511 quiz #3

Spinal cord definition

Highway between the brain and body

Spinal cord function

Carries sensory input (ascending tracks) and motor output (descending tracks)

The spinal cord is critical for these things

Respiration, phonation, and swallowing

How many pairs are there of spinal nerves?

31

Cervical division contains of _____ and the ____, ____, and ____

C1-C8, Diaphragm, neck, and arms

Thoracic divisions consists of these #s and the ____ and ______

T1-T11, trunk, intercostals

The lumbar region consists of these # and the ___ ____

L1-L5 and lower limbs

The sacral divisions consist of these #s and the ____ and ____

S1-S5, pelvis and legs

Between what places does the spinal cord extend from?

The medulla to the L1-L2 vertebra

Gray matter definition and characteristics

Butterfly shape with motor/sensory neurons

White matter in the spinal cord

In Ascending and descending tracks

CSF Circulation occurs in the

Central Canal

Higher injury in the spinal cord indicates

More severe functional loss

SCI In the C1-C3 region indicates

Loss of diaphragm control, leading to ventilator dependency

SCI In the C4-C5 region indicates

Possible partial diaphragm activity, weak respiration

SCI In thoracic region indicates

Paralysis of the lower body, but respiration often preserved

SCI In the lumbar/sacral region indicates

Lower limb paralysis only

SCI in the high cervical regions requires

Airway management and tracheostomy impacting speech/swallow

SLP relevance with SCI injuries (upper regions)

Patients may require ventilator communication strategies, AAC, Swallowing management

SCI patients are often present for voice, swallowing, and communication rehab

Ascending track function in the spinal cord

Transmits information from spinal cord to brain, and carries info regarding touch, pressure, pain and temperature

Descending pathways function in the spinal cord

Carry motor commands from the brain to the spinal cord, then sent to muscles to control movement.

Dorsal columns in the ascending tract are responsible for

Fine touch, proprioception

The Spinothalamic in the ascending tract are responsible for

Temperature, pain, crude touch

The spinocerebellar in the ascending tract are responsible for

Unconscious proprioception, coordination

the corticospinal in the descending track is responsible for

Voluntary body movement

The corticobulbar in the descending track is responsible for

Voluntary cranial nerve control (speech and swallowing)

The extraparymidal in the descending track is responsible for

Posture, tone

Cervical plexus definition

A network of nerve fibers located deep within the neck

How is the cervical plexus formed?

By anterior rami if the C1-4 with vital contribution from C5

Cervical plexus function

Provides sensory and motor intervention to parts of the head, neck, shoulders, and diaphragm

Phrenic nerve origin

From the spinal roots (C3, C4, C5) and travels through the chest past the heart to the diaphragm

The phrenic nerve motor task is essential for

Breathing, and speech and swallowing

The sensory Phrenic nerve function

Sensing pain signals from the lungs, heart and lining under the diaphragm

Brain stem definition

The connection between the spinal cord and higher brain structures

3 parts of the brain stem

Midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata

Brain stem functions

A conduit for sensory and motor tracts, houses cranial nuclei (cn 3-12) and regulates essential life functions

What essential life functions does the brainstem regulate?

Respirations, heart rate, blood pressure, arousal, consciousness

Medulla oblongata definition

Lowest part of the brainstem, continuous with spinal cord structures

Pyramids (of the medulla) definition

Contains corticospinal tracts (motor) and site of descussation

Olives (of the medulla) is responsible for

Motor learning and coordination (cranial IX-XII)

Reticular formation (of the medulla) has

Vital centers for heat rate, breathing

Pons definition

Bridge between medulla and midbrain, connect the cerebellum to the brain stem

Structures in the pons

Pontine nuclei, cranial nerves V-VIII, ascending sensory tracks & descending cortico tracks

Pontine nuclei function

Relay info between the cortex and cerebellum

Pons & Cerebellar peduncles characteristics

think bundles of nerves that connect ponds at pontine nucleus to cerebellum

Midbrain location

Uppermost portion continuous with diencephalon

Major structure of the midbrain

tectum, tegementum, cerebral penduncles

Tectum (posterior) functions

Visual reflexes for superior colliculi, auditory reflex for the inferior colliculi

Tegmentum function

Red nucleus (motor coordination) and substantia nigra (dopamine, movement control) and cranial nerve nuclei III-IV

The Tegumental region is

Core area of the brainstem

the dorsal columns/the medial lemniscus in the brainstem contains

Spinocerebellar tracts which send proprioceptive info to the cerebellum

Ascending pathway in the brainstem as a conduit contains the

Spinothalamic tracks in charge of pain and temperature

Descendants pathway in the brainstem as a conduit contains the

Corticospinal tracks (voluntary movement of limbs) and corticobulbar tracks *motor control of cranial nerves

Strokes can lead to

Dysarthria, dysphasia, hemiparesis, ataxia

Locked in syndrome (ventral pons damage) is

Paralysis of voluntary muscles and preserved eye movement

medullary lesion disorders include

Difficulty with respiration, swallowing, and heart regulation

Midbrain lesion disorders lead include

Parkinsonism, oculomotor deficits

Multiple sclerosis of tumors can

Affect cranial nerve nuclei and tracks

The brain communication with the cortex (ascending)

Projecting to the thalamus and then the cortex

The brain communication with the cortex (descending)

originate in cortex, passes through brainstem

The brain communication with the cortex (Reticular activating system)

Projects to cortex to regulate consciousness and attention

Reticular formation location

Diffuse network of nuclei throughout the brainstem (pons, medulla, midbrain)

Function of the reticular formation

To cause arousal and consciousness (ascending pathway), autonomic control, modulation of motor tone

Clinical relevance of reticular formation for SLPS

Damage can impair swallowing initiation, reflexive cough, or autonomic breathing, dysfunction impacts ability to engage in therapy

Substantia nigra (Parkinsonism) location

Midbrain, part of basically ganglia circuitory

Substantia nigra (Parkinsonism) Function

Dopamine production that is critical for motor ignition and control (works with striatum)

Substantia nigra (Parkinsonism) Clinical relevance

Degeration of substantia nigra causes Parkinson’s disease

Parkinson’s Disease features

Presents hypokenetic dysarthria, reduced loudness, monotone speech, and swallowing difficulty

SLP TIE IN with Parkinson’s (degeneration of substantia nigra)

Voice therapy (LVST) focuses on increasing amplitude of movement and vocal intensity

Olivary nucleus definitition

Collection of brainstem nuclei (inferior), locate sounds (superior), pretectal coordinate

Location of olivary nucleus

Medulla, lateral to the pyramid

Function of the Oliver’s nucleus

Relays info to the cerebellum via olivocerebellar fibers (important for motor learning and planning)

Inferior olive clinical relevance

Lesions > ataxia, impaired motor timing

SLP impact for the inferior olive damage

Ataxic dysarthria > irregular articulatory breakdowns, altered porosity

Media leminiscus location

Ascending sensory tract in the brainstem

Media lemniscus function

Carries vine touch, vibration, proprioception from the body to the thalamus

Clinical relevance of the medial lemniscus

Lesions cause loss of tactile and proprioceptive awareness

SLP tie in to the medial lemniscus

Reduced oral tactile feedback may impair articulation precisions, chewing and swallowing