Table of contents:
- Definition of the spinal cord
- What is the spinal cord?
- Spinal cord anatomy
- What are the parts of the spinal cord?
- Gray matter (Gray part)
- White matter (White part)
- Spinal cord
- Spinal cord function
- What are the functions of the spinal cord?
- Control sensation
- Controlling motion (motor) and organ work
- Reflex motion
- Spinal cord disease
- Spinal cord injury
- Spinal stenosis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- What are the features or symptoms of spinal cord disease?
Definition of the spinal cord
What is the spinal cord?
Spinal cord (spinal cord), or also known as the spinal cord, is a collection of nerve fibers that run along the spine, which runs from the bottom of the brain to the lower back. This tissue collection is relatively small, weighing only 35 grams and a diameter of about 1 cm.
Although small, this body organ plays a vital role in the human nervous system. Together with the brain, the spinal cord operates the central nervous system which coordinates human daily activities, such as moving, feeling pain or other sensations (hot and cold, vibration, sharp and dull), to control various body functions, such as breathing, blood pressure, or heart rate.
In carrying out this central nervous system, the brain is the command center for your body. While the spinal cord is the pathway for messages sent by the brain to the body and from the body to the brain. In addition, the spinal cord also acts as a center for coordinating the reflex actions of the body that do not depend on the brain.
Spinal cord anatomy
What are the parts of the spinal cord?
The spinal cord or spinal cord is a collection of nerve fibers surrounded by bones, cartilage discs, ligaments, and muscles, to protect it from injury and shock due to body movement. The bone consists of 33 segments called vertebrae or vertebrae. The spinal cord passes through a hole in the middle (called the spinal canal) that is in each vertebra.
The shape of this vital organ is relatively cylindrical with a length of about 45 cm, and is only about two-thirds of the total length of the vertebrae. From this length, the spinal cord is divided into four structures or structures, namely cervical (neck), thoracic (upper back), lumbar (lower back), and sacral (pelvis). At the very bottom is a bundle of nerves that resemble a horse's tail, which is called cauda equina.
Just like the anatomy of the brain, along the spinal cord is also surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid and a membrane membrane (meninges) which functions to protect this organ. The meninges membrane consists of three layers called the dura meter, arachnoid, and pia meter.
When the spinal cord is cut horizontally, there are several parts in it that have different functions. Here are some parts or anatomy of the spinal cord (spinal cord):
Gray matter is a dark gray and has a shape like a butterfly that is in the spinal cord. This section consists of nerve cell bodies (neurons) and glial cells and has four "wings" called horns.
The two antlers (anterior or ventral horn) contain nerve cells or motor neurons that carry information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles of the body to stimulate its movement. While the two horns that are behind (posterior or dorsal horn) carry sensory information, such as touch, pressure, or pain, from the body back to the spinal cord and brain.
In addition, there are also what are called lateral horns and columns intermediate which plays a role in the autonomic nervous system. However, the lateral horns are only found in a few areas of the spinal cord, namely the thoracic, upper lumbar and sacral.
Gray matterin the spinal cord covered by a white part, which is called white matter.This section contains axons which allow the different parts of the spinal cord to communicate properly and smoothly.
This axon moves in both directions. Some axons that point upward carry signals from the body to the brain, while those that go down send signals from the brain to neurons located in other parts of the body.
Same as gray matter, white matter also separated into sections called columns. The four sections, namely the posterior column (between the two posterior horns), the anterior column (between the two anterior horns), and the lateral column (between the posterior horn and axons of the anterior horn neuron).
The posterior column consists of axons that point upward, whereas the anterior and lateral columns are composed of many different axon groups of ascending and descending channels, including those that control the peripheral or peripheral nervous system.
Each part of the spinal cord, namely cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral, has nerve roots that appear on the right and left. These nerve roots consist of ventral (anterior) nerve roots containing motor neurons, as well as dorsal (posterior) nerve roots containing sensory neurons.
The two kinds of nerve roots come together and form the spinal cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves divided into five parts, namely eight pairs of nerves in the cervical (neck), 12 pairs of nerves in the thorax (chest), five pairs of nerves in the lumbar (stomach), five pairs of nerves in the sacral (pelvis) , as well as 1 more nerve pair in the vertebrae of the tailbone (coccyx).
These spinal nerves then connect the spinal cord to various parts of the body, and carry impulses to and from the brain through the spinal cord to specific body locations.
Spinal cord function
What are the functions of the spinal cord?
The spinal cord has three important functions in controlling and coordinating the human body. The three functions of the spinal cord are:
One of the functions of the spinal cord is to collect and carry signals or sensory information received from the limbs or sense organs to the brain. These signals or information can include the sensation of touch, pressure, temperature (hot or cold), and pain. This information will then be processed by the brain to respond.
In addition to the brain, the spinal cord also carries signals or information from the brain to certain muscles or organs. This information can be conveyed to the muscles of the hands, arms, fingers, legs, feet, or other parts of the body to control motion (motor). For example, when you want to walk, your spinal cord carries information from your brain to your leg muscles and commands it to take repeated steps.
In addition, signals or information can also be carried to the heart, lungs, or other organs of the body to carry out autonomic functions, such as controlling heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and so on.
The spinal cord also plays a role in controlling reflex movements in the human body. In reflex motion, impulses go through short or shortcuts, that is, without being processed by the brain first.
One example is the reflex motion of the knee which suddenly jerks when it is tapped at a certain point. Reporting from the page of Arizona State University, in knee reflex motion, sensory neurons are directly connected to motor neurons in the spinal cord, without being processed in the brain first. Therefore, this process provides a faster response than motor movements in general.
Spinal cord disease
Diseases or disorders of the spinal cord are conditions that cause damage to the spinal cord. These conditions or diseases can vary. Some of the diseases or disorders of the spinal cord are:
Spinal cord injury is damage to any part of the spinal cord or nerves at the end of the spinal canal (cauda equina). This condition can occur due to a traumatic event, such as an accident or fall, that damages the spine (vertebral fracture), ligaments, spinal discs, or the bone marrow itself.
However, spinal cord injuries can also occur due to certain diseases, such as cancer, arthritis (arthritis), osteoporosis, and inflammation in the spinal cord. This condition can cause permanent changes in strength, sensation, and other bodily functions below the site of the injury.
Spinal stenosis (spinal stenosis) occurs when overgrowth of bone or tissue narrows the vertebrae, so they can affect the nerve roots. This condition can cause symptoms related to the nervous system, such as numbness to paralysis in the legs and feet.
Multiple sclerosis is a disease that has the potential to paralyze the central nervous system, namely the brain and spinal cord. In multiple sclerosis sufferers, the immune system attacks the nerve protective membrane (myelin), causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. This condition can cause permanent damage or deterioration of the nerves.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a nervous system disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. This disease can weaken to destroy the body's motor neurons, causing loss of muscle control, such as difficulty walking or speaking.
What are the features or symptoms of spinal cord disease?
Damage to the spinal cord can cause a variety of symptoms, including those related to the nervous system. This symptom can be felt around the spinal area, but can also spread to other parts of the body, such as the arms and legs.
Some of the symptoms or characteristics that may arise due to diseases or disorders of the spinal cord are:
- Back pain or pain.
- Uncontrolled muscle spasms.
- Weakness, numbness, or even paralysis of limbs.
- Changes in body reflexes.
- Loss of urinary or bowel control.
If you experience these symptoms or characteristics, especially if they recur and do not go away, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will provide the right diagnosis and treatment according to your condition.
