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Anatomy and Physiology I. Chapter 13 The Spinal Cord, Spinal Nerves, and Somatic Reflexes. Spinal Cord Functions. Conduction Bundles of nerve fibers conduct info up and down the cord Sensory info reaches brain Motor commands reach the effectors Locomotion Walking
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Anatomy and Physiology I Chapter 13 The Spinal Cord, Spinal Nerves, and Somatic Reflexes
Spinal Cord Functions • Conduction • Bundles of nerve fibers • conduct info up and down the cord • Sensory info reaches brain • Motor commands reach the effectors • Locomotion • Walking • Central pattern generators- produce sequence of walking • Reflexes • Involuntary, stereotyped responses to stimuli
Spinal Cord • Cylinder of nervous tissue • Arises from brainstem • L1 • 31 pairs of spinal nerves • Divided into cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions
The Meninges • 3 fibrous connective tissue membranes • Dura mater • Forms loose sleeve- dura sheath • Epidural space- between vertebrae and sheath • Arachnoid mater • Loose mesh of fibers • Subarachnoid space- between arachnoid membrane and piamater • Filled with CSF • Pia mater • Delicate membrane • Follows contours of spinal cord
Spinal Cord • Consists of 2 kinds of nervous tissue • Gray matter • Dull color • Little myelin • White matter • Bright, pearly white • Abundance of myelin • Surrounds gray matter • Composed of tracts • Carry signals from one part of the CNS to another
Gray Matter • Central core- butterfly, H shaped • 2 dorsal horns • 2 ventral horns • Gray commissure- connects R and L side • Central canal
Gray Matter • Branches into ventral and dorsal roots • Dorsal root- carries sensory nerve fibers to the spinal cord • Enter posterior horn • Ventral root- motor nerve fibers exit and go to skeletal muscles
Spinal Tracts • Ascending tracts • carry sensory information up the spinal cord to the brain • Descending tracts • conduct motor impulses down the brain stem and the spinal cord • Muscles or organs • Tracts cross- decussation
Spinal Nerves • Spinal cord communicates with body • Spinal nerves • Nerve • Composed of numerous nerve fibers (axons) bound together by connective tissue • PNS nerve fibers enclosed by Schwann cells
Spinal Nerves • Endoneurium- thin layer of connective tissue • surrounds nerve fiber • Fascicles- bundles of nerve fibers • Perineurium- sheath • surrounds fascicle • Epineurium- surrounds several bundles of fascicles • Whole nerve • Protects nerve
Peripheral Nerve Fibers • Sensory fibers- afferent fibers • Signals from sensory receptors to CNS • Motor fibers- efferent fibers • Signals from CNS to muscles and glands
Spinal Nerves • Sensory nerves- afferent fibers • Motor nerves- efferent fibers • Mixed nerve- both afferent and efferent fibers • Conducts signals in 2 directions • Ganglion (knot)- cluster of neurosomas outside the CNS
Spinal Nerves • 31 pairs • 8 cervical • 12 thoracic • 5 lumbar • 5 sacral • 1 coccygeal
Nerve Plexus • Nerves merge to form web-like nerve plexus • Cervical plexus • Brachial plexus • Lumbar plexus • Sacral plexus and Coccygeal plexus
Dermatomes • Specific area of the skin the sends sensory information to the spinal cord • Spinal nerves overlap • Need to severe 3 successive spinal nerves to lose sensation in one dermatome area • Spinal nerve damage assessed with pin pricks
Reflexes • Quick, involuntary, stereotyped reactions of glands or muscles to stimulation • 1. Require stimulation- not spontaneous reactions • 2. Quick- minimum synaptic delay • 3. Involuntary- difficult to suppress • Occur w/out intent and awareness • 4. Stereotyped- same way every time
Somatic Reflex • Involuntary contraction of skeletal muscle • Employs a reflex arc- signal travels along a pathway • 1. Somatic receptors • Skin, muscle, tendon • 2. Afferent nerve fibers • Carry info into dorsal horn of spinal cord • 3.Integrating center • interneurons • 4. Efferent nerves • Carry info from ventral horn out to the skeletal muscle • 5. Skeletal muscles • Effectors that carry out response
Muscle Spindle • Stretch receptors imbedded in skeletal muscle • Proprioceptors- sense organs specialized to monitor body position and movement of body parts • Function: inform brain of muscle length and movement • Brain sends motor commands back to muscles
The Stretch Reflex • When muscle is stretched • “fights back” • Contracts • Feels stiffer • This helps maintain equilibrium and posture • Extension creates stretch reflex in flexors • Flexion creates stretch reflex in extensors • Stretch reflexes stabilize joints and coordinate vigorous and precise movements
The Tendon Reflex • Reflexive contraction of muscle when tendon is tapped • Depends on Reciprocal inhibition • Prevents muscles from working against each other- inhibits antagonist
The Withdrawal (Flexor) Reflex • Quick contraction of flexor muscles • resulting in the withdrawal of a limb from an injurious stimulus • Contraction of flexors and relaxation of extensors
The Crossed Extension Reflex • Contraction of extensor muscles in the limp opposite from the one withdrawn • Maintains balance, prevents falling • Shift in center of gravity