All About the Spine

To learn about the impact of the musculoskeletal system on overall health, I must first be familiar with the spinal column. Three short articles from Gale's Science In Context helped me to do this.

First, an article in the World of Anatomy and Physiology described the basics of the vertebral column. It is composed of 33 separate vertebrae and is the main structural support of the skeletal system. This is one reason why it is so important to make sure the spine is in its proper alignment. In anatomical nomenclature, the spine is the axis which divides the body into symmetrical halves.

The spine can be further divided into several regions based on function. First, the cervical region of the spine supports the skull and allows the neck to pivot. Next, the thoracic region provides a site for attachment of ribs and muscles of the thorax. Below that, five large vertebrae compose the lumbar region, which are important in weight bearing. Finally, the sacrum and coccyx lie below the lumbar region, and are fused from separate vertebral structures.

The second article, "Spinal cord", emphasized the importance of the spine as a part of the central nervous system along with the brain. Like the brain, the spinal vertebrae are made up of gray and white matter. The gray matter is located in the interior of each vertebrae and is made up of cell bodies--sensory neurons which transmit information from the skin. The white matter surrounds the gray matter and is formed from nerve tracts between the spine and the brain. There are three types: corticospinal tracts (carry motor messages from the brain), dorsal columns (carry sensory messages from the skin), and spinothalamic tracts (carry pain and temperature messages). This matter is further surrounded by layers of membranes which protect the spinal cord, called meninges. Nerves branch out from the main column to form the peripheral nervous system, which carries signals to the rest of the body.

"Vertebra" confirmed the information from the first article about each of the spinal regions, going into further detail about the structure of each vertebra. They consist of round, central bodies separated by cartilaginous discs. A prominence called the neural arch exists on the ventral surface of each vertebra, with a large foramen between it and the body. The spine is such a diverse bone structure because, although all the vertebrae resemble each other, the functional requirements for each vary greatly.

This information covers my first subquestion regarding the biomechanics, structure, and function of the spine. This could actually be a research question all by itself, due to the complexities of each spinal region. However, a basic understanding of how this structure works is all I need for my research purposes.

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