Spinal cord function

Synonyms: Neuron motorium A major part of the a spinal reflex. The definition of a spinal reflex as well as their components, functions, pathways, and physiology will be described in this article and is a must-know for every student that is passionate about neurosciences. The clinical importance of spinal reflexes is also essential since the examination of them is an inevitable part of daily clinical practice. This article will discuss the Key facts about spinal reflexes Spinal reflex Receptor --> sensory fiber --> (interneuron) --> alpha motor neuron --> muscle Monosynaptic reflexes Biceps brachii, triceps brachii, brachioradialis, quadriceps femoris, triceps surae reflexes Polysynaptic reflexes Upper abdominal, lower abdominal, cremasteric, plantar, anal reflexes + Show all Basics The spinal cord is phylogenetically older than most structures of the brain, which means that reflexes are in charge of carrying out functions that the organism needs the most. Basically, it is more important to remove your hand from a heat source in order to avoid getting burnt than to be able to speak. Many of the protective functions necessary for survival are embedded within the spinal reflexes. By definition, a reflex is an involuntary, stereotypical response of the effector tissue from the stimulation of receptors. These reflexes are executed by the successive activation of a certain number of neurons that are mutually connected. The last neuron generally innervates the effector tissue, w...

[ "article:topic", "trunk", "sciatic nerve", "central canal", "anterior horn", "anterior column", "anterior median fissure", "ascending tract", "cauda equina", "descending tract", "dorsal (posterior) nerve root", "lateral column", "lateral horn", "posterior columns", "posterior horn", "posterior median sulcus", "posterolateral sulcus", "arachnoid mater", "dura mater", "lumbar puncture", "pia mater", "axillary nerve", "brachial plexus", "cervical plexus", "femoral nerve", "fibular nerve", "lumbar plexus", "median nerve", "nerve plexus", "phrenic nerve", "radial nerve", "sacral plexus", "saphenous nerve", "sciatica", "spinal nerve", "systemic nerve", "tibial nerve", "ulnar nerve", "lumbar enlargement", "cervical enlargement", "license:ccby", "showtoc:no", "source[1]-med-709", "source[2]-med-709", "program:oeri", "epidural space", "anterior division", "arterial vasocorona", "cervical region", "conus medullaris", "cord", "dermatome", "dorsal ramus", "dorsal root ganglion", "filum terminale", "gray commissure", "intercostal nerves", "lumbar region", "musculocutaneous nerve", "posterior division", "radicular arteries", "ramus", "rami communicantes", "sacral region", "spinal arteries", "terminal branch", "thoracic region", "ventral (anterior) nerve root", "ventral ramus", "white commissure", "authorname:humananatomyoeri" ] By the end of this section, you will be able to: • Describe the structures that protect and supply the spinal cord • Describe the structures of the spinal cord...

Synonyms: 1st-8th cervical nerves, Nervi cervicales 1-8 Spinal nerves are an integral part of the They are composed of both motor and sensory fibres, as well as autonomic fibres, and exist as 31 pairs of nerves emerging intermittently from the Key Facts about spinal nerves Origins Anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) roots of the spinal cord Regional divisions 8 cervical 12 thoracic 5 lumbar 5 sacral 1 coccygeal Function Receive sensory information from the periphery and pass them to the CNS Recieve motor information from the CNS and pass them to the periphery Clinical relations Nerve root impingement, disk protrusion, disk herniation, spinal stenosis, spinal nerve impingement This article will discuss the anatomy and function of the spinal nerves. + Show all Terminology Before diving into the anatomy of the spinal nerves, let's list most common Common terms in neuroanatomy Ventral Anterior, towards the front Dorsal Posterior, towards the back Rostral On the forwards side (towards the nose) Caudal On the lowermost end (towards the tail) Cranial On the top side, towards the Ipsilateral On the same side Contralateral On the opposite side Bilateral On both sides Anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) roots Each spinal nerve contains a mixture of motor and sensory fibres. They begin as nerve roots that emerge from a segment of the spinal cord at a specific level. Each spinal cord segment has four roots: an anterior (ventral) and posterior (dorsal) root  on both r...

Enjoy more free content and benefits by creating an account Saving articles to read later requires an IEEE Spectrum account The Institute content is only available for members Downloading full PDF issues is exclusive for IEEE Members Access to Spectrum's Digital Edition is exclusive for IEEE Members Following topics is a feature exclusive for IEEE Members Adding your response to an article requires an IEEE Spectrum account Create an account to access more content and features on IEEE Spectrum, including the ability to save articles to read later, download Spectrum Collections, and participate in conversations with readers and editors. For more exclusive content and features, consider Join the world’s largest professional organization devoted to engineering and applied sciences and get access to all of Spectrum’s articles, archives, PDF downloads, and other benefits. In 2011, Gert-Jan Oskam lost the ability to walk. Twelve years later, neuroscientists at Oskam, who suffered a traumatic cervical spine injury from a cycling accident, regained control of his legs with the help of scientists at EPFL’s In a recent paper published on 24 May in Nature Neuroscience, Courtine and his group present the details of Oskam’s recovery. Injuries like those Oskam experienced are the result of damage to the tissue in a person’s spine, cutting off neural communication from the brain to the rest of the body. Without that link between the nervous and the muscular systems, a person would not be ...

The spinal cord extends caudally from the medulla at the foramen magnum and terminates at the upper lumbar vertebrae, usually between L1 and L2, where it forms the conus medullaris. In the lumbosacral region, nerve roots from lower cord segments descend within the spinal column in a nearly vertical sheaf, forming the cauda equina. The white matter at the cord’s periphery contains ascending and descending tracts of myelinated sensory and motor nerve fibers. The central H-shaped gray matter is composed of cell bodies and nonmyelinated fibers (see figure Spinal nerve ). The anterior (ventral) horns of the “H” contain lower motor neurons, which receive impulses from the motor cortex via the descending corticospinal tracts and, at the local level, from internuncial neurons and afferent fibers from muscle spindles. The axons of the lower motor neurons are the efferent fibers of the spinal nerves. The posterior (dorsal) horns contain sensory fibers that originate in cell bodies in the dorsal root ganglia. The gray matter also contains many internuncial neurons that carry motor, sensory, or reflex impulses from dorsal to ventral nerve roots, from one side of the cord to the other, or from one level of the cord to another. Less commonly, disorders are intrinsic to the cord. Intrinsic disorders include Spinal Cord Infarction Spinal cord infarction usually results from ischemia originating in an extravertebral artery. Symptoms include sudden and severe back pain, followed immediately...

Key parts of your spine include vertebrae (bones), disks, nerves and the spinal cord. The spine supports your body and helps you walk, twist and move. The disks that cushion vertebrae may compress with age or injury, leading to a herniated disk. Exercises can strengthen the core muscles that support the spine and prevent back injuries and back pain. The spine has three normal curves: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. There are seven cervical vertebrae in the neck, 12 thoracic vertebrae in the torso and five lumbar vertebrae in the lower back. What is the spine? Your spine, or backbone, is your body's central support structure. It connects different parts of your What are the parts of the spine? A healthy spine has three natural curves that make an S-shape. These curves absorb shocks to your body and protect your spine from injury. Many different parts make up your spine: • Vertebrae: The spine has 33 stacked vertebrae (small bones) that form the spinal canal. The spinal canal is a tunnel that houses the spinal cord and nerves, protecting them from injury. Most vertebrae move to allow for a range of motion. The lowest vertebrae (sacrum and coccyx) are fused together and don’t move. • Facet joints: These spinal joints have cartilage (a slippery connective tissue) that allows vertebrae to slide against each other. Facet joints let you twist and turn, and they provide flexibility and stability. These joints can develop • Intervertebral disks: These flat, round cushions sit betwee...

The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. MENU • Membership The spinal cord is an extension of the Anatomically, the spinal cord runs from the top of the highest neck bone (the C1 vertebra) to approximately the level of the L1 vertebra, which is the highest bone of the lower back and is found just below the rib cage. The spinal cord is about 18 inches (45 centimeters) in length and is relatively cylindrical in shape. The cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) segments house the spinal cord's two areas of enlargement. A fibrous band called the filum terminale begins at the tip of the conus medullaris and extends to the pelvis. At the bottom of the spinal cord (conus medullaris) is the The spinal cord lies inside the spinal column, which is made up of 33 bones called The spine itself is divided into four sections, not including the tailbone: • Cervical vertebrae (C1-C7): located in the neck • Thoracic vertebrae (T1-T12): located in the upper back and attached to the ribcage • Lumbar vertebrae (L1-L5): located in the lower back • Sacral vertebrae (S1-S5): located in the pelvis Between the vertebral bodies (except cervical vertebrae 1...