations according to the vertebra through which they connect to the spinal column .

• Spinal Cord Trauma

  • A spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma and not disease.
  • A spinal cord injury (SCI) refers to any injury to the spinal cord that is caused by trauma instead of disease.
  • It is based on neurological responses, touch and pinprick sensations tested in each dermatome, and strength of 10 key muscles on each side of the body, including hip flexion (L2), shoulder shrug (C4), elbow flexion (C5), wrist extension (C6), and elbow extension (C7) (see for locations on spinal column).
  • An incomplete spinal cord injury involves preservation of motor or sensory function below the level of injury in the spinal cord.
  • T6 and T10 are in the thoracic section of the spinal column and are labeled Th6 and Th10 on the diagram.

• Overview of the Spinal Cord

  • The spinal cord runs along the inside of the vertebral column and serves as the signaling conduit between the brain and the periphery.
  • The spinal cord, protected by the vertebral column, begins at the occipital bone and extends down to the space between the first and second lumbar vertebrae.
  • The spinal nerve emerges from the spinal column through the opening (intervertebral foramen) between adjacent vertebrae.
  • The cauda equina ("horse's tail") is the name for the collection of nerves in the vertebral column that extends beyond the cord.
  • Relationship between the spinal cord and vertebral column, delineating the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar sections.

• Branches of Spinal Nerves

  • The spinal nerves branch into the dorsal ramus, ventral ramus, the meningeal branches, and the rami communicantes.
  • Nerves emerging from a plexus contain fibers from various spinal nerves, which are now carried together to some target location.
  • The meningeal branches (recurrent meningeal or sinuvertebral nerves): These branch from the spinal nerve and re-enter the intervertebral foramen to serve the ligaments, dura, blood vessels, intervertebral discs, facet joints, and periosteum of the vertebrae.
  • This diagram depicts the course and branches of a typical thoracic spinal nerve.

• Spinal Cord Grey Matter and Spinal Roots

  • The length of the spinal cord is much shorter than the length of the bony spinal column.
  • Each segment of the spinal cord is associated with a pair of ganglia, called dorsal root ganglia, which are situated just outside of the spinal cord.
  • The dorsal root ganglia lie along the vertebral column by the spine.
  • Hence, the spinal ganglia can be regarded as grey matter of the spinal cord that became translocated to the periphery.
  • Describe the grey matter and spinal roots of the spinal cord

• Overview of the Spinal Nerves

  • The term spinal nerve generally refers to a mixed spinal nerve that carries motor, sensory, and autonomic signals between the spinal cord and the body.
  • Humans have 31 left–right pairs of spinal nerves, each roughly corresponding to a segment of the vertebral column: eight cervical spinal nerve pairs (C1–C8), 12 thoracic pairs (T1–T12), five lumbar pairs (L1–L5), five sacral pairs (S1–S5), and one coccygeal pair.
  • Each spinal nerve is formed by the combination of nerve fibers from the dorsal and ventral roots of the spinal cord.
  • The spinal nerve emerges from the spinal column through an opening (intervertebral foramen) between adjacent vertebrae.
  • Outside the vertebral column, the nerve divides into branches.

• General Characteristics of the Spine

  • The spine is made of vertebrae that link together to protect the spinal cord.
  • It protects the spinal cord and provides a key attachment point for numerous muscle groups.
  • Viewed laterally the vertebral column presents several curves that correspond to the different regions of the column.
  • The vertebral column has 33 bones.
  • Each color represents a section of the column.

• The Spine

  • Kyphosis is an exaggerated concave (kyphotic) curvature of the thoracic vertebral column; it is commonly known as "humpback."
  • Situated in the dorsal aspect of the torso and separated by intervertebral discs, it houses and protects the spinal cord in its spinal canal.
  • These parts together enclose the vertebral foramen that contains the spinal cord.
  • Between each pair of vertebrae are two small openings called intervertebral foramina through which the spinal nerves exit.
  • When viewed laterally, the vertebral column presents several curves corresponding to the different regions of the column: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic.