Spinal Cord
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredThe spinal cord is part of your nervous system. It carries signals that control the body’s movements and convey sensations. It is housed inside the column of bones called the spine or spinal column. Watch to learn more about the spine and spinal cord.
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Piedmont Heart Institute answered
The spinal cord has a core of tissue containing nerve cells, surrounded by long tracts of nerve fibers consisting of axons. The tracts extend up and down the spinal cord, carrying signals to and from the brain. The average size of the spinal cord varies in circumference along its length from the width of a thumb to the width of one of the smaller fingers. The spinal cord extends down through the upper two thirds of the vertebral canal, from the base of the brain to the lower back, and is generally 15 to 17 inches long depending on an individual's height.
The interior of the spinal cord is made up of neurons, their support cells called glia, and blood vessels. The neurons and their dendrites (branching projections that help neurons communicate with each other) reside in an H-shaped region called "grey matter."
The H-shaped grey matter of the spinal cord contains motor neurons that control movement, smaller interneurons that handle communication within and between the segments of the spinal cord, and cells that receive sensory signals and then send information to the centers in the brain.
Surrounding the grey matter of neurons is white matter. Most axons are covered with an insulating substance called myelin, which allows electrical signals to flow freely and quickly. Myelin has a whitish appearance due to which the outer section of the spinal cord is called "white matter."
Most of these electrical signals are then relayed to the brain. The spinal cord also contains neuronal circuits that control reflexes and repetitive movements, such as walking, which can be activated by incoming sensory signals without input from the brain.
The functions of these nerves are determined by their location in the spinal cord. They control everything from body functions, such as breathing, sweating, digestion, and elimination, to gross and fine motor skills, as well as sensations in the arms and legs.
This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
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Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answeredMeningococcal disease is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation of the membranes over the spinal cord and surrounding the brain. It can also cause infection in the blood. Because it attacks the brain and spinal cord, it can also cause hearing loss, learning disabilities, or brain damage. Meningococcal disease caused by bacteria can be treated with antibiotics. But even with treatment, the disease can be fatal. The meningococcal meningitis vaccine offers some protection against meningitis.
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2 AnswersA
Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredSee All 2 AnswersThe spinal cord is the dense cable of nerves that carries signals to control movement and convey sensation. The animation lets you see straight through the bones to the spinal cord.
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Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredThe spinal cord runs through a column of open space that is created when the bones of the spine, called the vertebrae, are stacked on top of each other. The animation tells you more about where the spinal cord is located.
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The cervical spinal cord is the part of the spinal cord that runs through the neck. Each vertebra has an opening called the vertebral foramen. When the vertebrae are stacked on each other, the vertebral foramens form a tunnel to hold the spinal cord.
(This answer provided for NATA by the University of Alabama Athletic Training Education Program.)