In order for your body to function, you need your nerves. The spine branches off into thirty-one pairs of nerve roots. These roots exit the spine on both sides through spaces (neural foramina) between each vertebra. The spine itself has three main segments: the cervical spine, the thoracic spine, and the lumbar spine.
What are the 3 main functions of the spine?
- Protect the spinal cord, nerve roots and several of the body's internal organs.
- Provide structural support and balance to maintain an upright posture.
- Enable flexible motion.
What is the spinal cord made up of?
vertebrae
What is the gross anatomy of the spinal cord?
Gross Anatomy According to its rostrocaudal location the spinal cord can be divided into four parts: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral, two of these are marked by an upper (cervical) and a lower (lumbar) enlargement.
What is the spinal cord made of?
The spinal cord lies inside the spinal column, which is made up of 33 bones called vertebrae. Five vertebrae are fused together to form the sacrum (part of the pelvis), and four small vertebrae are fused together to form the coccyx (tailbone).
What is the physiology of the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is a vital aspect of the central nervous system housed in the spinal column. Its purpose is to send motor commands from the brain to the body and sensory information from the body to the brain, and coordinate reflexes.
What are the 31 pairs of spinal nerves?
In humans there are 31 pairs: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. Each pair connects the spinal cord with a specific region of the body. Near the spinal cord each spinal nerve branches into two roots.
There are 31 segments, defined by 31 pairs of nerves exiting the cord. These nerves are divided into 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal nerve (Figure 3.2).
What are the parts of the spine called?
The spine itself has three main segments: the cervical spine, the thoracic spine, and the lumbar spine. The cervical is the upper part of the spine, made up of seven vertebrae (bones). The thoracic is the center portion of the spine, consisting of 12 vertebrae. The lower portion of the spine is called the lumbar spine.
What are the parts of the spine in order?
The vertebrae are numbered and divided into regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, and coccyx (Fig. 2).