The Nervous

The Nervous System

System
Spinal Cord
Spinal Cord &
& Spinal
Spinal Nerves
Nerves
Anatomy
Dr. Edita Revay
 The Central Nervous System
The CNS is well protected by bone, CT, and fluid
Meninges – Connective tissues that surround and
protect the brain and spinal cord
Dura Mater – tough, fibrous outer layer;
 2 layers thick around brain with
creation of dural sinuses between
layers;
 1 layer around spinal cord with
epidural space external

Arachnoid – “spidery”
web-like middle layer
Pia Mater – delicate, thin inner layer;
 filum terminale - extension of pia
mater extends from tip of cord to
coccyx to anchor cord in place;
 denticulate ligaments anchor cord
laterally
Subarachnoid space – between arachnoid & pia
mater; contains cerebral spinal fluid (CSF)
Lumbar cistern – area of subarachnoid space
below the conus medularis; site for lumbar
puncture (“spinal tap”)

Lumbar cystern
The Spinal Cord
 Begins at foramen magnum & ends at
L2 vertebral level by forming conus
medularis
 Has 2 thickened areas-
cervical enlargement - supplies
nerves to upper extremity
lumbar enlargement - supplies
nerves to lower extremity

 Made up of 31 spinal cord

segments
 Dorsal root
ganglion (DRG)

Dorsal root

Ventral root

•Each spinal cord segment has a pair

of
• dorsal roots with their associated
dorsal root ganglia (DRG)
• ventral roots
• Each dorsal root contains the axons of sensory neurons
• Each dorsal root ganglion contains the cell bodies of these
sensory neurons
• Each ventral root contains the axons of motor neurons
The dorsal & ventral roots of each segment come
together at the intervertebral foramen (IVF) to form a
mixed spinal nerve
 Spinal Nerves
• Part of the PNS
• Contain both motor & sensory fibers
• 31 pair of nerves – each nerve forms from union
of dorsal/ventral root of spinal cord segment &
exits between vertebra at IVF
•8 pair cervical spinal nerves – 1st cervical nerve exits between
occipital bone & C1, 8th cervical nerve exits the IVF between C7-
T1
• 12 pair thoracic spinal nerves
• 5 pair lumbar nerves
• 5 pair sacral nerves
• 1 pair coccygeal nerves
Below the conus medularis,
spinal nerves must angle
downward (in the
subarachnoid space) before
exiting their IVF. These spinal
nerves make up the cauda
equina

Cauda equina
Sectional Anatomy of the Spinal
cord
Posterior median sulcus

Posterior column
Posterior gray horn -
sensory
Central canal

Lateral column
Lateral gray horn (T1-L2,
Gray commissure
S2-S4) - autonomic

Anterior gray horn -

motor
Anterior column

Anterior median fissure

 Key Note

The spinal cord has a narrow central canal

surrounded by “horns” of gray matter connected by a
commissure. Gray matter horns contain sensory &
motor nuclei (groups of cell bodies).
Gray matter is surrounded by white matter “columns”
which are made up of groups of myelinated axons
creating organized ascending & descending tracts.
Tracts (Motor & Sensory Pathways)

• Groups of axons found in the white matter

columns of the spinal cord that carry specific
information
• Ascending tracts - carry sensory information up
the spinal cord to areas of the brain (cerebrum or
cerebellum)
• Descending tracts – carry motor information from
the brain down to specific levels of the spinal cord
Ascending Tracts (Pathways)
Three major groups of pathways transmit somatic sensory
information originating from receptors, up the spinal cord to
the brain –
 Spinothalamic tracts
 Posterior column pathways
 Spinocerebellar tracts
 Spinothalamic tracts
Anterior spinothalamic tract (ASTT) – crude touch & pressure
Lateral spinothalamic tract (LSTT) – pain & temperature

THALAMUS
Posterior Column Pathways
Fasciculus cuneatus & fasciculus
gracilis –
conscious proprioception (joint
position)
 discriminitive (fine) touch (2-point
discrimination, stereognosis,
graphism)
 vibration
 pressure
Spinocerebellar Tracts

Anterior spinocerebellar tract (ASCT) &

Posterior spinocerebellar tract (PSCT) –
 unconscious proprioception (from golgi
tendon organs, muscle spindles & joint
capsules)
 muscle tone
 balance
 Descending Pathways
Three major pathways carry motor signals from conscious
& unconscious areas of the brain, down the spinal cord to
control contraction of skeletal muscles
 Corticospinal tracts
 Medial pathways
 Lateral pathways
Corticospinal (Pyramidal) Tracts
 Corticobulbar tracts – voluntary
control of skeletal muscles of head &
neck
 Lateral corticospinal tracts (LCST)
– voluntary control of skeletal
muscles in neck & body; fibers cross
in pyramidal decussation of M.O.
 Anterior corticospinal tracts (ACST)
- voluntary control of skeletal
muscles in neck & body; fibers cross
at spinal cord level in anterior
commissure
 Medial & Lateral Pathways
Integrated with corticospinal pathways to allow for
coordination of motor activity, maintenance of posture and
muscle tone
Medial pathways – unconscious control over trunk &
proximal limb muscles for gross muscle movements
Lateral pathways – unconscious control over distal limb
muscles for precise muscle movements

Tracts include: vestibulospinal,

tectospinal, reticulospinal & rubrospinal
In order for sensory information to enter the spinal
cord and ascend in a sensory tract, and for motor
information to get from a descending tract to reach a
skeletal muscle, impulses must travel through
peripheral nerves (spinal nerves & cranial nerves)
 Spinal Nerves
 31 pair
 Part of PNS
 Formed by union of ventral
(motor) root and dorsal (sensory)
root
Once formed, spinal nerves will branch into Rami

 Dorsal ramus –
transmits sensations from
skin of back & neck;
provides motor control of
deep muscles of back
 Ventral ramus –
provides motor control to
muscles of extremities,
anterior & lateral trunk;
transmits sensations from
all but skin of back
 Rami communicantes –
carry autonomic motor
fibers (ANS) to smooth
muscles & glands in
ventral body cavity;
transmit visceral
sensations
Nerve Plexuses
Adjacent ventral rami will
form complex interwoven
networks of nerve fibers
known as a nerve plexus
Emerging from each plexus
will be specifically named
peripheral nerves, which will
contain fibers from multiple
spinal cord levels
 Cervical plexus (C1-C5)
 Phrenic nerve (C3-C5)
 Brachial plexus (C5-T1)
 Axillary nerve (C5-C6)
 Musculocutaneous
nerve (C5-7)
 Radial nerve (C5-T1)
 Median nerve (C6-T1)
 Ulnar nerve (C8-T1)
 Lumbar plexus (T12-L4)
 Femoral nerve (L2-L4)
 Iliohypogastric nerve (T12-L1)
 Obturator nerve (L2-L4)
 Sacral plexus (L4-S4)

 Sciatic nerve (L4-S3)

 Tibial nerve
 Common peroneal (fibular)
nerve
Ventral rami from T2-
T11 do not participate
in a plexus. Instead
they form individual
intercostal nerves
Dermatomes
Dorsal & ventral rami of
spinal nerves provide control
of skeletal muscle
contraction & carry sensory
input from the skin
Dermatomes – segmental
sensory “map” of the body
related to spinal nerve levels