THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF SPINAL CORD.


 

Spinal cord and its structure in detail



The spinal cord is in fact a tubular bundle of nerves.it starts from brain stem and extends to lower back. Like brain, the spinal cord is also covered in meninges.the vertebral column surrounds and protects spinal cord.it is supported by the back bone .consist of liquid- fluid inside called bone marrow.

The outer region of spinal cord is made of white matter (containg myelinated axons).the centeral region is butterfiy shaped that surrounds the centeral canal. It is made of grey matter (containing neuron cell bodies).

31 pairs of spinal nerves arise along spinal cord.these are “mixed” nerves becouse each contains axons of both sensory and motor nerves (neurons). At the point where a spinal nerves arises from spinal cord, there are two roots of spinal nerves.both roots unite and forms one mixed spinal nerves.

·       The dorsal root contains sensory axons and a ganglion where cell bodies are located.

·       The ventral roots contain axons of motor nerves.

 

Spinal cord performs two main functions

·       It serves as a link between body parts and the brain. Spinal cord transmits nerves impulses from body parts to the brain and from the brain to the body parts.

·       Spinal cord also act as a coordinator , responsible for some simple reflexes.

 

Peripheral nervous system also involves in spinal cord

The peripheral nervous system is composed of nervous and ganglia. Ganglia are the clusters of neuron cell bodies outside CNS.nerves arises or lead to the brain and spinal cord. So they are named as cranial and spinal nerves. Humans have 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. Some cranial nerves are sensory, some are motor and some are mixed. On the other hand,all spinal nerves ARTE mixed nerves.

The cranial and spinal nerves make two pathways i.e sensory  pathway (conducting impulses from receptors to CNS) and motor pathway (conducting impulses from CNS to effectors).motor pathway makes two systems.

SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

It is responsible for the conscious and voluntary actions. It is includes all of the motor neurons that conduct impulses from CNS to skeletal muscles.

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

It is responsible for the activities, which are not under conscious control. It consists of motor neurons that send impulses to cardiac muscles, smooth muscles and parasympathetic system. Sympathetic nervous system prepares body to deal with emergency stuations.this is often called fight or fights response.the major function of this system is to control the stress in the body in time of stress.they nerves contract to control the stress and  relex when the saree disappears. Spinal cord is the continuation os medulla the part of the brain.

Spinal cord is roughly 40 centi metre long and about as wide as your thumb for most of its length.

Thaks guys for your good visit in our blog.

                                                                         

Realeted post may you like to see

·       The brain and its structure

·       The pharamcology

·       The human nervous system.

 The respiratory system in human and plants.


·       

 

Published to the biolearn (biotech centre).

No comments:

Post a Comment