SPINAL CORD and TRACTS

SPINAL CORD
DR SEAN AUSTRIA
SPINAL CORD-VERTEBRA
 Houses the spinal cord and its meninges and

spinal nerve roots
 Composed of 33 vertebral segments
 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral
(fused to form the sacrum), and 4 coccygeal
(the lower 3 are commonly fused)
 Each segment differs in shape according to location

 Each spinal segment is

connected by intervertebral discs
SPPINAL CORD-external morphology
SPINAL CORD-external morphology
 Location:
• extends, in adults, from the foramen magnum to the lower border of the first lumbar
vertebra; in newborns, it extends to the third lumbar vertebra.
• is continuous with the medulla oblongata at the spinomedullary junction, a plane defined
by three structures: the foramen magnum, the pyramidal decussation, and the emergence of
the first cervical nerve ventral rootlets.
• lies within the subarachnoid space, which extends caudally to the level of the second sacral
vertebra
SPINAL CORD-external morphology
SPINAL CORD external morphology
 Attachments
• suspend and anchor the spinal cord within the dural sac.
• arise from the vascular pia mater, which closely invests the spinal cord.
1. Denticulate ligaments
• are two flattened bands of pial tissue that attach to the spinal dura with about 21 attachments.
2. Filum terminale
• is a pial filament extending from the conus medullaris to the end of the dural sac, with which it fuses.
3. Spinal nerve roots
• provide the strongest anchorage and fixation of the spinal cord to the vertebral canal.
 Shape: the spinal cord (see Figure 6-1)

• is an elongated nearly cylindrical structure, flattened dorsoventrally, and is approximately 1
cm in diameter.
• has cervical (C5–T1) and lumbar (L1–S2) enlargements for the nerve supply of the upper
and lower extremities (the brachial and lumbosacral plexuses).
• terminates caudally as the conus medullaris.
• averages, in length, 45 cm in males and 42 cm in females
 31 pairs of spinal nerves are

attached by the anterior or motor
roots and the posterior or sensory
roots
 The cord possesses a deep longitudinal

fissure called the anterior median
fissure in the midline anteriorly and a
shallow furrow called the posterior
median sulcus on the posterior surface
SPINAL CORD internal morphology
 In transverse sections, the spinal cord consists of

central gray matter and peripheral white matter.
 Gray matter
• is in the center of the spinal cord.
• is butterfly- or H-shaped in a configuration that varies according to spinal cord level.
• contains a central canal.
• is divided into cytoarchitectural areas called Rexed laminae, expressed with Roman numerals
• is divided into three horns or cell columns on each side
1. Dorsal horn
2. Ventral horn
3. Lateral horn
 White matter
• consists of bundles of myelinated fibers that surround the central gray matter.
• consists of ascending and descending fiber pathways called tracts.
• is divided bilaterally by sulci into three major divisions.
1. Dorsal funiculus
2. Ventral funiculus
3. Lateral Funiculus
TRACTS OF THE SPINAL
CORD
TRACTS
 • consist of fiber bundles that have a common origin and a common termination.
 • are somatotopically organized.
 • are divided into ascending and descending pathways or tracts
 The name implies the origin and destination of the tract
e.g. spinothalamic tract – from spinal cord to thalamus
TRACTS
TRACTS
TRACTS-ASCENDING
• represent functional pathways that convey sensory information from soma or viscera to
higher levels of the neuraxis.
• usually consist of a chain of three neurons: first-, second-, and third-order neurons.
*The first-order neuron is always in the dorsal root ganglion.

*The third-order neuron is in the thalamus
*The second-order neuron in between (and this makes up most of the tract)
TRACTS-ASCENDING
TRACTS-ASCENDING
 Include 6 major tracts:

1. dorsal-medial lemniscus pathway – conscious proprioception, vibration, tactile discrimination
2. Ventral spinothalamic – fine touch
3. Lateral spinothalamic – pain, itch, temperature
4. Dorsal spinocerebellar – unconscious proprioception lower extremity
5. Ventral spinocerebellar - unconscious proprioception lower extremity
6. Cuneocerebellar - unconscious proprioception upper extremity
TRACTS - ASCENDING
TRACTS ASCENDING
TRACTS - DESCENDING
• are concerned with somatic and visceral motor activities.

• have their cells of origin in the cerebral cortex or in the brainstem.
*categorized as upper motor neuron or lower motor neuron

*upper motor neuron are those that originates in the cerebrum or brainstem
*lower motor neuron are those that originate in the spinal cord
TRACTS - DESCENDING
TRACTS - DESCENDING
 Major tracts:
1. Lateral corticospinal (pyramidal) – volitional skilled movement of extremities
2. Ventral corticospinal – mostly control of axial muscles
3. Rubrospinal – flexor tone
4. Tectospinal – postural movements concerning sight
5. Vestibulospinal – extensor tone
6. Reticulospinal – controls motor outflows usually inhibitory
7. Descending autonomic – sympathetic and parasympathetic
TRACTS - DESCENDING
TRACTS - DESCENDING

SPINAL CORD and TRACTS

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SPINAL CORD

 Houses the spinal cord and its meninges and

 Each segment differs in shape according to location

 Each spinal segment is

 Shape: the spinal cord (see Figure 6-1)

 31 pairs of spinal nerves are

 The cord possesses a deep longitudinal

 In transverse sections, the spinal cord consists of

*The first-order neuron is always in the dorsal root ganglion.

 Include 6 major tracts:

• are concerned with somatic and visceral motor activities.

*categorized as upper motor neuron or lower motor neuron

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