Nandini Shaw, a first year MBBS student at ESIC Medical College Gulbarga, presented a physiology seminar on the vertebral column, spinal cord, and spinal nerves. The presentation covered the anatomy and functions of the vertebral column, regions of the spinal cord, spinal meninges, cross section of the spinal cord, and the branches and functions of spinal nerves. It explained that the vertebral column protects the spinal cord, allows movement, and serves as an attachment point for muscles and limbs. The spinal cord transmits signals between the brain and body and manages autonomic functions through 31 pairs of spinal nerves.

1. NAME: NANDINI SHAW
ROLL NO:64
1ST YEAR/MBBS/ESIC GULBARGA
PHYSIOLOGY SEMINAR

2. TOPIC
1. VERTEBRAL COLUMN
2. SPINAL CORD
3. SPINAL NERVE

3. ABOUT VERTEBRAL COLUMN
 Also called spine, spinal
column or backbone
 Composed of series of bones
called vertebrae
 About 71 cm (28inch) : In adult
male
 About 61cm (24 inch): In adult
female
 Total number of vertebrae
during early development is
33.
 But adults have only 26
vertebrae as sacrum and
coccyx bones becomes fused.

4. REGIONS OF VERTEBRAL COLUMN
 7 Cervical vertebrae
(C1-C7)
 12 Thoracic vertebrae
(T1-T12)
 5 Lumbar vertebrae
(L1-L5)
 1 Sacrum
(5 Fused)
 1 Coccyx
(4 Fused)

5. FUNCTION OF VERTEBRAL COLUMN
 Supports the head
 Enclose and protect spinal
cord
 Serve as point of
attachment to ribs, pelvic
girdle and muscles of
back and upper limb.
 Absorbs shock
 Permits movement

6. ABOUT SPINAL CORD
 Cylindrical in shape.
 Extends from foramen
magnum:L1/L2 (adult)
 Terminates between L1-L2
 Connected to 31 pairs of
spinal nerves.
 Not uniform in diameter
throughout length.
CNS
SPINAL
CORD
BRAIN

7. ABOUT SPINAL CORD
 Tapered end is called
conus medullaris(L1-
L2).
 Cervical Enlargement
(C5-T1): supplies lower
limbs.
 Lumbar enlargement
(L2-S3): supplies
lower limbs.

8. ABOUT SPINAL CORD
 There are gray matter
and white matter
present in the spinal
cord.
 Two relationship as we
descend down from
cervical to coccygeal
region i.e. the white
matter decreases and
the gray matter
increases.

9. SPINAL MENINGES
 Spinal cord is surrounded
by 3 meninges:
(i) Duramater: Outermost
layer, continuous with
epineurium of spinal
nerves.
(ii) Arachnoid matter: Delicate
network of collagen and
elastic fibres.
(iii)Pia mater: Thin layer of
elastic and collagen fibres
tightly bound to surface of
brain and spinal cord.

10. CROSS SECTION OF SPINAL CORD
 Posterior median sulcus and
posterior gray horn present
in posterior portion.
 Anterior median fissure and
anterior gray horn in the
anterior surface.
 The white columns present
are named with respect to
gray matter.
 Posterior white column
called dorsal funiculus,
lateral column called lateral
funiculus and ventral called
ventral funiculus.

11. CROSS SECTION OF SPINAL CORD
 Some bulbs coming
off from the sides
in between
posterior and
ventral gray horns
called lateral gray
horns.
 It consists of
preganglionic
motor neurons of
sympathetic
nervous system.

12. FUNCTION OF SPINAL CORD
 The spinal
cord transmits signals from
the human brain to the
rest of the system and
also from remainder of
the entire body to
the mind.
 The spinal
cord possibly mediates
the PNS.
 The spinal
cord perhaps manages aut
onomic functions.

13. ABOUT SPINAL NERVE
 The nerves coming out
between the vertebrae
are called spinal nerve.
 Path of communication
between spinal cord
and body.
 Mixed nerve carrying
motor, sensory and
autonomic signals
between spinal cord
and body.

14. SEGMENTS OF SPINAL NERVE
 Cervical segment: 8 pairs of
spinal nerves
 Thoracic segment: 12 pairs of
spinal nerves.
 Lumbar segment: 5 pairs of
spinal nerves.
 Sacral segment: 5 pairs of
spinal nerves.
 Coccygeal segment: 1 pair of
spinal nerve.
 Therefore, total 31 pairs of
spinal nerves are there.
 The first cervical spinal nerve is
the only spinal nerve that exits
above its respective vertebrae.

15. SPINAL NERVE
 Cauda equina: Spinal nerve
extending from L2 to
coccygeal.
 It has 2 connection to
spinal cord:
posterior/dorsal root and
anterior/ventral root.
 They unite to form spinal
nerve at intervertebral
foramina.
 Post. Root contain post.
root ganglion where cell
bodies of sensory neuron is
located.

16. SPINAL NERVE & FUNCTIONS
 From the root, a spinal
nerve divides into several
branches.
 These branches are called
rami; post. (dorsal) ramus
and anterior (ventral)
ramus.
 Dorsal ramus serve the
deep muscles and skin of
the post. Surface of the
trunk.
 Anterior ramus serve
muscles of upper and lower
limbs.

17. :SOME OF THE SOURCES:
BDC Gross Anatomy
G.K.Pal Physiology
https://functionsof.org/functions-of-spinal-cord/
https://revhc.ca/what-vertebrae-are-responsible-for-what-ask-a-chiropractor/
Profound gratitude to the Department of Physiology, ESIC Medical College Gulbarga