Chapter 18: Spinal Cord

makes up anterior, lateral, and posterior columns and contains myelinated axons (conduct signals)

White matter

cell bodies involved in processing information and reflexes, in anterior, lateral, and posterior horns

Gray matter

Lateral column: Descending tracts

Lateral corticospinal and lateral reticulospinal tracts

Lateral column: Ascending tracts

Posterior spinocerebellar and anterior spinocerebellar tracts

A thick membrane which surrounds the spinal cord and a portion of spinal nerves. It has dense, parallel bundles of collagen that provide great strength

Dura mater

Primarily loose areolar tissue, it is a thin, vascular, and translucent membrane that covers the entire surface of the spinal cord and spinal nerves

Pia mater