Week 5 - spinal cord

• Anatomy and physiology of the spinal cord and spinal nerves
• Determining a dosage
• Synomics and pharmacology of drugs
• Anatomy and functions of the spinal cord, spinal nerves, and nerve roots
• Anatomy of the spinal cord

  Organised into sections: Cervical (C1-C8), Thoracic (T1-T12), Lumbar (L1-L5), Sacral (S1-S5), Coccygeal (Co1-Co4)
• Spinal nerves


  • Branch out from the spinal cord to innervate the peripheral body
• Spinal cord is protected by vertebral column
• Spinal cord terminates as the conus medullaris and is anchored to the coccyx by the filum terminale
• Spinal cord functions: Sensory, Motor, Autonomic
• Main ascending spinal cord tracts

  • Fasciculus gracilis
  • Fasciculus cuneatus
  • Lateral spinothalamic
  • Anterior spinocerebellar
  • Posterior spinocerebellar
• Main descending spinal cord tracts

  • Lateral corticospinal
  • Anterior corticospinal
• Ascending tracts


  Conduct fine touch, vibration, proprioception, pain, temperature
• Descending tracts


  Conduct somatic motor output to control skeletal muscles of limbs and trunk