SPINAL CORD
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS
EXTERNAL STRUCTURE
42-45 cm in length
Extends from the foramen magnum of
the occipital bone to (approximately) L2
In adults, occupies only the superior
two-thirds of the vertebral canal
Terminates at the level of the L1-L2
intervertebral disc as the conus
medullaris
Has an anterior median fissure and a
posterior median sulcus
SPINAL CORD: GENERAL
A. Continuous with the medulla oblongata at the foramen
magnum.
B. Located in the upper two-thirds of the vertebral
column, made up of.
A. 7 cervical,
B. 12 thoracic,
C. 5 lumbar,
D. 5 sacral and,
E. 3-5 coccygeal vertebrae.
SPINAL CORD: GENERAL
A. Placed within a longitudinal cavity, the
vertebral canal, formed by the
continuity of the central vertebral
foramen in each vertebra.
B. Extends down to the interval between
L2-L3 vertebral bodies in the infant,
and L1-L2 in the adult;
C. The disparity in the lengths of the
column and the cord results from
unequal rates of growth during the
prenatal period.
SPINAL CORD: GENERAL
A. Conus medullaris is the tapering lower
end of the cord at L1-L2 interval.
B. Cauda equina is the collection of spinal
nerve roots that gather below the
lower end of the cord, on their way to
their points of exit.
C. Vertebral bodies are separated by the
intervertebral discs, each with an outer
anulus fibrosus and an inner nucleus
pulposus.
THE SPINAL CORD
Spinal cord segments are situated within the vertebral
canal at a level superior to their corresponding vertebra
Spinal nerve roots emerge from spinal cord segments,
descend a progressive distance within the vertebral canal,
and merge within intervertebral foramina to form mixed
spinal nerves
THE SPINAL CORD
Mixed spinal nerves exit the vertebral canal:
In the cervical region, immediately above their corresponding
vertebra;
In the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions, immediately below
their corresponding vertebra
VERTEBRAL COLUMN
Pattern of exit:
ENLARGEMENTS
Cervical enlargement
extends from C4 to T1; Provides the nerve supply to the
upper extremities
lumbosacral enlargement
extends from L2 to S3; Provides the nerve supply to the
lower extremities
THE SPINAL
CORD
SPINAL MENINGES
SPINAL MENINGES
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
SPINAL MENINGES
A. Composed of connective tissue and provide coverings
for the CNS.
A. Dura (tough) mater (mother)
B. Outermost covering, inner to the bone
C. Extends to S2 level where it ends as a blind sac
SPINAL MENINGES
A. Arachnoid (spider-like) mater (mother)
a. Inner to dura, closely follows it
b. Extends below to S2 level, lines the dura and ends as a
blind sac
SPINAL MENINGES
A. Pia (soft) mater (mother)
a. Closely invests the CNS
b. At the conus medullaris, continues as a thin
extension, the filum terminale, which perforates
the arachnoid and dura, and becomes the
coccygeal ligament inserted into the coccyx
Filum terminale
inferior termination of pia mater
traverses the subarachnoid space, pierces the
dural sheath, and attaches to the coccyx
SPINAL MENINGES
Denticulate ligaments (21 tooth-like processes of
connective tissue)
extend laterally from the cord between nerve roots to
suspend the spinal cord within the dural sac
DURA MATER
Tough, fibrous, outermost tubular sheath
anchored to the periosteum at the
foramen magnum
extends inferiorly to S2 [the spinal cord
terminates at L1-L2]
free within the vertebral canal: not
adherent to vertebral surfaces [cranial
dura mater adheres to the periosteum of
the skull]
DURA MATER
Extends laterally into intervertebral foramina to form
dural root sleeves which invest nerve roots and spinal
ganglia
DURA MATER
Extradural (epidural) space (between dura mater and
vertebral periosteum) contains fat, loose connective
tissue, and venous plexuses
Subdural space (between dura mater and arachnoid
mater) contains only a film of lubricating fluid
ARACHNOID MATER
Delicate, membranous intermediate sheath
along with the dura mater, extends
inferiorly to S2 and laterally to
intervertebral foramina
the subarachnoid space (between arachnoid
mater and pia mater) contains CSF and
arachnoid trabeculae (delicate strands of
connective tissue that loosely anchor the
arachnoid layer to the pial layer)
ARACHNOID MATER
Within the dural sac inferior to the termination of the
spinal cord, the subarachnoid space contains the cauda
equina and filum terminale
PIA MATER
Innermost membranous covering; Adheres closely to the
surface of the spinal cord, enclosing networks of blood
vessels; Gives rise to denticulate ligaments, which extend
transversely to suspend the spinal cord within the dural
sheath
PIA MATER
Filum terminale
Inferior termination of pia mater
Traverses the subarachnoid space,
pierces the dural sheath, and attaches to
the coccyx
Denticulate ligaments (21 tooth-like
processes of connective tissue)
Extend laterally from the cord between
nerve roots to suspend the spinal cord
within the dural sac
SPACES IN RELATION TO
THE MENINGES
A. Epidural space, between the bone and dura, containing
venous plexuses
B. Subdural space, a potential space between the dura and
the archnoid
C. Subarachnoid space, between the arachnoid and the pia,
filled with cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.)
CLINICAL CORRELATES
All three meninges are made up of connective tissue and
have rich sensory innervation.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the pia and the arachnoid;
Headache is one of the cardinal symptoms; Changes in
C.S.F. Composition are diagnostic.
CLINICAL CORRELATES
B. Meningiomas are connective tissue tumors that arise from
the meninges and can cause compression of the brain
or spinal cord; Most are benign and can be removed
with early diagnosis resulting in good recovery of
function.
CLINICAL CORRELATES
C. Bleeding into the spaces related to the meninges can
occur from open or closed head injuries, hypertensive
bleeding from the veins, bursting of aneurysms, etc.;
Collections of blood or hematomas are referred to by
the name of the space as epidural, subdural or
subarachnoid.
CLINICAL CORRELATES
D. Lumbar puncture (L.P.).
a. Procedure for collecting C.S.F. Or for
introducing drugs into C.S.F. To combat
infection, dyes for imaging, or anesthetics to
induce anesthesia.
b. Needle introduced between L3-L4 or L4-L5
spinous processes, below the lower end of the
spinal cord; An imaginary line connecting the
highest points of the iliac crests, corresponding
to L4 spine, is used as a landmark.
SPINAL
NERVES
COMPONENTS AND FUNCTIONS:
SPINAL NERVES: GENERAL
31 pairs of spinal nerves
8 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral
1 coccygeal
Exit through intervertebral foramina located
laterally between the bodies of the
vertebrae.
SPINAL NERVES:
FORMATION
A. Each pair is attached to one spinal cord segment and is
made up of a ventral/anterior root and a dorsal/posterior
root.
B. Anterior roots arise from the anterior horn as axons of
the anterior horn cells; Join the dorsal root distal to the
ganglion to form the spinal nerve.
SPINAL NERVES:
FORMATION
A. Posterior roots extend from the posterior horn to the
spinal ganglion; Represent the central branches of the
unipolar neurons in the spinal ganglia; The peripherally
directed branches of the ganglia join the anterior root to
form the spinal nerve.
SPINAL NERVES:
FORMATION
A. Spinal ganglia are located close to or
within the intervertebral foramina; They
are collections of neuronal cell bodies
lying outside the C.N.S.; Cells are
unipolar and each has a single process
that divides into a central and a
peripheral branch; The central branch is
directed medially and form the posterior
root; The peripheral branch enters the
spinal nerve.
SPINAL NERVES:
FORMATION
A. Branches:
a. Ventral ramus - supplies the anterior
parts of the neck and trunk and forms
plexuses for the innervation of the
limbs; Motor and sensory.
b. Dorsal ramus - supplies the posterior
parts of the neck and trunk; Motor and
sensory.
c. Rami communicantes - ANS.
ANTERIOR ROOTS
a. Motor in function since they are axons of the motor
neurons in the anterior horn.
b. Becomes the motor part of the spinal nerves and enter
into the ventral and dorsal rami of spinal nerves.
c. Carry action potentials to the skeletal muscles in the
neck, trunk and limbs.
ANTERIOR ROOTS
a. Essential for activating skeletal muscles to cause
contraction and movement in response to commands
from the cortex/brain stem centers for voluntary activity;
denervation of skeletal muscles leads to paralysis, i.E.,
Inability to perform voluntary motor activity.
ANTERIOR ROOTS
a. Motor neurons are also activated by sensory stimuli that
reach the dorsal horn for reflex activation, as for
example, the withdrawal reflex.
ANTERIOR ROOTS
a. Also essential for the trophic support of skeletal
muscles; denervation leads to irreversible muscular
atrophy.
b. Muscles are supplied often by anterior roots arising
from more than one spinal segment (example, biceps
muscle is innervated by cervical 5 and 6 spinal
segments).
POSTERIOR ROOTS
a. Sensory in function; Made up of the
central branches of the axons arising
from the spinal ganglia; Convey
sensory information brought to the
ganglia from the trunk, neck and limbs
to the spinal cord.
b. The peripheral branches of the axons
travel in the spinal nerves and through
their ventral and dorsal rami.
POSTERIOR ROOTS
a. Terminate as cutaneous sensory nerves supplying the
skin, subcutaneous and deeper structures; End as free
endings (pain) or on specialized sensory receptors.
POSTERIOR ROOTS
a. Sensory stimuli that activate these nerve endings give
rise to action potentials that travel toward the cell body,
and from the cell body to the dorsal horn the central
branches of the ganglia synapse on sensory neurons in
the posterior horn or ascend to higher levels in the
dorsal funiculus.
POSTERIOR ROOTS
a. Posterior horn transmits the sensory information locally
within the cord for reflex activation of motor responses,
or, gives rise to multisynaptic ascending pathways that
convey this information to the cerebral cortex for
conscious perception of sensations.
POSTERIOR ROOTS
a. Dermatomes:
i. An area of skin supplied largely by one
spinal nerve by way of its dorsal root;
31 pairs of dermatomes, corresponding
to the number of spinal nerves.
ii. Dermatomal map of the body describes
the location of each dermatome. It is
useful to remember a few key
dermatomes.
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