Spinal neuron

Spinal neurons are specialized nerve cells located within the spinal cord.[1] They are a crucial component of the central nervous system. These neurons play vital roles in transmitting and processing information between the brain and the rest of the body.[2]

Types of Spinal Neurons

Motor Neurons

Motor Neurons are located in the front (ventral) horns of the spinal cord's grey matter. [3] They carry information from the brain and spinal cord to the body's muscles. This tells our body to stimulate muscle movement.[4]

Sensory Neurons

Sensory neurons are found in the back (dorsal) horns of the spinal cord's grey matter. They carry sensory information such as touch, pressure, and pain from the body to the spinal cord and brain.[5]

Interneurons

Interneurons are the most abundant type of neuron in the spinal cord. They process and convey information between sensory neurons and motor neurons. [6]

Function and Connectivity[7]

Within the spinal cord, spinal neurons organize into intricate networks that enable a variety of activities.

1. Signal Transmission: They facilitate both deliberate and involuntary movements by transmitting messages from the brain to the body.
2. Reflex Actions: include certain spinal neurons, allow for rapid, reflexive reactions to stimuli without requiring direct brain involvement.
3. Information Processing: Before sending sensory data to the brain, spinal neurons partially analyze it.
4. Synaptic Connections: Through synapses and neurotransmitters, spinal neurons exchange information with neurons in other regions of the nervous system as well as with one another.

Spinal Cord Organizion[8]

Between the brain and the body, the spinal cord is the most crucial component. From the foramen magnum, where it joins the medulla, the spinal cord reaches the first or second lumbar vertebrae. It is an essential connection between the body and the brain as well as between the two. The spinal cord has a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm and a length of 40 to 50 cm. On either side, two successive rows of nerve roots appear. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves are formed by the distal union of these nerve roots.

The spinal cord is a uniformly organized, cylindrical structure of white and gray matter that is separated into four regions: cervical (C), thoracic (T), lumbar (L), and sacral (S). Each area is made up of many segments. Motor and sensory nerve fibers to and from every area of the body are found in the spinal nerve. A dermatome is innervated by each segment of the spinal cord.

The spinal cord is organized into segments, each corresponding to specific regions of the body:

• 8 cervical (neck)
• 12 thoracic (chest)
• 5 lumbar (abdominal)
• 5 sacral (pelvic)
• 1 coccygeal (tailbone)

Clinical Significance[9]

Numerous neurological disorders can arise from damage to spinal neurons, including:

• Paralysis
• Loss of sensation
• Impaired reflexes
• Altered motor control

The location and severity of the spinal cord injury or disease determine the particular symptoms.

In order to diagnose and treat spinal cord illnesses and to create prospective treatments for spinal cord injuries, it is essential to comprehend spinal neurons and their roles.

References

1. Zhang, Zhiyun; Zheng, Hao; Yu, Qingquan; Jing, Xianghong (2024-12-31). "Understanding of Spinal Wide Dynamic Range Neurons and Their Modulation on Pathological Pain". Journal of Pain Research. 17: 441–457. doi:10.2147/JPR.S446803. PMC 10840524. PMID 38318328.
2. Chen, Zhe (2019-01-01). "Common cues wire the spinal cord: Axon guidance molecules in spinal neuron migration". Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology. Axon guidance: Signaling pathways old and new across a variety of developmental contexts. 85: 71–77. doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.12.012. ISSN 1084-9521. PMID 29274387.
3. Biga, Lindsay M.; Bronson, Staci; Dawson, Sierra; Harwell, Amy; Hopkins, Robin; Kaufmann, Joel; LeMaster, Mike; Matern, Philip; Morrison-Graham, Katie; Oja, Kristen; Quick, Devon; Runyeon, Jon; Oeru, Osu; OpenStax (2019-09-26). "14.4 The Spinal Cord". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
4. "The Central Nervous System | SEER Training". training.seer.cancer.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
5. Biga, Lindsay M.; Bronson, Staci; Dawson, Sierra; Harwell, Amy; Hopkins, Robin; Kaufmann, Joel; LeMaster, Mike; Matern, Philip; Morrison-Graham, Katie; Oja, Kristen; Quick, Devon; Runyeon, Jon; Oeru, Osu; OpenStax (2019-09-26). "14.4 The Spinal Cord". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
6. McFarlan, Amanda R.; Chou, Christina Y. C.; Watanabe, Airi; Cherepacha, Nicole; Haddad, Maria; Owens, Hannah; Sjöström, P. Jesper (February 2023). "The plasticitome of cortical interneurons". Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 24 (2): 80–97. doi:10.1038/s41583-022-00663-9. ISSN 1471-0048. PMID 36585520.
7. Chen, Zhe (2019-01-01). "Common cues wire the spinal cord: Axon guidance molecules in spinal neuron migration". Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology. Axon guidance: Signaling pathways old and new across a variety of developmental contexts. 85: 71–77. doi:10.1016/j.semcdb.2017.12.012. ISSN 1084-9521. PMID 29274387.
8. "Anatomy of the Spinal Cord (Section 2, Chapter 3) Neuroscience Online: An Electronic Textbook for the Neurosciences | Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy - The University of Texas Medical School at Houston". nba.uth.tmc.edu. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
9. "Spinal Cord Injury | National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke". www.ninds.nih.gov. Retrieved 2024-12-03.