Anatomy and Function of the Spinal Cord and Spinal Nerves | Verified Q&A with Reflex Arcs, Plexuses, and Neural Pathways

Anatomy and Function of the Spinal Cord and Spinal
Nerves questions with verified answers
Are spinal nerves contained within the spinal cord? Ans✓✓✓No


Describe the anatomy and purpose of the filum terminale.
Ans✓✓✓(terminal filament)


Extension of meninges that goes from conus medularis to end of spinal
cavity. Fibrous (connective)/non- neural tissue.


F: anchors spinal cord, protects from flopping.


Describe the anatomy of the conus medularis. Ans✓✓✓- Tapered cone
at end of spinal cord
- Non-neural tissue (connective)
- Around level L1/L2


Describe the anatomy of the meningeal sack. Ans✓✓✓- Fits inside the
spinal cavity.
- Filled with fluid


Describe the structure of a peripheral nerve and the connective tissue
ensheathing each structure. Ans✓✓✓Neuron/axon (endoneurium) →
fascicle (perineurium) → nerve (epineurium)

, Epineurium = dense covering of nerve
*Bundle of axons in PNS = fascicle but bundle of axons in CNS = tract


How does information travel into the spinal cord? Ans✓✓✓Unipolar
sensory neuron


- Dendrites (input zone) out in body contain receptors to detect sensory
stimulus.
- Propagation of signal along axon
- Cell body of sensory neuron in dorsal root ganglion
- Info enters spinal cord via dorsal root
- Synpase in dorsal horn


How does neural information exit the spinal cord? Ans✓✓✓Efferent
(motor) info leaves through ventral root and goes to motor effectors in
the body.


*Somatic*:
motor neuron cell bodies in ventral horn
→ exit via ventral root
→ spinal nerve
→ dorsal/ventral ramus
→ synapse at effector