BIOL3186 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Intervertebral Foramina, Lumbar Vertebrae, Foramen Magnum
Document Summary
5 major regions along the vertical plane cervical; thoracic; lumbar; sacral; coccygeal. Extends from the foramen magnum to the rostral edge of the second lumbar vertebra. Gives rise to 31 pairs of spinal nerves through intervertebral foramina. Segmented: cervical (8) - weird because we only have 7 cervical vertebra thoracic (12) lumbar (5) sacral (5) coccygeal (1) Nerves themselves will entre/exit spinal cord into the vertebral column under l2. Couda equina - looks like a ponytail of nerves. Segmentation: given by vertebral column - not actually different parts. Named after the vertebrae that they pass under from the thoracic level. In cervical spine, they are named after the vertebrae they pass above, hence you have a c8 when you get near thoracic spine, named so since it goes under c7. Two enlargements of the spinal cord occur in regions where the amount of gray matter is greater than in others; regions of sensory/motor control of the limbs.
