Term
How many cervical vertebrae?
Thoracic?
Lumbar?
Sacral?
Coccygeal? |
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Definition
7 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral, fused
4 coccygeal, fused |
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Term
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Definition
Some cancers and trauma may lead to collapse/compression fracture) of a vertebral body.
Common in post-menopausal women due to lack of estrogen.
Compression fractures often occur in anterior portion of vertebrae. They often compresses spinal nerves (dorsal root ganglia) as they come out of intervertebral foramena (formed by superior and inferior pedicles of vertebrae). |
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Term
| What do cervical vertebrae have that other vertebrae do not? |
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Definition
Transverse foramena in transverse processes
Holes where vertebral artery runs through
FYI Often artery skips C7
Spinous processes C1-C6 are bifid (2 parts) |
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Term
| Other names for C1 and C2? |
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Definition
CI=Atlas
-Has no body or spinous process
C2=Axis
-Dens that fits into atlas to pivot head |
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Term
| Describe the thoracic vertebrae facets. |
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Definition
Thoracic vertebrae have transverse costal facets on the transverse processes that the ribs attach to (12 vertebrae, 12 ribs).
They have superior and inferior articular facets that join with superior and inferior vertebrae.
Have superior costal facets and demifacets that sit on posterior aspect of the body that are sites for rib articulation. |
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Term
| Describe a lumbar vertebrae. |
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Definition
Have additional process called mammillary process.
No facets for ribs.
Also have articular processes for superior and inferior vertebrae. |
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Term
| Movement in the spinal region are largely limited due to _________ joints. |
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Definition
| Facet joints, aka zygapophyseal joints |
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Term
| What is the name of the lateral mass of the sacrum that articulates with the pelvis? |
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Definition
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Term
Which ramus of the spinal nerves comes out of the anterior sacral foramena?
Posterior sacral foramena? |
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Definition
| The ventral ramus of the spinal nerve comes out of the anterior sacral foramena and the dorsal ramus comes out of the posterior sacral foramena. |
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Term
| What are intervertebral discs? |
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Definition
Shock absorbers between vertebrae made of cartilage.
Two parts:
-Nucleus pulposus-similar to jelly, highly hydrated. When pressed, tries to break out of annulus fibrosus
-Annulus fibrosus-rings of cartilage around nucleus pulposus |
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Term
In what position are the lumbar discs undergoing the most pressure?
Least pressure?
(According to Figure 25.3) |
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Definition
Most pressure: sitting down and leaning forward
Least pressure: laying down flat |
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Term
| Name and describe the locations of the ligaments/stabilizers of the vertebrae. |
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Definition
Ligamentum flavum-individual ligaments sit in between lamina of vertebrae.
Interspinous ligament-ligaments between spinous processes of vertebrae.
Supraspinous ligament-runs along the posterior portions of the spinous processes.
Anterior longitudinal ligament-runs vertically along the anterior portion of the vertebral bodies.
Posterior longitudinal ligament-runs vertically along the posterior portion of the vertebral bodies. Anterior to the spinal cord. Since it sits outside the intervertebral discs, it can protect the spinal cord from bulging discs. When the PLL reaches the foramen magnum at the base of the skull, its name changes to the tectorial membrane. |
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Term
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Definition
A defect in the part between the superior and inferior facets.
Can occur anywhere but most common at L5.
Can lead to pain and instability of L5 as it sits on top of the sacrum. |
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Term
| What is spondylolisthesis, aka subluxation? |
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Definition
Spondylolysis can lead to spondylolisthesis.
A slipping of vertebra in relation to the adjacent inferior vertebra or sacrum. The break from spondylolysis allows L5 to slide forward on top of the sacrum, resulting in compression of sacral spinal nerves and leg pain. |
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Term
| What is the sacral hiatus? |
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Definition
Small indented area between posterior spinous process and coccygeal cornu.
Site of caudal epidural, common procedure before childbirth.
Injection of agent deadens nerves S2-S4, which alleviates pain during childbirth. |
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Term
| What is the difference between the primary and secondary spinal curvatures? |
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Definition
Primary curvature-present in a fetus; one curved, concave line.
As fetus grows, develops secondary curvatures in the cervical and lumbar regions; convex/lordotic. |
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Term
What is kyphosis?
What is lordosis? |
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Definition
Kyphosis: excessive anterior concave curvature of the vertebral column, aka hump-back; common among elderly populations.
Lordosis: excessive anterior convex curvature of the vertebral column, aka sway-back; quite common among pregnant women. |
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Term
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Definition
An abnormal lateral and/or rotational curvature of the vertebral column.
Most frequently begins during adolescence and involves both lumbar and thoracic region.
Identifiable by looking at height of scapula when patient bends forward. |
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Term
| Describe the difference between the spinal cord of a fetus at 8 weeks and a fetus at 9+ weeks. |
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Definition
-8-week fetus: spinal cord runs entire length of spinal column and spinal nerves come out exactly horizontally.
-9+ week fetus: differential growth occurs (vertebral column grows faster than spinal cord); each spinal nerve goes out underneath its corresponding vertebrae.
**One exception: cervical vertebrae have 8 spinal nerves and only 7 vertebrae. Spinal nerve C1 comes out above C1 vertebrae, and spinal nerve C2 comes out in between the atlas and the axis.**
Spinal cord ends at L2 (conus medullaris) and meninges continue on to S2. |
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Term
| How many pairs of spinal nerves are there and what are they made up of? |
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Definition
| 31 pairs of spinal nerves made up of ventral motor roots and dorsal sensory roots. |
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Term
Where are roots and rootlets located by definition?
Rami/individual nerves? |
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Definition
Inside the meninges/spinal canal.
Rami/individual nerves branch out and go through intervertebral foramena and to their respective locations. |
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Term
| What are the meninges of the spinal cord? |
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Definition
1. Dura mater: "tough mother"; hard outer layer. Space outside is epidural/extradural space and it contains fat-filled venous plexus; potential space in between the membranous portion of the arachnoid space and the dura mater is subdural space.
2. Arachnoid mater: "spider-like"; trebechulae look like spider webs. It has a membrane portion that holds cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that provides cushion.
3. Pia mater: "delicate/tender"; external covering of spinal cord; basically an outer membrane that cannot be removed. A projection of the pia mater is called the denticulate ligament, which is a saw-like lateral projection that attaches the pia mater to the membranous portion of the arachnoid mater. |
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Term
| Where is the CSF located specifically? |
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Definition
| Inside the membranous portion of the arachnoid mater, aka the subarachnoid space. |
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Term
| What is the name of the roots that are floating in CSF caudal to the conus medullaris? |
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Definition
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Term
| What is the difference between the filum terminale internus and the filum terminale externus? |
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Definition
-Internus: bundled witihin the cauda equina between the conus medullaris and the end of the meninges.
-Externus: portion of the filum terminale that extends out of the meninges and attaches to the coccygeal membrane. |
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Term
| What is CSF and how much does the body make? |
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Definition
-Brain and spinal cord are floating in CSF.
-~95ml within and surrounding brain, ~35-55 surrounding spinal cord = 120-150ml total volume.
-About 450-500ml produced every day. |
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Term
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Definition
| Accessing the epidural space between L2 and S2 that contains CSF to administer certain agents. Usually done at L3, L4, or L5. |
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Term
What are the effects/symptoms of a spinal cord injury if it occurs at C2-C3?
What if it occurs at C4? |
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Definition
-C2-C3: rapidly fatal unless medical intervention occurs
-C4: respiratory difficulty and paralysis of all four extremities (quadriplegic). C3-C5 keep the diaphragm alive, which is why breathing becomes difficult. |
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Term
Which division of the nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord?
Which division contains the somatic and autonomic nervous systems? |
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Definition
-The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
-The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is made up of the somatic and autonomic nervous systems.
The somatic nervous system contains sensory and motor neurons, while the autonomic nervous system is further divided into the sympathetic/thoracolumbar (fight or flight) and parasympathetic/craniosacral (feed and breed) systems. |
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Term
| What is the difference between sensory/afferent neurons and motor/efferent neurons? |
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Definition
-Sensory information are housed in dorsal root ganglia; one projection in nerve at end of finger for example and one projection in CNS.
-Motor: single axon innervating muscle and one branch entering the CNS via the ventral horn of the spinal cord. |
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Term
| The autonomic nervous system, which controls guts and viscera, is a two-neuron system. What are the names of these two neurons? |
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Definition
| Pre-ganglionic and post-ganglionic neuron that synapse outside the CNS at a gangla. The pre-ganglionic neuron enters the CNS and synapses with the post-ganglionic neuron, which innervates the organ. |
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Term
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Definition
| Cutting a root inside the meninges. Can have either or dorsal or ventral rhizotomy, but dorsal (sensory) roots are more common. Ventral can rid people are their chronic muscle contractions (e.g., stroke patient with constant arm contraction). Dorsal can rid patients of pain, but will also cause potential injuries due to the fact that they cannot sense heat or pain. |
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