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174 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What does the vertebral column consist of?
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- vertebrae
- intervertebral discs - ligaments |
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What are the functions of the vertebral column?
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1) protect spinal cord
2) support skull 3) attachments for ribs, muscles, ligaments |
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How many vertebrae are there total?
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- 33
|
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How many cervical vertebrae are there?
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- 7
|
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How many thoracic vertebrae are there?
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- 12
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How many lumbar vertebrae are there?
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- 5
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How many sacral vertebrae are there?
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- 5
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What are the 2 primary curvatures?
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- thoracic
- sacral |
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How many coccygeal vertebrae are there?
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- 4
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When are the primary curvatures present?
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- at birth
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Do the primary curves concave/convex anteriorly?
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concave
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What are the 2 secondary curvatures?
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- cervical
- lumbar |
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When do the secondary curvatures develop?
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- after birth
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Do the secondary curves concave/convex anteriorly?
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- convex
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What is kyphosis?
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- an exaggerated thoracic curvature
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What is lordosis?
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- an exaggerated lumbar curvature
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When is lordosis induced?
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- during pregnancy
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What is scoiliosis?
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- abnormal lateral curvature
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Where is the body of a typical vertebra located and what does it do?
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- anterior
- supports body weight |
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Where is the vertebral arch of a typical vertebra located and what does it do?
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- posterior
- protect spinal cord |
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Where is the pedicle?
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- two processes connect lamina to body and is continuous with lamina
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Where is the lamina?
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- two flatted processes connect pedicles to spinal processes
- the transverse and spinous processes are off of this |
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The body and vertebral arch form what?
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- vertebral foramen
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What do the 2 superior and 2 inferior articular processes enable the vertebrae to do?
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- stack
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What is the joint called that is between the superior and inferior articular processes?
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- Zygopophyseal joint
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What does zygopophyseal joint for?
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- mechanical support
- allows some movement - prevents slippage |
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Where is the superior vertebral notch located?
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- indentation of the body and superior articular process
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What does the superior vertebral notch do?
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- forms the lower margin of intervertebral foramen
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Where is the inferior vertebral notch located?
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- indentation of the pedicle
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What does the inferior vertebral notch do?
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- forms the upper margin of the intervertebral foramen
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Where is the intervertebral foramen located?
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- adjacent superior and inferior vertebral notches
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What does the intervertebral foramen contain?
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- contains spinal nerves (dorsal and ventral roots)
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What are the bodies of normal cervical vertebrae like?
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- small and oval
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What is different about the spinous process on typical CV?
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- they are bifid
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What do the transverse processes in typical CV contain?
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- transverse foramen where the vertebral artery travels within
- short anterior and posterior tubercles where spinal nerve exits |
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What plane are the superior and inferior articular processes closest to? (enable vertebrae to stack)
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- horizontal/transverse (vertebrae and processes are flat/parallel to ground)
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What are the joints called between cervical vertebrae?
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- uncovertebral joints
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What is CV1 called?
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- atlas
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What does CV1 support? Where is this located on CV1?
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- supports occipital condyles of the skull
- this is supported on the CV1's superior articular process facet (aka lateral mass) |
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What does CV1 lack?
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- spinous process
- body |
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What is another name for the superior articular process facet of CV1?
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- lateral mass
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What is the dens or odontoid process of the CV2 from?
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- remainder of atlas body
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What is another name for CV2?
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- axis
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What does the dens/odontoid process of CV2 do?
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- rotation point for skull
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How is the dens/odontoid process of CV2 held in place?
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- transverse ligaments of atlas
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What does the transverse ligaments of atlas do?
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- avoids displacement/compression of dens
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Describe the bodies of TV
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- heart shaped
- larger than CV |
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Describe the spinous processes of TV
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- long, triangular
- oblique caudally (bent downwards) |
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What is the area on the TV that articulates with the ribs called?
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- costal surface/facet
(2 superior and 2 inferior) |
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Is there articulation of the ribs on intervertebral discs?
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- yes
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How many articulation places are there on each transverse process of TV for tubercle of rib?
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- 1
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What is the plane of the intervertebral articular surfaces/facets on articular processes for TV?
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- coronal plane (facets perpendicular to the floor)
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Describe the lumbar vertebrae and why they are designed this way.
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- large and bean shaped
- support a high amount of weight |
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Describe the spinous process of LV
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- short, thick, broad, and directed posteriorly
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Why do LV have extra processes?
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- attachments of muscles
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What are the extra processes of the LV?
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- mammillary process
- accessory process |
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Where is the mammillary process of LV located?
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- on the superior articular process
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Where is the accessory process of LV located?
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- on transverse process
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What is the plane of the intervertebral articular surfaces/facets on articular processes for LV?
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- sagittal
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Describe the sacral vertebrae
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- all vertebrae are fused
- they articulate with the ilium of the hip |
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How many articulation places are there on each transverse process of TV for tubercle of rib?
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- 1
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What is the plane of the intervertebral articular surfaces/facets on articular processes for TV?
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- coronal plane (facets perpendicular to the floor)
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Describe the lumbar vertebrae and why they are designed this way.
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- large and bean shaped
- support a high amount of weight |
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Describe the spinous process of LV
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- short, thick, broad, and directed posteriorly
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Why do LV have extra processes?
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- attachments of muscles
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What are the extra processes of the LV?
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- mammillary process
- accessory process |
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Where is the mammillary process of LV located?
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- on the superior articular process
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Where is the accessory process of LV located?
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- on transverse process
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What is the plane of the intervertebral articular surfaces/facets on articular processes for LV?
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- sagittal
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Describe the sacral vertebrae
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- all vertebrae are fused
- they articulate with the ilium of the hip |
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What does the vertebral canal become in the SV?
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- sacral canal
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- What are the anterior and posterior sacral foramina in the SV similar to?
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- intervertebral foramina
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- What is the purpose of the anterior and posterior sacral foramina of the SV?
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- neural elements leaving the sacrum
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Describe the coccygeal vertebrae
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- fused
- small - incomplete/lacking vertebral arch |
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Where are the synovial joints located?
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- articular processes of adjacent vertebrae
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What surrounds synovial joints?
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- capsular ligaments
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Are vertebrae in direct contact with the synovial joints?
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- No, articular process surface covered with hyaline cartilage (facet)
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What do intervertebral discs do?
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- separate the bodies of the vertebrae from one another
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What are the 2 parts of intervertebral discs?
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- annulus fibrosus
- nucleus pulposus |
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Describe the composition of annulus fibrosus
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- outer portion of intervertebral discs
- concentric bundles of collagen fibers and fibrocartilage |
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Describe the composition of nucleus pulposus
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- inner portion of intervertebral disc
- gelatinous with high water content |
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What strengthens the vertebrae and discs?
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- anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
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What is the only area without intervertebral discs?
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- between CV1 and CV2
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Where is the anterior longitudinal ligament?
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- CV1 to sacrum
- anterior surface of vertebral body |
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Where is the posterior longitudinal ligament?
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- CV2 to sacrum
- posterior surface of vertebral body (within vertebral canal) |
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What happens to the posterior longitudinal ligament over intervertebral disks? over vertebral bodies
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- broadens
- narrows |
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Where is the ligamentum flavum?
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- attaches lamina to lamina (yellow)
- within vertebral canal |
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Where is the supraspinous ligament?
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- C7 to sacrum
- attaches spinous process to spinous process - strong fibrous cord |
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Where is ligament nuchae?
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- CV7 to external occipital protuberance
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What does the ligamentum nuchae do?
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- mid-line structure
- attachment point for muscles |
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Where is the capsular ligaments?
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- surrounds synovial joints that are between adjacent inferior and superior articular processes
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Where are interspinous ligaments?
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- joins spinous process to spinous process
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Where are intertransverse ligaments?
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- joins transverse process to transverse process
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What do the supraspinous ligament, ligamentum nuchae, interspinous ligaments, and intertransverse ligaments have in common?
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- limit flexing/hyperextension
- may attach to muscles - widens as it continues more caudal |
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Where are the alar ligaments?
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- attach the sides of the dens to the lateral margin of foramen magnum (base of skull)
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What do the alar ligaments do?
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- side to side movement of head
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Where is the transverse ligaments of atlas/what does it do?
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- extends between the superior articular processes (lateral masses) of CV1 to the dens of CV2
- holds CV2 against the anterior arch of CV1 |
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Where are the cruciform ligaments?
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- made up by bands of transverse ligaments that extend to the CV2 body
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What are the 2 types of craniovertebral joints?
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1) atlantooccipital joints
2) atlantoaxial joints |
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What is the purpose of the atlantooccipital joints?
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- enable articulations between the superior articular process (aka lateral mass) of CV1 and occipital condyles of the skull (underside of occipital bone)
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What type of joint is the atlantoocciital joint?
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- synovial joint
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What do the anterior and posterior atlantooccipital membranes do?
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- connect margins of the foramen magnum of the skull to the anterior/posterior arches of CV1
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What are the ligaments of the atlantooccipital joints?
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- transverse ligament of the atlas
(& cruciform ligaments) - alar ligaments |
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What is the atlantoaxial joint for?
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- articulation between CV1 and CV2
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What is are the atlantoaxial joints comprised of?
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- two lateral and 1 medial synovial joints
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Where are the 2 lateral joints of the atlantoaxial joint located?
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- between the superior articular processes of CV1 and CV2
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Where is the medial joint of the atlantoaxial joint?
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- between dens of CV2 and anterior arch of CV1
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What is the purpose of the atlantoaxial joint?
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- enables rotation of head from side to side
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CNS: gray matter, is the motor neurons in the anterior/posterior horn?
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- anterior
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CNS: gray matter, is the sensory neurons in the anterior/posterior horn?
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- posterior
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Are motor and sensory nerves mixed or separated in the posterior/anterior ramus?
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- mixed
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Are motor and sensory neurons mixed or separated in the dorsal/ventral root?
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- separated
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How many spinal nerve pairs are there?
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- 31
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How many cervical spinal nerves are there?
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8
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How many thoracic spinal nerves are there?
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- 12
|
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How many lumbar nerves are there?
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- 5
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How many sacral nerves are there?
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- 5
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How many coccygeal nerves are there?
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- 1 to 2
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Where is the first cervical spinal nerve located?
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above the first cervical vertebrae
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Where is the 8th cervical nerve located?
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- below 7th CV, above 1st TV
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Besides the cervical nerves where are all of the spinal nerves located in comparison to their corresponding vertebrae?
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- below
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Where are the anterior/posterior roots attached to?
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- spinal cord
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Posterior root carries which type of information?
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- sensory
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Where are the cell bodies of the neurons from posterior root located?
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- inside the dorsal root ganglion
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Which area of the spinal cord do posterior roots enter into?
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- posterior horn
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Is there a stimulus between the stimulus and the spinal cord in a posterior root?
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- No
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What type of information do anterior roots carry?
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- motor
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Where are the cell bodies of anterior root neurons located?
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- inside the spinal cord
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Which area of the spinal cord do anterior roots enter into?
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- anterior horn
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Do individual motor neurons synapse with other neurons when they send impulses to the individual muscle fibers they innervate?
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- No
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- What forms the spinal nerve proper?
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- the posterior and anterior roots
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What type of fibers does the spinal nerve proper contain?
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- sensory and motor fibers
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What does the spinal nerve proper divide into?
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- posterior and anterior rami
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What does the posterior primary ramu innervate?
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- deep muscles of the back and the skin over them
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Does the posterior primary ramus branch?
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- Yes into the medial and lateral branches
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Does the anterior ramus branch?
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- Yes
- side of body: lateral cutaneous branch - front of body: anterior cutaneous branch |
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What are the 2 communicating rami that arises from the anterior ramus near the spinal nerve proper?
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- white communicating ramus
- gray communicating ramus |
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What does the white communicating ramus carry?
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- autonomic fibers to the sympathetic trunk (sympathetic ganglion) from the anterior ramus
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What does the gray communicating ramus carry?
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- fibers from the sympathetic trunk (sympathetic ganglion) to the ventral ramus
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How many plexuses can the anterior ramus form? What are they?
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- 4
1) cervical plexus (C1-4) 2) brachial plexus (C5-T1) 3) lumbar plexus (L1-L4) 4) sacral plexus (L4-S4) |
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What is a dermatome?
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- area of skin supplied by a single spinal cord segment/level
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What does the vertebral canal contain?
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- spinal cord, poster nerve roots, anterior nerve roots, meninges, CSF, extra-dural fat, venous plexus
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Where does the spinal cord extend from?
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- brainstem to the intervertebral disc between LV1 and LV2
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What is the tapered lower end of the spinal cord called?
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- conus medullaris
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What vertebral structure is the spinal nerve located in?
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- intervertebral foramen
|
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What are the spinal roots within the lumbar and upper sacral region called?
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- cauda equina
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What spinal cord segments?
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- area of the spinal cord where the posterior and anterior nerve roots attach
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How many spinal cord segments are there?
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- same as the number of spinal nerves
(8 cervical spinal nerves= 8 cervical spinal cord segments) |
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Where are the lumbar spinal cord segments located?
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- TV11 to TV 12
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Where are the sacral spinal cord segments located?
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- LV1 and LV2
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What are the 3 meninges of the spinal cord? (lateral to medial)
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- dura mater
- arachnoid membrane - pia mater |
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What is the dura mater?
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- tough outermost covering of the spinal cord
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What separates dura mater from arachnoid membrane?
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- subdural space
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Where does the dura mater extend?
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- above the foramen magnum to below the coccyx
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What is the coccygeal ligament?
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- Attaches the dura mater to the coccyx
- made up of filum terminale (pia mater) and dura |
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The dura mater fuses to the spinal nerves in what area?
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- intervertebral foramen
|
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What is the arachnoid membrane?
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- the middle meninge surrounding the spinal cord
|
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What separates the arachnoid membrane from the pia mater?
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- subarachnoid space
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What does the subarachnoid space contain?
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- cerebral spinal fluid
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What is the pia mater?
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- innermost meninge that directly covers spinal cord
|
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What are dentriculate ligaments?
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- lateral extension of pia that anchor spinal cord to dura mater and separate anterior and posterior nerve roots
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What is the filum terminale?
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- extension of pia from the conus medullaris, ends at the end of the sbarachnoid space at SV2
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What does the epidural space contain? (area outside the dura)
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- fat to increase protection
- internal vertebral venous plexus |
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Where would you want to take cerebral spinal fluid?
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- below the conus medullaris (below L2, best to take it between L3 and L4)
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What does the CSF cover within the arachnoid space?
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- bathes the nerve rootlets
|
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What are the names of the arteries that supply blood to the spinal cord?
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- anterior spinal artery (1)
- posterior spinal arteries (2) - segmental arteries ( ones that supply nerve roots are called radicular arteries) |
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Where are the anterior and posterior spinal arteries derived from?
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- vertebral arteries
|
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Where are the segmental arteries derived from?
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- branch from various arteries
|
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What are the veins that are associated with the spinal cord?
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- external vertebral plexus
- internal vertebral plexus - external spinal veins |
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What are the veins that invest the vertebrae?
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- external and internal vertebral plexuses
|
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Where is the internal vertebral plexus located?
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- in the epidural space of the vertebral canal
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Where is the external vertebral venous plexus located?
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- outside the vertebrae
|
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Do the vertebral/spinal cord veins contain valves?
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- No
|
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What is the name of the veins that are associated with the spinal cord?
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- external spinal vein
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