What organ is the spinal cord extension of?

The spinal cord is an extension of the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord. The spinal cord begins at the bottom of the brain stem (at the area called the medulla oblongata) and ends in the lower back, as it tapers to form a cone called the conus medullaris.

What is the lower spinal cord called?

The lower back comprises the lumbar spine, which is formed by vertebral bones, intervertebral discs, nerves, muscles, ligaments, and blood vessels. The spinal cord ends at the top of the lumbar spine, and the remaining nerve roots, called the cauda equina, descend down the remainder of the spinal canal.

Is the spinal cord is the downward extension of the brain?

spinal cord: A thick, whitish cord of nerve tissue which is a major part of the vertebrate central nervous system. It extends from the brain stem down through the spine, with nerves branching off to various parts of the body.

What is the extension of the spine?

Flexing your muscles usually results in bringing the bones attached closer together. For example, the spine is in flexion when we bend forwards. Extension is simply the opposite, increasing the angel between parts, e.g. bending backwards. The spine is made up of 33 bones.

What part of your spine controls your legs?

The nerves of the cervical spine go to the upper chest and arms. The nerves in your thoracic spine go to your chest and abdomen. The nerves of the lumbar spine then reach to your legs, bowel, and bladder. These nerves coordinate and control all the body’s organs and parts, and let you control your muscles.

What level does spinal cord end?

In human, the spinal cord ends at L2 vertebral level. The tip of the spinal cord is called the conus. Below the conus, there is a spray of spinal roots that is frequently called the cauda equina or horse’s tail.

What part of the spine controls the heart?

Thoracic (mid back) – the main function of the thoracic spine is to hold the rib cage and protect the heart and lungs. The twelve thoracic vertebrae are numbered T1 to T12. The range of motion in the thoracic spine is limited. Lumbar (low back) – the main function of the lumbar spine is to bear the weight of the body.

What is the best treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis?

One of the most effective treatments for treating lumbar spinal stenosis is a procedure called laminectomy. This treatment removes part of the vertebra that’s putting pressure on your nerve.

What part of the spine controls your legs?

What holds your brain in place?

The brain is housed inside the bony covering called the cranium. The cranium protects the brain from injury. Together, the cranium and bones that protect the face are called the skull. Between the skull and brain is the meninges, which consist of three layers of tissue that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Are back extensions good?

Doing back extension exercises is a great way to tone your lower back and core. These moves will also strengthen the muscles in your butt, hips, and shoulders. This can help improve posture and low back pain so you can do everyday activities with ease. Rapid, jerky movements can lead to injury and pain.

What causes lumbar extension?

The facet loading in the active extension pattern comes from three direct mechanisms(2): Compressive loading of the articular process against the lamina of the vertebrae below. Active muscle contraction that increases compression. Spinal rotation that causes the articular processes to abut against each other.

Where does the spinal cord extend in adults?

In adults, the spinal cord extends from upper border of posterior arch of first cervical vertebra (atlas) till the level of L1 vertebra. The knowledge of lower extent of spinal cord is important to avoid injury to spinal cord during lumbar puncture. What are the functions of spinal cord? The functions of spinal cord are:

How does spinal cord injury affect the lumbar spine?

After that point, nerve roots exit each of the remaining lumbar levels beyond the spinal cord. Injuries below this level (at the L3, L4, and L5 vertebrae) affect the hips and legs and may cause numbness extending to the feet (sciatica).

What kind of enlargements are there in the spinal cord?

The spinal cord presents two fusiform enlargements called cervical and lumbosacral enlargements. The cervical and lumbosacral enlargements are due to the presence of large number of neurons in C5-T1 and L2-S3 spinal segments to supply the upper and lower limbs respectively.

What happens when spinal cord injury level is below C5?

As it sounds, an incomplete injury at C5, for example, may result in partial motor or sensory below the level of C5. If the injury was complete, motor or sensory below C5 would be absent. What is the ASIA scale? The ASIA scale stands for the American Spinal Injury Association scale and is used to describe the level of a person’s spinal cord injury.