- Cervical enlargement
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Cervical enlargement Diagrams of the medulla spinalis. (Cervical enlargement labeled at upper right.) Latin intumescentia cervicalis Gray's subject #185 752 The cervical enlargement corresponds with the attachments of the large nerves which supply the upper limbs.
It extends from about the third cervical to the second thoracic vertebra, its maximum circumference (about 38 mm.) being on a level with the attachment of the sixth pair of cervical nerves.
The reason behind the enlargement of the cervical region is because of the increased neural input and output to the upper limbs.
An analogous region in the lower limbs occurs at the lumbar enlargement.
External links
- cervical+enlargement at eMedicine Dictionary
- lesson6spinalcord&coverings at The Anatomy Lesson by Wesley Norman (Georgetown University)
- SUNY Labs 02:08-0101 - "Vertebral Canal and Spinal Cord: Regions of the Spinal Cord"
- Atlas of anatomy at UMich n3a5p3 - "Spinal Cord, Fetus, Posterior View"
This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.
Anatomy of torso (primarily): the spinal cord (TA 14.1.02, GA 9.749) External, dorsal Posterior median sulcus · Posterolateral sulcusGrey matter/
Rexed laminaeI–VI: Posterior hornI: Marginal nucleus · II: Substantia gelatinosa of Rolando · III+IV: Nucleus proprius · Spinal lamina V · Spinal lamina VIVII: Lateral hornVIII–IX: Anterior hornX: OtherWhite matter somatic/
ascending
(blue)Posterior/PCML: touch: Gracile · Cuneate
Lateral: proprioception: Spinocerebellar (Dorsal, Ventral) · pain/temp: Spinothalamic (Lateral, Anterior) · Posterolateral (Lissauer) · Spinotectal
Spinoreticular tract · Spino-olivary tractmotor/
descending
(red)Lateral: Corticospinal (Lateral) · Ep (Rubrospinal, Olivospinal)
Anterior: Corticospinal (Anterior) · Ep (Vestibulospinal, Reticulospinal, Tectospinal)bothExternal, ventral Anterior median fissure · Anterolateral sulcusExternal, general Categories:- Nerves of the upper limb
- Neuroscience stubs
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