CNS Sectional Anatomy

Spinal Cord

Brainstem

Levels of The Spinal Cord

  1. Review the neuroanatomy of the gray and white matter of the spinal cord.

White Matter

Dorsal/ posterior column (funiculus)

Lateral Column (funiculus)

Grey Matter

Ventral/ Anterior Column (funiculus)

Ventral Horn

  1. Be able to distinguish a cross section through the spinal cord at the cervical enlargement vs thoracic levels vs lumbar enlargement.

Thoracic

Lumbar

Sacral

  1. Review the gross anatomy of the brainstem, identifying key features of each brainstem level.

Pons

Medulla

Midbrain

Caudal

Rostral

Caudal

Rostral

Caudal

  1. How many neurons link the skin of the hand to the postcentral gyrus?  Where are the cell bodies for each of these neurons located?

1st Order

Answer

Cell body in DRG

2nd Order

Answer

Travels through Brainstem to thalamus

3rd order

Answer

Projects to somatosensory cortex in postcentral gyrus

Dorsal Horn

  1.  What is the anterior commissure?  What happens there? 

  1. What is the specific name of the neural pathway in the anterior funiculus that carries pain and touch information?

Proprioception

  1. What is the difference between conscious and unconscious proprioception? Through what neural path and in what funiculus does unconscious proprioception travel?  Through what neural path and in what funiculus does conscious proprioception travel?

Spinocerebellar tract

unconscious proprioception

Fasciculus gracilis & Cuneatus

Fine touch and conscious proprioception

Lateral Corticospinal Tract

  1. Where is the dorsal nucleus of Clarke located and what is its function?

Dorsal Nucleus of Clarke

Function Answer

Part of the spinocerebellar pathway, specifically relays info from lower limbs (extends from L2 - T1)

  1. Where is the nucleus proprius and what is its function?

Function Answer

Spinothalamic Pathway: Nucleus/ cell body where synapses with 1st order neurons occur

  1. Outline how the ventral horn of the spinal cord is arranged somatotopically.  Where are the somatic motor neuron cell bodies for flexor carpi ulnaris—in the medial or lateral part of the ventral horn?  In the anterior or posterior part of ventral horn?

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Cervical

Rostral

  1. Outline what parts of the ventricular system are associated with each brainstem level.