Question

The spinal cord Functions: This is to describe the physiology. Do not discuss any anatomical description.

Answer 1

The physiological functions of spinal cord:

Spinal cord helps in the conveying of several signals from the receptor to the brain, and after modulation of the signal in brain, the motor signal is also transfferd to the effector organ through this spinal cord. So spinal cord has a sensory, motor function in body to sense somatic sensations, perform several reflexes and maintain the tone/power of muscles in the body. Spinal cord has also autonomic functions, through this autonomic power spinal cord control the activity of viseral organs.

1.Sensory function: The afferent fibres convey the somatic sensation like thermal and pain sensations by entering to the spinal cord (Dorsal nerve root of spinal cord). Others impulses like touch, pressure, vibration are also conveyed through the spinal cord (medial division). After entering into spinal cord all the sensation is conveyed to the brain through some tracts(spinothalamic tract, dorsal column tract etc) for the perception in the brain.

2.Motor functions: The motor information from the brain is carried by the pyramidal and extrapyramidal tract of the spinal cord. By this motor function spinal cord control tendon reflexes, movements of muscles and joints, and others reflexes of the body.

3.Autonomic functions: The information from the visearal organs are conveyed through the thoracolumber and sacral spinal segments to the brain for perception. The efferent fibres from the brain travelled through the spinal cord to the viseral organs like heart, lungs, kidney, stomach etc and control their activity.