spinal cord
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brainstem down through the vertebral column (spine). It is a major part of the central nervous system, responsible for transmitting nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
Usage
- The spinal cord is protected by the bones of the spinal column.
- Damage to the spinal cord can result in paralysis or loss of sensation.
- Sensory information from the skin travels to the brain via the spinal cord.
Examples
- Noun:
- The injury severely damaged his spinal cord.
- The brain and the spinal cord together form the central nervous system.
- Reflex actions are often processed at the level of the spinal cord without involving the brain.
Advanced Usage
- "Spinal cord injury (SCI)": A medical term for damage to the spinal cord that results in a loss of function, such as mobility or feeling.
- Advances in medicine aim to find treatments for spinal cord injury.
- In medical and anatomical contexts, "spinal cord" is often used with verbs like , , , , and .
Variants and Related Words
- Spinal (adjective): Relating to the spine or spinal cord.
- He underwent spinal surgery.
- Cord (noun): In this specific compound, it refers to the bundle of nerve fibers. (Note: Alone, "cord" can mean a thin, flexible string or a type of cable).
- Central Nervous System (CNS) (noun phrase): The complex of nerve tissues that controls the activities of the body, comprising the brain and spinal cord.
- Vertebral column / Spine (noun): The series of vertebrae extending from the skull to the lower back, enclosing the spinal cord.
Synonyms
- Medulla spinalis (technical/medical Latin term).
- There are no common, non-technical synonyms for "spinal cord" as it refers to a specific anatomical structure.
Related Phrases / Collocations
- Spinal cord compression: Pressure on the spinal cord.
- Spinal cord stimulation: A medical therapy that uses electrical impulses.
- Spinal cord tract: A collection of nerve fibers in the spinal cord with a common function.
Notes
- "Spinal cord" is almost always used as a compound noun. The individual words "spinal" and "cord" have broader, separate meanings.
- It is a countable noun, but typically used in the singular ( spinal cord) when referring to the structure in the body. The plural "spinal cords" is used when comparing or referring to the cords of multiple individuals or animals.
Noun
- a major part of the central nervous system which conducts sensory and motor nerve impulses to and from the brain; a long tubelike structure extending from the base of the brain through the vertebral canal to the upper lumbar region