Spinal Nerves

7. The "cord level" of a transverse section of the spinal cord is named for the spinal nerve that leaves the spinal cord at the level of the section. Thus, the cord level of a transverse section of the spinal cord is _____________ than the number of the vertebra that surrounds it.

higher

29. The discrepancy between cord levels and vertebral levels is small in the cervical region, but becomes ____________ in lower regions.

greater

26. It is clear that C2 is a number _______________ to C1, but it is not clear that, "C2 is a lower number than C1."

inferior

4. Eventually, each spinal nerve exits through an ___________________ foramen well below the level of its origin from the spinal cord.

intervertebral

6. Except in the neck, spinal nerves are named and numbered by the vertebra above the ___________________ ______________ through which they pass between vertebrae.

intervertebral foramen

21. The nerves leaving through ________ ________________ are designated S1, ____, _____, and _____.

sacral foramina, S2-S4

15. The sacrum is composed of 5 fused _________________.

vertebrae

19. The posterior rami of the first 4 sacral nerves leave the sacrum through _____________ __________ ______________ and innervate the lowest muscles of the back (lowest heads of the iliocostal is and longissimus)

posterior sacral foramina

9. Since the nerve designated C1 exits the spinal column above the ________ ____________ __________________, the rest of the cervical nerves must be named for the vertebra _________ them.

1st cervical vertebra, below

8. The first cervical nerve exits between the skull and the _______ cervical ______________.

1st, vertebra

34. The spinal cord usually ends inside the ____ __________ vertebra.

2nd lumbar

16. There are ____ sacral vertebrae and ____ pairs of spaces between them.

5, 5

11. Thus, there are ___ pairs of cervical nerves.

8

31. There are ____ pairs of cervical nerves, ____ pairs of thoracic nerves, ___ pairs of lumbar nerves, and ____ pairs each of ___________ and _____________ sacral nerves.

8, 12, 5, 5, anterior, posterior

10. The nerve exiting the spinal column between the 7th cervical vertebra and the first thoracic vertebra is considered the last cervical nerve; it is designated _____.

C8

33. The first coccygeal nerves originate from cord level ______ which is also inside the second ____________ vertebra.

Co1, lumbar

14. The pairs of nerves exiting below each of the 5 lumbar vertebrae are designated L1, ____, ____, _____, and _____.

L2-L5

22. The pair of nerves leaving through the sacral hiatus below the 5th sacral vertebral unit are designated _____.

S5

32. The fifth sacral nerves originate from cord level _____ inside the second lumbar vertebra.

S5

23. If a second pair of nerves leaves the spinal cord below S5 and exits through the sacral hiatus medial to _____ they are designated the first coccygeal nerves, Co__.

S5, Co1

13. The pairs of nerves exiting below each of the 12 thoracic vertebrae are designated T1, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, _____, and _____.

T2-T12

20. The anterior rami of the first 4 sacral nerves leave the sacrum through _____________ ________ _______________ and contribute to the lumbosacral nerve plexus.

anterior sacral foramina

17. Since the 5 sacral vertebrae are fused, the spaces between them must have ____________ and _____________ openings for the anterior and posterior nerve rami (ramus, Latin, branch).

anterior, posterior

18. The openings through which sacral nerves leave the sacrum are called ______________ and _______________sacral foramina rather than __________________ ______________.

anterior, posterior, intervertebral foramina

12. Except in the neck, spinal nerves are named and numbered by the vertebra ________ them.

below

5. The exit of a spinal nerve from the spinal column is ___________ the point where the spinal nerve leaves the spinal cord.

below (lower than)

30. A cervical nerve is named for the vertebra _________ it, but a thoracic, lumbar, or sacral nervs is named for the vertebra _________ it.

below, above

27. Because the spinal column grows ___________ than the spinal cord and continues its growth longer, spinal nerves exit through intervertebral foramina _________ the level at which they leave the spinal cord.

faster, below

2. The elongation of the vertebrae leads to the vertebrae growing downward (caudad) over the roots of the ____________ nerves.

spinal

3. In embryonic life and childhood growing vertebrae push each other down the __________ __________ so that the effect of their growth is greatest at the lowest (most caudal) levels of the spinal cord.

spinal column (cord)

1. Because vertebrae grow in length faster than the spinal cord does, the __________ ____________ becomes longer than the ___________ ________.

spinal column, spinal cord

25. The first cervical vertebra is _______________ to the second cervical vertebra.

superior

28. Since cord levels are named and numbered by the pair of spinal nerves that leaves the cord at that level, a cord level will have a number _____________ to the number of the vertebra surrounding it. ​

superior