1. Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerves
Spinal cord anatomy and organization
Spinal Plexus and Associated nerves
2. Spinal Cord
“Highway traveled by sensory (afferent) nerve
impulses destined for brain, and by motor
(efferent) nerve impulse headed for spinal
nerves.”
3. Spinal Cord Protection
Within bony vertebrae
Covered by connective tissue
Meninges – 3 Meninx layers
Dura mater - “tough mother”
Arachnoid – “spider – similar”
Pia mater – “delicate mother”
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8. Spinal Cord - CNS
Within spinal canal
Foramen magnum to L2
Cervical enlargement
Lumbar enlargement
Conus medullaris
Filum terminale
Cauda Equina
13. Spinal Cord / Neural Tissue Terminology
White matter
Composed of myelinated (myelin is reason for white
color) nerve axons and associated glial cells
Gray matter
Unmyelinated axons, cell bodies or dendrites
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17. Spinal Cord / Neural Tissue Terminology
Ganglia / ganglion – group of unmyelinated nerve cell
bodies of PNS
Nucleus – mass of unmyelinated cell bodies and dendrites
(gray matter) in CNS
Tract – bundle of myelinated nerve fibers in spinal cord
Ascending - sensory (afferent) – enter spinal cord posterior
Descending – motor (efferent) – exit spinal cord anterior
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20. Spinal Tracts
Convey sensory information to the brain
Transmit motor impulses from the brain to
effectors
Allow for integration of reflex arcs
