MEDULLA SPINALIS

Muh.Iqbal Basri
Department of Anatomy
Hasanuddin University

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 The Spinal Cord
Position
 Lies in vertebral canal

 Continuous above with medulla

oblongata at level of foramen
magnum
 Ends below at lower border of
L1 in adult; at birth at level of
L3
MEDULLA SPINALIS (MS)

 Within canalis vertebralis

 only fill ± 2/3 upper part → ASCENSUS
MEDULLAE
 Caudal part on level Vert. L1 – 2 / L2
 SEGMENT of MEDULLA SPINALIS :
o There are 31 segments medulla spinalis (8 Cervicalis + 12
Thoracalis + 5 Lumbalis + 5 Sacralis + 1 Coccygeus)
o Segmen Cervicalis → level For.occ.Magnum to V.C7
o Segmen Thoracalis → level V.T1-10
o Segmen Lumbalis → level T10 – T12
o Segmen Sacralis + Coccygeus → level L1 – L2

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External features
 A long cylindrical structure and
slightly flattened anteroposteriorly,
 Conus medullaris
 Filum terminale
 Cauda equina
 Two enlargements
Cervical enlargement :
corresponds to the C4 to the T1
segments
Lumbosacral enlargement :
corresponds to the L2 to the S3
segments
EXTERNAL STRUCTURE

 There are enlargement on segmen MS :

o C3 – T2 = INTUMESCENTIA CERVICALIS
o T9 – L2 = INTUMESCENTIA LUMBALIS
Intumescentia → simultant with development of EXTREMITY
 Caudal part → CONUS MEDULLARIS
 Aspectus ventralis:
o Fissura Mediana-Anterior (1)
o Sulcus Lateralis-Anterior (2)
 Aspectus dorsalis:
o Sulcus Medianus Posterior (1)
o Sulcus Lateralis Posterior (2)
o Sulcus Intermedius Posterior (2)

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EXTERNAL STRUCTURE

 There are sulci form 3 colums :

o Funiculus Anterior
o Funiculus Lateralis
o Funiculus Posterior
 Sulcus Lat-Ant → Radix Ant/Ventralis N. Spinalis (Motoric)
 Sulcus Lat-Post → Radix Post/Dorsalis N. Spinalis (Sensoric)
 Radix Ant + Post :
o Within Spatium Subarachnoidea
o For. Intervertebrale → SPINAL NERVES
 Radix Ant + Post of segment MS L, S, Co → CAUDA
EQUINA

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Fissure and sulci
 Anterior median fissure
 Posterior median sulcus
 Anterolateral sulcus －anterior (motor) roots emerge serially
 Posterolateral sulcus －posterior (sensory) roots enter spinal cord,
each bear a spinal ganglion which constitutes the first cell-station of
the sensory nerves
 N. SPINALIS
o Ganglion Spinalis
 Located in For. Intervertebrale
 A collection of “Cell Body” Neuron Sensoris/Radix Post
o There are 31 Pairs of N. Spinalis (=31 segment MS)
o Each of SPINAL NERVES exit → For. Intervertebrale
 Fixation of MS by :
o Meninges MS
o Filum Terminale Internum + Externum
o Attachment of Duramater in For. Intervertebralis

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Relationship of segments
of spinal cord to vertebrae
 A portion of the cord that gives
rise to a pair of spinal nerve
constitutes a segment.
 There are 31 segments
8 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral
1 coccygeal
Relationship of segments of spinal cord to vertebrae

Spinal segments Vertebral levels (spines)

Upper cervical region (C1~C4) = C1 ~ C4

Lower cervical and upper thoracic — 1 = C4 ~ T3

region (C5~T4)
Middle thoracic region (T5~T8) — 2 = T3 ~ T6

Lower thoracic region (T9~T12) — 3 = T6 ~ T9

Lumber segments = T10 ~ T12

Sacral and coccygeal segments = L1
INTERNAL STRUCTURE

 Internal Structure of MS :
o Canalis Centralis (central part)
 Content: LCS
 To connect cranially with Ventriculus Quartus
 caudally→ closed → Ventriculus Terminalis
o Substances of neural tissue (peripheral) :
 SUBSTANTIA ALBA (superficial)
 SUBSTANTIA GRISEA (profunda)

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 SUBSTANTIA GRISEA MS
o It’s a collection of “Cell Body” Neuron
o There are :
 Commissura Grisea Ant + Post
 Cornu / columna Ant + Post pada segmen T, L, S
 Cornu /col. Lat
o From Cornu Post → Cornu Ant → 9 lamina (I-IX)
o Special part on Cornu Post :
 SUBSTANTIA GELATINOSA ROLANDI
 NUCLEUS PROPRIUS
 NUCLEUS DORSALIS CLARKI

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 Internal structures
 Central canal
 Gray matter
 Anterior horn (column)
 Posterior horn (column)
 Intermediate zone
 Lateral horn (column)
 Anterior gray commissures
 Posterior gray commissures
 White matter
 Anterior funiculus
 lateral funiculus
 Posterior funiculus
 Anterior white commisure
Posterior horn (column):
 Marginal layer
 Substantia gelatinosa
 Nucleus proprius
 Nucleus thoraccus
in segments C8~L3
Intermediate zone
 Intermediaolateral nucleus
(lateral horn or column): lies in
segments T1~L3, containing
sympathetic preganglionic
neurons
 Sacral parasympathetic nucleus:
lies in segments S2~S4,
containing parasympathetic
preganglionic neurons
 Intermediomedial nucleus : for
sensation of viscera
Anterior horn (column): contain motor
neurons
 Three kinds of neuron
 α-motor neuron: larger multipolar neuron,
innervates extrafusal fibers of skeletal m.,
producing contraction of m.
 γ-motor neuron: smaller neuron,
innervates intrafusal fibers regulating
muscular tonus
 Renshaw’s cell: negative feedback
mechanism
 Two groups of nuclei
 Medial nuclear group: present in most
segments of spinal cord, innervating axial
muscles
 Lateral nuclear group: present only in
cervical and lumbosacral enlargements,
innervating limb muscles
 Rexed’s lamina

 posterior horn is formed

by lamina Ⅰ to Ⅵ；
 Intermediate zone
corresponding to
lamina Ⅶ；
 Anterior horn is
composed laminae Ⅷ
and Ⅸ；
 lamina Ⅹ is the gray
matter surrounding the
central canal.
Important Subdivision of Spinal Cord Gray Matter

Region Lamina Nucleus

Posterior horn Ⅰ Marginal layer

Ⅱ Substantia gelatinosa

Ⅲ, Ⅳ Nucleus proprius

Intermediate zone Ⅶ Nucleus thoracicus (C8~L3)

Ⅶ Intermediolateral nucleus (T1~L3)

Ⅶ Sacral parasympathetic nucleus (S2~S4)

Ⅶ Intermediomedial nucleus

Anterior horn Ⅸ Motor neuron

 SUBSTANTIA ALBA MS
o A collection of fibre nerves (Axon and Dendrit)
which ascendens and descendens → within
Funiculus Ant, Lat, Post.
o More cranially→ wider→ Ascendens fibres >
Descendens

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White matter
White matter contains three kinds of fibers:
ascending, descending, and fasciculus proprius
 Ascending tracts

Fasciculus gracilis
Fasciculus cuneatus
Posterior spinocerebellar tract

Anterior spinocerebellar tract

Spinothalamic tract
Ascending tracts
Tract Site of origin Funiculus Termination Function
Fasciculus Spinal ganglia Posterior Gracile Convey
gracilis below segment nucleus proprioceptive
T5 and fine touch
Fasciculus Spinal ganglia Cuneate sensation of
cuneatus above segment nucleus trunk and limbs
T4
Posterior Homolateral Lateral Cerebellum Unconscious
spinocerebellar nucleus proprioception
thoracicus from lower limb
Anterior Contralateral and lower
spinocerebellar Laminae portion of trunk
Ⅴ~Ⅶ
Spinothalamic Laminae Ⅰ, Lateral Dorsal Pain,
Ⅳ~Ⅶ and thalamus temperature and
anterior simple touch
sensation of
trunk and limbs
Descending tracts

Fasciculus proprius

Lateral corticospinal tract

Rubrospinal tract

Reticulospinal tract

Vestibulospinal tract

Tectospinal tract Medial longitudinal fasciculus

Anterior corticospinal tract

 Descending tracts
Tract Site of origin Funiculus Termination Function
Lateral Cerebral cortex Lateral Laminae Voluntary movement
corticospinal Ⅳ~Ⅸ
Anterior Cerebral cortex Anterior anterior
corticospinal horn

Rubrospinal Red nucleus Lateral Laminae Excitatory of flexors

Ⅶ~Ⅶ
Vestibulospinal Homolateral Anterior Laminae Excitatory of extensors
vestibular Ⅶ~Ⅷ
nuclei
Reticulospinal Reticular Anterior Laminae Voluntary movement
formation and lateral Ⅶ~Ⅷ

Medial Vestibular Anterior Laminae Coordinate neck with eye

longitudinal nuclei Ⅶ~Ⅷ movement
fasciculus
Tectospinal Superior Anterior Laminae
colliculus Ⅵ~Ⅷ
Fasciculus Spinal cord Anterior, Spinal cord Intrinsic reflex
proprius lateral and mechanism of spinal cord
posterior
Main functions of spinal cord
 Conduction of excitations
 Reflex activity
TABLE : TRACTUS ASCENDENS, DESCENDENS and
ASCENDENS+DESCENDENS

FUNICULUS ASCENDENS DESCENDENS ASCENDENS+DE

SCENDENS

1. Tractus 1. Tractus 1. Fasciculus

Spinothalamicus Corticospinalis Proprius Anterior
Anterior Anterior 2. Fasciculus
ANTERIOR 2. Tractus Septomarginalis
Vestibulospinalis Anterior
3. Tractus
Reticulospinalis
4. Tractus
Tectospinalis

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TABLE : TRACTUS ASCENDENS, DESCENDENS and
ASCENDENS+DESCENDENS

FUNICULUS ASCENDENS DESCENDENS ASCENDENS+DE

SCENDENS

1. Tractus 1. Tractus 1. Fasciculus

Spinocerebellari Corticospinalis Propius Lateralis
s Ventralis Lateralis
LATERALIS 2. Tractus 2. Tractus
Spinocerebellari Olivospinalis
s Dorsalis
3. Tractus
Spinothalamicus
Lateralis
4. Tractus
Spinotectalis

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TABLE : TRACTUS ASCENDENS, DESCENDENS dan
ASCENDENS+DESCENDENS

FUNICULUS ASCENDENS DESCENDENS ASCENDENS+DE

SCENDENS
1. Fasciculus 1. Fasciculus
Gracilis Propius
POSTERIOR 2. Fasciculus Posterior
Cuneatus 2. Fasciculus
Interfascicularis
Propius (a,b,c,d)

Keterangan :
A = Coma Schultze
B = Tractus Septomarginalis (T bawah)
C = Area Ovalis Flechsig (L)
D = Trigonum Philipe Gombault (S)

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 TRACTUS/FASCICULUS
1. Tractus Spinothalamicus Anterior (touch + press)
2. Tractus Spinothalamicus Lateralis (pain + thermal)
3. Tractus Spinocerebellaris Ant/Ventral (muscle
tones+ tendo)
4. Tractus Spinocerebellaris Post/Dorsal (muscle
tones+ tendo)
5. Tractus Corticospinalis Ant/Lat (motoric)
6. Fasciculus Cuneatus
(position, movement,
7. Fasciculus Gracilis discrimination,vibration)

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