spinal cord (redirected from Spinal chord)

cord (kord) any long, cylindrical, flexible structure.

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genital cord  in the embryo, the midline fused caudal part of the two urogenital ridges, each containing a mesonephric and paramesonephric duct.

gubernacular cord  a portion of the gubernaculum testis or of the round ligament of the uterus that develops in the inguinal crest and adjoining body wall.

sexual cords  the seminiferous tubules of the early fetus.

spermatic cord  the structure extending from the abdominal inguinal ring to the testis, comprising the pampiniform plexus, nerves, ductus deferens, testicular artery, and other vessels.

spinal cord  that part of the central nervous system lodged in the vertebral canal, extending from the foramen magnum to the upper part of the lumbar region.

umbilical cord  the structure connecting the fetus and placenta, and containing the vessels through which fetal blood passes to and from the placenta.

vocal cords  folds of mucous membrane in the larynx; the superior pair are called the false vocal cords and the inferior, the true vocal cords.

Willis' cords  fibrous bands traversing the inferior angle of the superior sagittal sinus.

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spinal cord n. The thick, whitish cord of nerve tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata down through the spinal column and from which the spinal nerves branch off to various parts of the body. Also called spinal marrow.

spinal cord Left: cross section of vertebral column showing the spinal cord within the column Right: segment of spinal cord with nerve fibers arising from it

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Spinal cord

Elongated nerve bundles that lie in the vertebral canal and from which the spinal nerves emerge.

Mentioned in: Coccyx Injuries

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spinal cord,

a long, nearly cylindric structure lodged in the vertebral canal and extending from the foramen magnum at the base of the skull to the upper part of the lumbar region. A major component of the central nervous system, the adult cord is approximately 1 cm in diameter, with an average length of 42 to 45 cm and a weight of 30 g. The cord is an extension of the medulla oblongata of the brain that extends at the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra. The cord conducts sensory and motor impulses to and from the brain and controls many reflexes. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves originate from the cord: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. It has an inner core of gray material consisting mainly of nerve cell bodies. The cord is enclosed by three protective membranes (meninges): the dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater. Also called chorda spinalis, medulla spinalis. See also segments of spinal cord, spinal nerves.

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cord [kord]

any long, cylindrical, flexible structure; called also chord, chorda, and funiculus.

spermatic cord the structure extending from the abdominal inguinal ring to the testis, comprising the pampiniform plexus, nerves, ductus deferens, testicular artery, and other vessels.

spinal cord see spinal cord.

tethered cord a congenital anomaly resulting from defective closure of the neural tube; the conus medullaris is abnormally low and tethered by a short, thickened filum terminale, fibrous bands, intradural lipoma, or some other intradural abnormality. Surgical correction in infancy or early childhood is necessary to prevent progressive neurological deficit in the lower limb and bladder dysfunction.

umbilical cord see umbilical cord.

vocal c's see vocal cords.

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spinal [spi´nal]

1. pertaining to a spine.

2. pertaining to the vertebral column.

spinal cord that part of the central nervous system lodged in the spinal canal, extending from the foramen magnum to the upper part of the lumbar region. It is composed of an inner core of gray substance in which nerve cells predominate and an outer layer of white substance in which myelinated nerve fibers predominate. Called also medulla spinalis. (See Plates and see accompanying figures.)

Gross anatomy of the spinal cord. From Applegate, 2000.

Cross section of the spinal cord. From Applegate, 2000.

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cord(s),

n a long, rounded organ or body.

cord, spinal,

n the central nervous system cord contained in the vertebral column. It is essential to the regulation and administration of various motor, sensory, and autonomic nerve activities of the body. Through its pathways it conducts impulses from the extremities, trunk, and neck to and from the higher centers and to consciousness. It thus provides for simple reflexes, has control over visceral activities, and participates in the conscious activities of the body.

cord, vocal,

the membranous structures in the throat that produce sound; the thyroarytenoid ligaments of the larynx. The inferior cords are called the
true vocal cords, and the superior cords are called the
false vocal cords.

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spinal cord

that part of the central nervous system lodged in the spinal canal, extending from the foramen magnum to a point in the lumbar or sacral vertebrae, depending on the species.

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spinal cord abscess

see spinal abscess.

spinal cord atrophy

diminution in mass of the entire cord, is usually the hallmark of undernutrition or old age, or both.

spinal cord compression

may be gradual due to space-occupying lesion of vertebral canal, such as abscess, callus of a fracture, or a tumor, or acute due to fracture dislocation or thrombosis. In general, clinical signs include paresis or paralysis, but depending on the level of the spinal cord involved and the type of lesion present there may also be urinary incontinence, loss of sensation, Horner's syndrome, and in acute lesions, spinal shock.

spinal cord degeneration

see myelomalacia.

spinal cord hemorrhage

see hematomyelia.

spinal cord hypoplasia

usually segmental, especially in the lumbar area.

spinal cord local ischemia

caused by embolus of a spinal artery; has the same effect as traumatic injury (see below).

spinal cord tracts

more or less distinct bundles of fibers within the white matter of the spinal cord. There are three funiculi on each side of the cord—dorsal, lateral and ventral; subdivisions within the funiculi include eleven major tracts—gracile and cuneate fasciculi, lateral and ventral corticospinal tracts, rubrospinal tract, dorsal and ventral spinocerebellar tracts, lateral and ventral spinothalamic tracts, elementary apparatus fibers, ventral corticospinal tract, vestibulospinal tract.

spinal cord traumatic injury

fracture or dislocation of one or more vertebrae; causes a syndrome of acute flaccid paralysis in the area supplied with nerves from the injured segment and spastic paralysis in the parts supplied by the cord segments caudal to the injury.