Brain and Spinal Cord

🔮 Brain and Spinal Cord

The brain and spinal cord are your body's central nervous system. The brain is the command center for your body, and the spinal cord is the pathway for messages sent by the brain to the body and from the body to the brain.

🔹 Brain Stem :

The brain stem connects the brain with the spinal cord. It controls hunger and thirst and some of the most basic body functions, such as body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing.

🔹 Central Nervous System :

The base, or lower part, of the brain is connected to the spinal cord. Together, the brain and spinal cord are known as the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Many nerves send electrical signals to and from the brain and spinal cord.

It is referred to as "central" because it integrates information from the entire body and coordinates activity across the whole organism.

🔹 Meninges :

Meninges are membranes that cover and protect the brain and spinal cord. There are three layers of meninges :

📍 Dura mater (closest to the bone)

📍 Arachnoid loosely around the brain

📍 Pia mater is closely attached to the brain and spinal cord surface.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) cushions the brain and spinal cord.

🔹 Spinal Cord :

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column.

🔹 Functions of Spinal Cord :

The spinal cord carries out two main functions:

💡 It connects a large part of the peripheral nervous system to the brain.

💡 Information (nerve impulses) reaching the spinal cord through sensory neurons are transmitted up into the brain.

Although the spinal column is somewhat flexible, some of the vertebrae in the lower parts of the spinal column become fused.

The spinal cord is located in the vertebral foramen and is made up of 31 segments: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 1 coccygeal.

An accident that causes your vertebrae to break can also damage your spinal cord. And when the spinal cord is damaged, the highway is essentially closed. Nerve impulses can't get through. This results in paralysis – loss of mobility and sensation – below the level of injury.

🔹 Emergency Signs and Symptoms of Spinal Cord Injury after an accident :

☄ It may include extreme back pain or pressure in your neck, head or back.

☄ Weakness, incoordination or paralysis in any part of your body.

☄ Numbness, tingling or loss of sensation in your hands, fingers, feet or toes