PRESENTED BY:
ARTI KATARIA
BPT (3rd Year)
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A. Spinal Cord Anatomy
1. Introduction
2. Features
3. Protection and Coverings
a) Vertebral Column
b) Meninges
4. External features of Spinal Cord
5. Internal Structure of Spinal Cord
6. Enlargements
7. Blood Supply of Spinal Cord
B. Spinal Nerves
C. Spinal Cord Physiology
1. Reflexes
2. Reflex Arc
a) Physiology of Stretch Reflex
b) Physiology of the Flexor (withdrawal) reflex and Crossed Extensor reflex
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• The spinal cord is a long,
thin, tubular structure
made up of nervous tissue.
• It is a continuation of brain
(medulla oblongata)
• Comes out from brain
through an aperture called
foramen magnum
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• Length:
1. In Adult Men: 45 CM
2. In Adult Women: 42 CM
• Weight: 30 Grams
• Extend: It extends from upper border of Atlas
Vertebra to lower border of first Lumber
Vertebra
• Length of Spinal Cord is shorter than length of
Vertebral Column
• Conus medullaris
• Filum terminale
• Cauda equina
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Spinal Cord’s protection and
coverings are as follows:
a) Vertebral Column: Function of
vertebral column is protection of the
spinal cord.
b) Meningeal Coverings: The Spinal
Cord is surrounded by three meninges
1. Dura mater – Outermost Layer
2. Arachnoid mater – Middle Layer
3. Pia mater – Innermost Layer
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c) Spaces
1. Epidural space: Space
between dura mater and
endosteum of vertebral canal.
2. Subdural space: Space
between dura mater and
arachnoid mater.
3. Subarachnoid space: Space
between arachnoid mater and
pia mater.
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Internal Structure of Spinal
Cord consists of:
• Gray Matter
• White Matter
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• Gray Matter:
1. Horns
a. Dorsal – Sensory
b. Ventral – Motor
c. Lateral – Autonomic
2. Gray Commissure
3. Central Canal
4. Neurons
a) Golgi Type I Neuron
• Have long axons
• Usually found in anterior horn
b) Golgi type II Neurons
• Have short axons
• Found mostly in posterior horn
Organization of Neurons in gray matter:
It is described in two methods:
1. Nuclei or Column
2. Laminae or Layers
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• White Matter
• Columns
a) Anterior
b) Posterior
c) Lateral
• Tracts
a) Short tracts
1. Intrinsic tracts
2. Commissural tracts
b) Long tracts
1. Ascending tracts
2. Descending tracts
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Spinal Cord has two spindle shaped
swellings, namely:
Cervical Enlargement
For supply of upper limb muscles
Lumber Enlargement
For supply of lower limb muscles
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• Spinal Nerves
o Arises in Pairs
o Spinal Nerves arise in 31 pairs:
a) 8 Cervical
b) 12 Thoracic
c) 5 Lumber
d) 5 Sacral
e) 1 Coccygeal
Spinal nerves arise from spinal cord as:
a) Dorsal Root – contain sensory fibres
b) Ventral Root – contain motor fibres
Interneurons : Link sensory & motor neurons
When Spiral nerve comes out from vertebral
column, branching takes place as:
Dorsal branch/ Dorsal Ramus
Ventral branch/ Ventral Ramus
Ramus Communicans
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• Reflexes
• Response to a peripheral nervous
stimulation
• Occurs without our consciousness
• Protective mechanism
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• Reflex Arc: Nervous pathway for
reflex action
• Components of reflex arc:
Receptor Afferent Nerve
• Receive stimulus • Transmit sensory
impulses from
receptor to center
Spinal Center
Efferent Nerve Effector Organ
• Transmit motor • Muscle/ Gland
impulses from center
to effector organ
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• Spinal Reflexes:
Controlled by Spinal Cord without involvement of Brain
• Spinal Reflexes are:
1. Monosynaptic Reflex
2. Polysynaptic Reflex
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1. Monosynaptic
Reflex:
Only single synapse is
present in pathway from
receptor to effector
Example:
Stretch Reflex – Knee
Jerk Reflex
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2. Polysynaptic Reflex:
More in number
More than one synapses
are present in pathway
from receptor to effector
Example:
The Flexor (withdrawal)
reflex and Crossed Extensor
reflex
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