EXTERNAL & INTERNAL

FEATURES OF SPINAL CORD

Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lecture, the students can:
1. Describe the gross anatomy and anatomical
relationships of the spinal cord
2. Describe the internal anatomy of the spinal cord
3. Discuss the different laminae of the spinal cord as
to:
a) Location
b) Significance
4. Correlate clinically selected lesions involving the
spinal cord
GROSS APPEARANCE
 Shape: roughly cylindrical

Begins superiorly at foramen magnum of

skull continuous with medulla
oblongata of brain
o Termination:
In adults lower border of 1st
lumbar vertebra
In young child upper border of
3rd lumbar vertebra
 Occupies upper 2/3 of vertebral canal

Surrounded by the three meninges

Further protection provided by CSF

Surrounds spinal cord in the sub-
arachnoid space

Terminates as a conical distal end

(conus medullaris)
www.csuchico.edu
Investing Membranes:

Dura Mater
Outermost; fibrous
Separated from vertebral column by
the epidural space and from the
arachnoid by the subdural space

Arachnoid Mater
Thin; transparent
Separated from pia mater by sub-
arachnoid space (contains CSF)
Investing Membranes:

Pia Mater

Closely invests spinal cord

Continues caudally as a thin filament

called filum terminale descends
attach to posterior surface of coccyx
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Enlargements:

Cervical Enlargement

Gives origin to brachial plexus

Lumbar Enlargement

Thoracic and lumbar regions

Gives origin to lumbosacral plexus
www.imaios.com
Divisions:

Anterior median fissure and posterior

median sulcus divide the cord into
two symmetrical halves

Anterior median fissure relatively

deep; floor formed by white matter
called anterior white commissure
Posterior median sulcus shallow
 White matter of the cord divided into
columns or funiculi (s. funiculus)
1. Posterior (dorsal) funiculus
o Between post. median sulcus and
posterolateral sulcus
2. Lateral funiculus
o Between posterolateral sulcus and
ventrolateral sulcus
3. Anterior (ventral) funiculus
o Between ventrolateral sulcus and
anterior median fissure
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 Dorsal root zone
between dorsal
and lateral
funiculi

Ventral root zone

between lateral
and ventral
funiculi

http://intranet.tdmu.edu.ua
Segments:

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and

coccygeal

31 pairs of spinal nerves attached to cord

(8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral,
1 coccygeal)

Dorsal/posterior root + ventral/anterior

root = SPINAL NERVE
o Lumbar & spinal nerve roots descend
in a bundle (cauda equina)
www.as.miami.edu
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www.anatomyatlases.org
INTERNAL FEATURES

GRAY MATTER
 Located internally

H-shaped with two anterior and two

posterior gray columns or horns

o Small lateral or intermediate horn

present in thoracic and upper
lumbar segments
o Joined by gray commissure around
the central canal
http://www.anatomyatlases.org
 Ventral horns larger in the cervical
and lumbosacral enlargements than in
thoracic segments
o Muscle mass of the limbs is greater
than that of the trunk

Ventral horn of lumbosacral enlarge-

ment more massive than cervical
enlargement
o Due to greater muscle mass in
lower limbs
http://intranet.tdmu.edu.ua
Gray Commissure

Connects the anterior and posterior

gray columns

At the center is the central canal

Part of commissure posterior to central

canal posterior gray commissure

Part of commissure anterior to central

canal anterior gray commissure
Central Canal

o Origin: lumen of embryonic neural

tube

o Lining: ependymal cells

o Content: CSF
Central Canal

Superiorly continuous with central

canal of caudal half of medulla opens
into the cavity of the 4th ventricle

Inferiorly in the conus medullaris

expands into the fusiform terminal
ventricle

Terminates within the root of the filum

terminale
http://intranet.tdmu.edu.ua
Contents of gray
matter:

Glial cells

o Support neuronal
survival and
activities

o Surround
neuronal cell
bodies; smaller
http://www.medicalhistology.us
Contents of gray
matter:

Neuronal cell bodies

o Larger than glial

cells

o Contain nucleus,
nucleolus & Nissl
bodies*

http://www.medicalhistology.us
*concentrated RER
Contents of gray
matter:
Neuropil

o Network of cellular processes emerging

from neurons & glial cells

o Resemble collagen
http://histonano.com
 Contain cell columns or laminae
(classified by Rexed into 10 laminae)
Each lamina extends the length of
the cord
o Laminae I VI confined to
posterior/dorsal horn
o Lamina VII confined to
intermediate or lateral horn
o Laminae VIII & IX confined to
anterior/ventral horn
o Lamina X surrounds central canal
Lamina Location Nuclei Remarks
I Posterior Postero- Lamina marginalis or layer
horn marginal of Waldeyer; receive
nucleus incoming dorsal root
fibers
II Posterior Substantia Involved in pain
horn gelatinosa interpretation
III Posterior Nucleus Involved in pain
horn propius interpretation; neurons
form part of nucleus
propius
IV Posterior Nucleus Receive afferents from
horn propius dorsal roots via dorsal
funiculus
Lamina Location Nuclei Remarks
V-VI Posterior Secondary visceral gray
horn (SVG)
VII Most of Dorsal Largest; project long
ventral nucleus of axons and connect to
and lateral Clark other gray matter
horn segments of the cord;
intermediolateral cell
column
Lamina Location Nuclei Remarks
VIII Medial Site of termination of
aspect of descending pathways;
ventral interneuron pool
horn
IX Ventral Alpha & Innervate skeletal
horn gamma muscles
motor
neurons
X Surrounds Site of termination of
central some dorsal root
canal afferents; interneuron
pool
http://www.virtualmedstudent.com
Nerve Cell Groups in Anterior Gray Columns

Nerve cell Type Function

group
Alpha efferents Large, multipolar; Innervate skeletal
axons pass out in muscles
the ant. roots of
spinal nerves
Gamma efferents Smaller, Innervate
multipolar; axons intrafusal fibers of
pass out in the neuromuscular
ant. roots of spindle
spinal nerves
Nerve cells of anterior gray column divided
into three basic groups or columns

Group Location Remarks/Function

Medial Present in Innervate skeletal
group most muscles of neck &
segments trunk, including
intercostals &
abdominal muscles
 Group Location Remarks/Function
Central Some C3-5 (phrenic nucleus)
group cervical and innervate diaphragm
(smallest lumbosacral Upper 5 or 6 segments
group) segments (accessory nucleus)
innervate sternocleido-
mastoid and trapezius
muscles
L2-S1 (lumbosacral
nucleus)
 Group Location Remarks/Function
Lateral Cervical Innervate skeletal
group and lumbo- muscles of the limbs
sacral
segments
 Nerve Cell Groups in Posterior Gray Columns
Group Location Remarks/Function
Substantia Apex of Golgi type II neurons;
gelatinosa posterior gray receive afferent fibers
group column concerned with pain,
throughout temperature, and touch
length of SC
Nucleus Anterior to Main bulk of cells in post.
propius substantia gray column; receive fibers
group gelatinosa associated with sense of
throughout position & movement
the SC (proprioception), 2-point
discrimination &
vibration
 Nerve Cell Groups in Posterior Gray Columns
Group Location Remarks/Function
Nucleus From C8 to Associated with
dorsalis L3 or L4 proprioceptive endings
(Clarkes segments (neuromuscular and
column) tendon spindles)
Visceral Lateral to Receive visceral afferent
afferent nucleus information
nucleus dorsalis; T1
L3
http://image.slidesharecdn.com
Nerve Cell Groups in Lateral Gray Columns

Intermediolateral group

Form the small lateral gray column

Extends from T1 to L2 or L3
o Give rise to pre-ganglionic
sympathetic fibers
Group from S2-S4 give rise to pre-
ganglionic parasympathetic fibers
INTERNAL FEATURES

WHITE MATTER
Structure:

Surrounds the gray matter

White color due to high proportion

of myelinated nerve fibers

Mixture of nerve fibers, neuroglia

and blood vessels
o Myelin sheaths lost during
preparation appear as round
empty spaces surrounding a dark-
stained spot (axon)
http://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/
Divisions:

Anterior or Ventral Columns/Funiculi

Lies between the midline and the point

of emergence of the anterior nerve
roots

Lateral Columns/Funiculi
Between emergence of anterior nerve
roots and entry of posterior nerve roots
Divisions:

Posterior or Dorsal Columns/Funiculi

Lies between the entry of the

posterior nerve roots and the
midline
Posterior or Dorsal Columns

Many of the long ascending fibers

travel upward in the post. white
column as the fasciculus gracilis &
fasciculus cuneatus
Fasciculus gracilis

Present throughout the length of

the spinal cord

Contains long ascending fibers

from the sacral, lumbar, and lower
6 thoracic spinal nerves
Fasciculus cuneatus

Located laterally in the upper

thoracic and cervical segments of
the spinal cord

Contains long ascending fibers

from upper 6 thoracic and all the
cervical spinal nerves
http://wps.aw.com
 White Gray Matter
Region
Matter Ant. Gray Post. Gray Lat. Gray
Cervical Fasciculus Medial grp Substantia Absent
cuneatus & of cells for gelatinosa
fasciculus neck present,
gracilis muscles; continuous
present central grp with spinal
for phrenic nucleus of
& acces- CN V;
sory nuclei; nucleus
lat. group propius
for upper present; no
limb nucleus
muscles dorsalis
 White Gray Matter
Region
Matter Ant. Gray Post. Gray Lat. Gray
Thoracic Fasciculus Medial grp Substantia Present;
cuneatus of cells for gelatinosa, gives rise
(T1-6) & trunk nucleus to pre-
fasciculus muscles propius, ganglionic
gracilis nucleus sympa-
present dorsalis & thetic
visceral fibers
afferent
nucleus
present
 White Gray Matter
Region
Matter Ant. Gray Post. Gray Lat. Gray
Lumbar Fasciculus Medial grp Substantia Present
cuneatus of cells for gelatinosa, (L1-2 [3]);
absent; lower limb nucleus gives rise
fasciculus muscles; propius, to pre-
gracilis central nucleus ganglionic
present group of dorsalis at sympa-
cells for L1-4, and thetic
lumbo- visceral fibers
sacral afferent
nerve nucleus
present
 White Gray Matter
Region
Matter Ant. Gray Post. Gray Lat. Gray
Sacral Small Medial Substantia Absent;
amount; group of gelatinosa group of
fasciculus cells for and nucleus cells
cuneatus lower limb propius present at
absent; and present S2-4, for
fasciculus perineal parasymp.
gracilis muscles outflow
present
LESIONS OF SPINAL
CORD
Dorsal Root Lesions

Causes: local tumors, infections, or

injuries including slipped disc
(herniation of nucleus pulposus)

Effects: pain and paresthesias

(sensations of numbness or
tingling)
Lesions that damage sensory fibers in
the dorsal roots or their cell bodies
in the spinal ganglia

Effects: hypotonia and disruption of

stretch reflex pathway with loss of
DTR of affected segment
Complete Transection of the Spinal
Cord

Effects:
o Immediate loss of all sensation &
all voluntary movements below
the level of the lesion
o Acute transection spinal
shock (flaccid paralysis, no DTR,
no response on plantar
stimulation)
Hemisection of the Spinal Cord (Brown-
Sequard Syndrome)

Effects:
1. Lateral column damage
ipsilateral paralysis below the
injury
2. Dorsal column damage + lateral
column injury ipsilat. loss of
position and vibration sense, and
tactile discrimination below level of
injury
Hemisection of the Spinal Cord (Brown-
Sequard Syndrome)

Effects:

3. Damage to anterolateral system

contralateral loss of pain and
temperature sensation beginning
one or two dermatomes below the
level of injury
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Lesions of Central Gray Matter

Syringomyelia:

o Tissue destruction with cavitation

around central canal of SC
o Loss of pain and temperature
sensation in a segmental
distribution affecting upper
extremities on both sides
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Lesions of Ventral Horns

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis:

o Progressive; fatal; unknown cause

o Neuronal degeneration in motor
nuclei of cranial nerves & ant. gray
horn of SC
o Weakness, atrophy, & fasciculations
of hand & arm muscles followed by
spastic paralysis of limbs
http://archive.freep.com
Lesions of Dorsal & Lateral Funiculi

Subacute Degeneration of SC

o Combined systems disease

o Occurs most often in pernicious
anemia
o Degeneration of dorsal & lateral
columns with preservation of gray
matter
Lesions of Dorsal & Lateral Funiculi

Subacute Degeneration of SC

o Difficulty in walking, with tingling

sensations in the feet

o Loss of position & vibration sense

in the legs
http://www.veomed.com
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