Parts of Spinal Cord

Dura Matter

the tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord.

Epidural Space

- Between the dura matter and the walls of the vertebral canal - Region contains areolar tissue, blood vessels, and a protective padding of adipose tissue

Subarachnoid Space

- Contains the arachnoid trabeculae - Filled with cerebrospinal fluid; The space between the arachnoid membrane and pia mater that is filled with cerebrospinal fluid and contains the large blood vessels that supply the brain and spinal cord.

Dermatome

A dermatome is an area of skin that is mainly supplied by a single spinal nerve. There are 8 cervical nerves (C1 being an exception with no dermatome), 12 thoracic nerves, 5 lumbar nerves and 5 sacral nerves. Each of these nerves relays sensation (including pain) from a particular region of skin to the brain.

Dorsal Root Ganglion

A dorsal root ganglion (or spinal ganglion) (also known as a posterior root ganglion), is a cluster of neurons (a ganglion) in a dorsal root of a spinal nerve. The cell bodies of sensory neurons known as first-order neurons are located in the dorsal root ganglia.

Arachnoid Matter

A fine, delicate membrane, the middle one of the three membranes or meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord, situated between the dura mater and the pia mater.

Arachnoid Trabeculae

A network of collagen and elastic fibers that attaches the arachnoid matter to the pia matter

Dorsal Ramus

A; Because each spinal nerve carries both sensory and motor information, spinal nerves are referred to as "mixed nerves." Posterior rami carry visceral motor, somatic motor, and sensory information to and from the skin and deep muscles of the back.

Ventral Ramus

B; Each spinal nerve has a segmental, or dermatomal, distribution. A dermatome is the area of skin supplied by the sensory fibers of a single dorsal root through the dorsal and ventral rami of its spinal nerve.

Posterior Gray Horn

Contains somatic and visceral sensory nuclei; The posterior grey column (posterior cornu, dorsal horn, spinal dorsal horn posterior horn) of the spinal cord is one of the three grey columns of the spinal cord. It receives several types of sensory information from the body, including fine touch, proprioception, and vibration.

Anterior Gray Horn

Contains somatic motor nuclei; The anterior grey column (also called the anterior cornu, anterior horn of spinal cord or ventral horn) is the front column of grey matter in the spinal cord. It is one of the three grey columns. ... The anterior grey column is the column where the cell bodies of alpha motor neurons are located.

Ventral Root

In anatomy and neurology, the ventral root or anterior root is the efferent motor root of a spinal nerve. At its distal end, the ventral root joins with the dorsal root to form a mixed spinal nerve.

Ventral Ramus

Larger than dorsal, provide sensory innervation form and motor innervation to specific segments of skin and muscles of the body wall and limbs

Dorsal Ramus

Provides sensory innervation from and motor innervation to, specific segments of skin and muscles of the back and neck

Dermatome

Section of skin innervated by a specific ramus

Anterior Medium Fissure

The anterior median fissure (ventral or ventromedian fissure) contains a fold of pia mater, and extends along the entire length of the medulla oblongata: It ends at the lower border of the pons in a small triangular expansion, termed the foramen cecum.

Central Canal

The central canal, also known as ependymal canal, is the cerebrospinal fluid-filled space that runs longitudinally through the length of the entire spinal cord. The central canal is continuous with the ventricular system of the brain.

Dorsal Root

The dorsal root of spinal nerve (or posterior root of spinal nerve) is one of two "roots" which emerge from the spinal cord. It emerges directly from the spinal cord, and travels to the dorsal root ganglion. Nerve fibres with the ventral root then combine to form a spinal nerve.

Epidural Space

The epidural space is the area between the dura mater (a membrane) and the vertebral wall, containing fat and small blood vessels. The space is located just outside the dural sac which surrounds the nerve roots and is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Posterior Medium Sulcus

The posterior median sulcus is the posterior end of the posterior median septum of neuroglia of the spinal cord. The septum varies in depth from 4 to 6 mm, but diminishes considerably in the lower part of the spinal cord.

Subarachnoid Space

The space between the arachnoid membrane and pia mater that is filled with cerebrospinal fluid and contains the large blood vessels that supply the brain and spinal cord.

Pia Matter

Together with the other meningeal layers, the function of the pia mater is to protect the central nervous system by containing the cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions the brain and spine. The cranial pia mater covers the surface of the brain.

Anterior Gray Horn

anterior horn of lateral ventricle in the brain, which passes forward, laterally, and slightly downward from the interventricular foramen into the frontal lobe. anterior horn of spinal cord, the ventral (front) grey matter section of the spinal cord which contains motor neurons that affect the skeletal muscles.