Chapter 13:

The Spinal Cord and

Spinal
Nerves

Spinal Cord Anatomy

Protective structures:
Vertebral column and the meninges provide
protect the spinal cord and provide physical
stability.
a. Dura mater, b. Arachnoid, c. Pia mater
Epidural space, subdural space and
subarachnoid space

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Spinal Cord Anatomy

External Anatomy of the

Spinal Cord

Two enlargements: cervical and lumbar

Conus medullaris
Filum terminale
Cauda equina
Posterior (dorsal root) & anterior(ventral) root
Posterior (dorsal root) ganglion
Spinal nerve
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External Anatomy of Spinal

Cord

Internal Anatomy of the

Spinal Cord

Anterior median fissure

Posterior median sulcus
Gray and white commissures
Central canal
Anterior, posterior & lateral gray horns
Anterior, posterior & lateral white columns

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Internal Anatomy of Spinal

Cord

Spinal Nerves

31 pairs; mixed nerves.

Cervical (C1-C8), thoracic (T1-T12), lumbar
(L1-L5), sacral (S1-S5) and coccygeal.

Connective tissue coverings of spinal nerves:

Epineurium, perineurium and endoneurium:
Fascicles

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Spinal Nerves

Distribution of Spinal Nerves

Spinal nerves branch and their braches are

called rami:
Posterior (dorsal) ramus
Anterior (ventral) ramus
Plexuses: a network of axons
Anterior rami except T1-T11 form plexuses.

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Cervical Plexus

Formed by the anterior

rami
rami of
of C1-C5.
C1-C5.
Phrenic
Phrenic nervesnervesimportant
important nerves
nerves from
from
the
the cervical
cervical plexuses.
plexuses.

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Brachial plexus

Formed by the anterior

rami of C5-C8 & T1.
Supplies the shoulders
and upper limbs.
Roots trunks
divisions cords
nerves.

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Brachial plexus continued

Important nerves that
arise from the brachial
plexuses are
Axillary nerve
Musculocutaneous
nerve
Radial nerve
Median nerve
Ulnar nerve
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Injuries to the Brachial

Plexus

Erb-Duchenne palsy
(waiters tip)- loss of
sensation along the
lateral side of the arm.
Wrist drop- inability to
extend the wrist and
fingers.

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Median nerve palsy- numbness, tingling and

pain in the palm and fingers.
Ulnar nerve palsy- inability to abduct or
adduct fingers
Winged scapula- the arm cannot be abducted
beyond the horizontal position.

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Injuries to the Brachial

Plexus

Lumbar Plexus

Formed by the anterior

rami of L1-L4.
Supplies the
anterolateral abdominal
wall, external genitals,
and part of the lower
limbs.
Femoral nerves,
obturator nerves.

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Sacral Plexus

Formed by the anterior

rami of L4-L5 and S1S4.
Supplies the buttocks,
perineum, and lower
limbs.
Gives rise to the largest
nerve in the body- the
sciatic nerve.

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Distribution of Nerves from

the Lumbar and Sacral
Plexuses

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Coccygeal Plexus

Formed by the anterior

rami of S4-S5 and the
coccygeal nerves.
Supplies a small area
of skin in the coccygeal
region.

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Dermatome

Dermatome is the
area of the skin that
provides sensory
input to the CNS via
one pair of spinal
nerves or the
trigeminal nerve.

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Sensory and Motor Tracts

The name of the tract

often indicates its
location in the white
matter and where it
begins and ends.
The white matter
contains both sensory
and motor tracts.

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Reflex

A reflex is an automatic, sudden, involuntary

response to a stimulus.
When the integration takes place in the spinal
cord, the reflex is a spinal reflex.

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Reflex Arc

The pathway followed by nerve impulses that

produce a reflex is a reflex arc.
A reflex arc includes:
a. sensory receptor
b. sensory neuron
c. integrating center
d. motor neuron
e. effector
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Reflex Arc

2 SENSORY NEURON
(axon conducts impulses from
receptor to integrating center)

1 SENSORY RECEPTOR

(responds to a stimulus
by producing a generator
or receptor potential)

Interneuron

3 INTEGRATING CENTER
(one or more regions within the CNS
that relay impulses from sensory to
motor neurons)

4 MOTOR NEURON

(axon conducts impulses from

integrating center to effector)

5 EFFECTOR

(muscle or gland that

responds to motor
nerve impulses)

The Stretch Reflex

Causes contraction of a skeletal muscle in

response to stretching of the muscle.
Monosynaptic reflex.
Patellar or knee-jerk reflex: Stretching of a
muscle activation of muscle spindles
sensory neuron spinal cordmotor
neuron muscle contraction.
Ipsilateral.
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Stretch Reflex

To brain

1 Stretching stimulates
SENSORY RECEPTOR
(muscle spindle)

2 SENSORY
NEURON
excited

EFFECTOR

5 (same muscle)
contracts and
relieves the
stretching

4 MOTOR

NEURON
excited
Spinal
Nerve

3 Within INTEGRATING

CENTER (spinal cord),

sensory neuron activates
motor neuron

Antagonistic
muscles relax
Motor neuron to
antagonistic muscles
is inhibited

Inhibitory
interneuron

The Tendon Reflex

Polysynaptic reflex.
Control muscle tension by causing muscle
relaxation when muscle tension is great.
Sensory receptors- Golgi tendon organs.
Tension applied to the tendon tendon
organ stimulation nerve impulse spinal
cord motor neuron causes muscle
relaxation and relieves tension.
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Tendon Reflex

To brain
Inhibitory
interneuron

5 EFFECTOR

(muscle attached
to same tendon)
relaxes and
relieves excess
tension

4 MOTOR NEURON
inhibited

2 SENSORY

Increased tension
1 stimulates
SENSORY
RECEPTOR (tendon)

++

NEURON
excited

+
Spinal
nerve

3 Within INTEGRATING
+

Antagonistic
muscles
contract

CENTER (spinal cord),

sensory neuron activates
inhibitory interneuron

Motor neuron to
antagonistic
muscles is excited

Excitatory
interneuron

Flexor (Withdrawal) Reflex

Polysynaptic reflex
Ipsilateral.
Stepping on a tack (stimulus) nerve
impulse activation of the interneuron
activation of the motor neuron muscle
contraction withdrawal of the leg.

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Flexor (Withdrawal) Reflex

+
Spinal
nerve
+

4 MOTOR

NEURON
excited

Ascending
interneuron
+

Interneuron
+

5 EFFECTORS

(flexor muscles)
contract and
withdraw leg

+
Descending
interneuron

+
+

4 MOTOR

NEURONS
excited

3 Within INTEGRATING CENTER

2 SENSORY
NEURON
excited

(spinal cord), sensory neuron

activates interneurons in several
spinal cord segments

1 Stepping on tack stimulates

SENSORY RECEPTOR (dendrites

of pain-sensitive neuron)

Crossed Extensor Reflex

Polysynaptic reflex.
Contralateral reflex.
Contraction of muscles that extend joints in
the opposite limb in response to a painful
stimulus.
Stepping on a tack (stimulus) nerve
impulse activation of several interneurons
activation of the motor neurons muscle
contraction causing flexion of the leg stepping
on a tack & extension on the opposite side.
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Crossed Extensor Reflex

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Spinal
nerve

Ascending
interneurons

4 MOTOR

NEURONS
excited

5 EFFECTORS

Flexor muscles
contract and withdrawright leg

Interneurons
from other side

Descending
interneurons

+
+

(extensor muscles)
contract, and extend
left leg

MOTOR
NEURONS
excited

3 Within INTEGRATING CENTER

2 SENSORY

(spinal cord), sensory neuron

activates several interneurons

NEURON
excited

1 Stepping on a tack

Withdrawal of right leg

(flexor reflex)

stimulates SENSORY
RECEPTOR (dendrites of
pain-sensitive neuron) in
right foot

Extension of left leg

(crossed extensor reflex)

End of Chapter 13
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