involves inflammation of the joints between the vertebrae and sacroiliac joints. Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of chronic inflammatory arthritis, the most common of which is rheumatoid arthritis, and causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited motion in the (lower) back. It causes the affected vertebrae to fuse or grow together, resulting in a rigid spine (bamboo spine), poor posture, and deformities. Pain and stiffness may progress up to the hip, shoulder, knee, and hand joints.

- Reminant of the embryonic notochord

- situated in the central portion of the intervertebral disk surrounded by the annulus fibrous

- made of cartilgenous and reticular fibers

- could herniate through the annulus fibrous and impinge on spinal nerves, if occurs usually in lumbar region

Normally: acts as a shock absorbing mechanism

Atlas

supports the skull

no body and no spine, has anterior and posterior arches

Axis

has the dens which articulates with the anterior arch of the atlas

has the smallest transverse processes

a fracture of the pedicles of the axis

Often occurs as a result of: judicial hanging or an automobile accident

The cruciform ligament is crushed and the spinal cord is crushed = death

defective closure of the vertebral arch, usually as a a result of maternal folic acid deficiency

occulta: failure of vertebral arch to fuse (hair over skin of area)

meningocele: protrusion of meninges through the unfused arch of the vertebra

cystica: a severe neural tube defect

-meningocele and meningomyclocele (protrusion of meninges and spinal cord thorugh the dfect)

Pain radiating down the posterior aspect of the thigh.  

Can be a result of disc herniation

L4/L5, where the nucleus pulposas impinges on the L5 spinal nerve

Cervical: The nerve for each segment arise above the vertebra.  ex: for C2 C3, C2 nerve is on top of C2 and C3 goes on top of C3 which is between C2 and C3, and will this be impinged upon with a herniated disc. (note : in the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral regions the nerve of the same number arises below the vertebra of the same number)

Other lower levels:  If a disc herniates between L4 and L5, it will be impinging on the L5 spinal nerve. This is because the L4 nerve lies immediately below the L4 pedicle, above the herniating disc. However, the L5 nerve roots are already proceeding laterally toward the L5 intervertebral foramen, so it is usually caught by the herniating L4/5 disc. 

- shock absorber

-withstands weight

-adds length to the vertebral column

1. supraspinous

2. interspinous

3. ligamenta flava

Located along the posterior surface of all vertebral bodies.

(if you stuck a needle in it would pass both the dura mater and pia mater before getting to the posterior longitudinal ligament)

A muscle that acts on the vertebral column producing its movements and maintaing its posture.

Innervated by the posterior (dorsal) primary rami

Vertebrae= 33 ( arranged into 5 regions: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacaral and 4 coccygeal)

spinal cord = 31 (8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal)

1. Ptosis: eyelid droops- sympathetic innervates smooth muscle in eyelid

2. Constricted Pupil- parasympathetic innervates sphincter pupillae muscles

3. Anhidrosis- No sweat- sypmathetic innervates sudoriferous (sweat) glands

4. Flushed face: sympathetic innervates smooth muscle in wall of vessels, especially arteries if smooth muscle denervated, vessels expand

Can be the result of a pancoast tumor (on lung), essentially damage to the sympathetic chain ganglia

the first and last, the middle 29 are typical

first cervical = purely motor (both somatic and visceral motor)

First coccygeal= purely sensory

sympathetic,

There are no parasympathetic fibers in the body wall or in the upper or lower limbs .  In these areas, sympathetic both constricts and dilates the blood vessels.