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 (filled with CSF)

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Tissue
Slide

Simple Squamous
epithelium
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Spinal
Cord
Anatomy
13_06a
External Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

 Two enlargements: cervical and lumbar

 Conus medullaris – “end”
 Filum terminale – extension of pia mater
 Cauda equina – horse tail
 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, w/ CSF
 Anterior, posterior, & lateral gray horns (T
upper L)
 Anterior, posterior & lateral white columns

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Internal Anatomy of Spinal Cord
Spinal Nerves
 31 pairs; mixed nerves (Motor & Sensory).
 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
Typical Spinal Nerve
Distribution of Spinal Nerves

 Spinal nerves branch and their braches are

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

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 Cervical Plexus

 Formed by the anterior

rami of C1-C5.
 Phrenic nerves- important
nerves from the cervical
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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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 S1-
S4.
 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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 Posterior column:
Central canal
Gracile fasciculus
Cuneate fasciculus

Lateral corticospinal tract

Posterior
Rubrospinal tract spinocerebellar tract

Anterior
Lateral spinocerebellar tract
reticulospinal
tract Spinal nerve
Vestibulospinal
tract Spinothalamic tract
Medial
reticulospinal tract
Sensory (ascending) tracts
Anterior median
Tectospinal tract
fissure Motor (descending) tracts
Anterior
corticospinal
tract
Sensory and Motor Tracts 2

 Sensory impulses (A) - Spinothalamic tract (pain,

warmth, coolness, itching, and tickling) and the
Posterior column [Gracile fasiculus and Cuneate f.]
(touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception)
 Motor impulses (D) – Direct (Lateral corticospinal,
Anterior c., and Corticobulbar tracts) [voluntary]
and Indirect pathways (rubrospinal, tectospinal,
vestibulospinal, Lateral reticulospinal and Medial r.
tracts) (muscle tone, posture, and balance)
[automatic movements]
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 (mono and polysynaptic)
d. motor neuron
e. effector (somatic reflex – skeletal muscle,
autonomic (visceral) reflex – smooth muscle,
etc.)
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 Reflex Arc 2 SENSORY NEURON 1 SENSORY RECEPTOR
(axon conducts impulses from (responds to a stimulus
receptor to integrating center) by producing a generator
or receptor potential)
Interneuron

3 INTEGRATING CENTER
(one or more regions within the CNS
that relay impulses from sensory to 4 MOTOR NEURON 5 EFFECTOR
motor neurons) (axon conducts impulses from (muscle or gland that
integrating center to effector) responds to motor
nerve impulses)
Reflex Arc
The Stretch Reflex

 Causes contraction of a skeletal muscle in

response to stretching of the muscle.
 Monosynaptic reflex (one synapse).
 Patellar or knee-jerk reflex: Stretching of a
muscle →activation of muscle spindles
→sensory neuron →spinal cord→motor
neuron → muscle contraction.
 Ipsilateral reflex– Reciprocal innervation.

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Stretch Reflex
 To brain

1 Stretching stimulates +
SENSORY RECEPTOR 2 SENSORY
NEURON
(muscle spindle) excited
EFFECTOR +
5 (same muscle)
contracts and –
relieves the 4 MOTOR
stretching NEURON
excited
Spinal
Nerve

+ 3 Within INTEGRATING Inhibitory

CENTER (spinal cord),
sensory neuron activates interneuron
motor neuron

Antagonistic
muscles relax

Motor neuron to
antagonistic muscles
is inhibited
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
4 MOTOR NEURON
5 EFFECTOR inhibited
(muscle attached +
to same tendon) 2 SENSORY ++
relaxes and NEURON
relieves excess excited
Increased tension –
tension
stimulates +
1 SENSORY
RECEPTOR (tendon)
Spinal
nerve

3 Within INTEGRATING Excitatory

CENTER (spinal cord), interneuron
+ sensory neuron activates
inhibitory interneuron

Antagonistic
muscles
contract
Motor neuron to
antagonistic
muscles is excited
 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 Descending
(flexor muscles) +
contract and interneuron
withdraw leg +
4 MOTOR
NEURONS
excited +

3 Within INTEGRATING CENTER

(spinal cord), sensory neuron
2 SENSORY activates interneurons in several
NEURON spinal cord segments
excited

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 4 MOTOR
NEURONS
interneurons
excited 5 EFFECTORS
(extensor muscles)
contract, and extend
+
left leg
Interneurons
from other side
+ +

Flexor muscles +
contract and with- + Descending
drawright leg + interneurons +
+ 4 MOTOR
+ + NEURONS +
excited

+ +

3 Within INTEGRATING CENTER

(spinal cord), sensory neuron
activates several interneurons
2 SENSORY
NEURON
excited

1 Stepping on a tack
stimulates SENSORY
RECEPTOR (dendrites of
pain-sensitive neuron) in
Withdrawal of right leg right foot Extension of left leg
(flexor reflex) (crossed extensor reflex)