Spinal Cord Facts

The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves running down the middle of the backbone.
The spinal cord is the route for all nerve signals traveling between the brain and the body.
The spinal cord can actually work independently of the brain, sending out responses to the muscles directly.
The outside of the spinal cord is made of the long tails or axons of nerve cells and is called white matter; the inside is made of the main nerve bodies and is called grey matter.
Your spinal cord is about 43 cm long and I cm thick. It stops growing when you are about five years old.
Damage to the spinal cord can cause paralysis.
Injuries below the neck can cause paraplegia — paralysis below the waist.
Injuries to the neck can cause quadriplegia — paralysis below the neck.
Descending pathways are groups of nerves that carry nerve signals down the spinal cord – typically signals from the brain for muscles to move.
Ascending pathways are groups of nerves that carry nerve signals up the spinal cord – typically signals from the skin and internal body sensors going to the brain.

This entry is filed under Interesting Facts.