In order for the central nervous system to function well, it is necessary that the spinal cord be supplied with blood smoothly and in sufficient quantity. With blood supply, the nerve tissues are saturated with oxygen and useful elements. If the blood supply is normal, then the metabolic products are excreted and the metabolism inside the cells occurs. To ensure many vital processes, the spinal cord has a rather complex structure. In addition, he is able to be responsible for the correct functioning of muscle contractions, and this greatly affects the movement of the joints. With insufficient blood supply to the spinal cord, joint dysfunction may occur. The English doctor T. Willis discovered the anterior spinal artery in 1664. This was the beginning of the study of the blood supply to the spinal cord.
Anatomy of the spinal cord arrangement
The human spinal cord looks like a thick white tourniquet that is placed in the spinal canal. It can be up to 45 cm long and about 1.5 cm in diameter. The average weight of the spinal cord is about 38 g.
Located and protected in a narrow spinal canal. The middle of the spinal cord is made up of gray matter, which covers the element of whitecolors. This substance is covered with special shells that nourish and protect the middle of the spinal cord.
Topography and structure
The spinal cord is arranged and functions quite complicated. Neurosurgeons are seriously studying its development. Ordinary people are very interested in information about the main role of the spinal cord and the topography of blood supply, innervation.
The section of the spinal cord, which is located at the level of the neck and the back of the head, at the site of the hole passes into such an organ as the cerebellum. Where the first two lumbar vertebrae are placed, the spinal cord ends. Its cone is located next to the vertebrae near the lower back. After that comes the so-called terminal thread, which is listed as an atrophied part, otherwise called the “terminal region”. Nerve endings are arranged along this thread. The filum terminale contains a substance that contains a small part of the nervous tissue.
In the place where the processes of innervation come out, there are several thickenings: lumbar and cervical. Actually, they are covered by the topography of the spinal cord. Median openings highlight the back and outer surface of the tourniquet.
How is it done?
How is the blood supply to the spinal cord? The tourniquet is supplied with blood by the adjacent arteries. The blood supply to the spinal cord is carried out with the help of the carotid and paired vertebral arteries. The main part of the transferred blood falls on the carotid arteries. The anterior artery located along the fissure of the tourniquet is formed by connecting the branches of the arteries of the spine. The arteries located in the anterior opening of the tourniquet are sources of blood supply to the spinal cord. Their placement is behind the tourniquet. These arteries merge with the neck and the posterior lumbar, intercostal and sacral lateral arteries, in the middle of which there is a network of anastomoses. In addition, the blood supply to the spinal cord is also carried out with the help of veins that provide blood outflow.
Anatomy of the blood supply to the spinal cord
The structure of the arteries and vessels of the spinal cord is quite complex, because they are connected by many anastomoses, which is a network that wraps around the surface of the spinal cord. Its scientific name is Vasa corona. Its structure is quite complex. Vessels located perpendicular to the main trunks depart from this ring. They enter the spinal canal through the vertebrae themselves. Between the trunks, in the middle, there are many anastomoses, from which a large network of capillaries usually forms. Generally, white matter has a less dense network of capillaries than gray matter.
The blood supply to the spinal cord can be briefly described as follows: it is supplied with blood through three spinal arteries, one vertebral artery, segmental arteries and small vessels of the pia mater of the spinal cord.
Vertebral Artery
The vertebral artery is a large vessel with a lumen of more than 4 mm. It comes in thicknessspine at the location of the sixth cervical vertebra. This artery saturates some parts of the brain and the upper zone of the spinal cord with blood. That is why the structure of the spinal cord and brain are usually considered together.
The spinal arteries in the spinal canal are branches from the vertebral artery. On the front surface there is one of the structures, from which small vessels also depart. They are located in the center of the spinal cord. From there, the blood, which is saturated with oxygen and useful elements, enters the capillaries. They, in turn, fill the nerve cells with blood.
The posterior surface of the spinal cord is followed by two spinal arteries, which have a smaller lumen than in the anterior artery. The branches departing from them are connected with the branches of the anterior artery. This is how the vascular network enveloping the spinal cord is obtained. The circulatory network is closely connected with the vessels located behind the spinal column. These vessels supply the white matter of the spinal cord.
The radicular-spinal vessels extending from the branches of the aorta provide additional blood supply to the spinal cord in the regions located below the cervical. They receive blood from the branches of the ascending and vertebral arteries, which are located in the thoracic region. Arteries of the lumbar and intervertebral type send blood to the lower parts of the spinal cord, passing through the openings between the vertebrae. These arteries enter the network that closes the spinal cord.
The dorso-spinal artery is one of the branches of the intercostal artery. It is divided into posterior and anterior radiculararteries. They pass through the intervertebral foramen along with the nerve roots.
The artery, which is located in front of the spinal cord, starts from two branches of the vertebral spinal arteries, connecting and forming a single trunk. Two posterior spinal arteries run along the dorsal surface of the spinal cord, originating from the vertebral arteries.
The radicular-spinal arteries receive blood from the cervical ascending and vertebral arteries, as well as from the lumbar and intercostal. They regulate the nutrition of most parts of the spinal cord, except for the two upper cervical segments, which are supplied with blood through the vertebral spinal arteries.
Venous system
The spinal cord has a very well developed venous system. The most important venous channels receive venous blood from the substance of the spinal cord. They run in the longitudinal direction in the same way as the arterial trunks. The venous channels form a permanent venous tract, connecting at the top with the veins at the base of the skull. The veins of the spinal cord have a connection with the veins of various body cavities through the venous plexus of the spine.
Blood supply zones
The spinal cord is supplied with blood from the inside to three different zones. The first zone is the gelatinous substance, Clark's columns, as well as the lateral, anterior and posterior bases of the horns, which represent most of the gray matter. They are located differently for each person. This zone also consists of a part of the white matter, the structures of which are the posterior andanterior cords. They are ventral and deep divisions. Branches of the spinal artery of the anterior view mainly feed the first zone with blood. The second zone consists of the cords and the outer sections of the posterior horns. The Burdach's bundle in this zone is supplied with blood less than the Gaulle's bundle. Branches extending from the posterior spinal artery are of an anastomotic type. It is they who feed the bundles of Gaulle and Burdakh. Sections of the white matter are included in the third zone, which is supplied by the marginal arteries.
Sheaths of the spinal cord
The shells perform a shock-absorbing and protective function. The shells of the spinal cord and the brain are very similar in structure, since the brain is a continuation of the spine. The dorsal contains three shells: soft, medium and hard.
Connects the cerebrospinal fluid and the middle (arachnoid) membrane of the pia mater. It contains blood vessels and tightly covers the spinal cord.
The layer of the arachnoid (middle) shell does not contain vessels. It is located between the inner and outer layers of the brain. The middle shell is small in thickness and is able to form a subdural space. It contains cerebrospinal fluid and nerve roots.
The dura consists of venous tangles and delimits the epidural space. It forms the transverse and sagittal sinuses. This forms the diaphragm of the saddle and the sickle of the cerebellum and cerebrum.
The soft shell closes the spinal cord, on top of it is the middlelayer, at the very top is a protective layer.
Functions of the meninges of the spinal cord
The soft shell nourishes the brain with blood and useful elements. It helps to normalize metabolism and supports human performance.
The middle shell helps in metabolism and hormone formation. Between the middle and soft layers is a cavity called cerebrospinal fluid. It, in turn, catalyzes the human metabolism and helps to protect the brain as much as possible.
The function of the arachnoid - the layer plays a significant role in the appearance of hormones and the process of metabolism in the body, as well as in the neurology of the blood supply to the spinal cord. Functions are associated with the originality of the shell device. Between the soft and arachnoid layer there is a subarachnoid cavity, which contains cerebrospinal fluid. A very important function in the blood supply to the brain and spinal cord is sheath neurology. The cerebrospinal fluid is responsible for the formation of nervous tissue. Connective reticular tissue is the middle layer of the spinal cord. It is very strong and small in thickness. There are no nerves in this sheath.
The hard shell takes an important part in the blood supply, and also, being a natural shock absorber, reduces the mechanical impact on the brain during injury or movement.
Pachion granulations and CSF
There are certain features of the blood supply to the spinal cord. Initially, the blood does not go directly to the spinal cord. At first, it passes through a large number of departments and shells, and only after thatgoes into a different state, splitting into useful elements. They, in turn, enter the cerebrospinal fluid, delivering substances to the spinal cord. CSF is the cerebrospinal fluid that circulates between the brain and spinal cord. It is produced by plexuses of blood vessels located in the ventricles of the brain. After filling the ventricles, the cerebrospinal fluid enters the spinal canal. Liquor protects the spinal cord from damage through the depreciation created by it. Cerebrospinal fluid enters the venous sinuses due to granulation occurring in the media.
Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters play a significant role in the blood supply to the spinal cord. They contribute to the release of nutrients from the blood, and also produce a special secret through the synthesis of protein compounds and polypeptides. The number and activity of resulting circulatory disorders is associated with the work of neurotransmitters, since they are located in nerve cells.
Circulatory disorders
There are several causes of circulatory disorders in the spinal cord. These problems often include a variety of diseases of the cardiovascular system: heart disease; blood clots in the vessels; vascular atherosclerosis; hypotension (low blood pressure); arterial aneurysm. Atherosclerosis and osteochondrosis are considered fairly common causes of circulatory disorders, which are common in many people, even in young people. In addition, one of the factors of impaired blood supply is the deterioration in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system. A proper blood supply to the spinal cord is very important,because each vessel in the system plays a large role in the functioning of the spinal cord.
Sometimes there may be a variety of violations. The blood supply to the membranes of the spinal cord can slow down as a result of the appearance of hernias, the growth of tumors and bone tissue, and severe muscle spasms. In addition, squeezing may occur due to previous fractures of the spine. When the vertebral artery is blocked in the cervical region, the blood supply to the membranes of the spinal cord is very severely disrupted. Since this artery constantly provides blood to the human body.
Impaired blood supply can also occur due to spinal cord injury. This problem may arise due to surgery or research for diagnostic purposes: manual therapy, incorrect lumbar puncture. Fractures and hemorrhages due to aneurysms are critical.
Hematomyelia
Hematomyelia is a very strong disorder in the blood supply to the spinal cord. The delay in blood flow occurs much more often than hemorrhage. Hematomyelia can be characterized by the destruction of the walls of the vessels that are in the spinal canal, resulting in a hemorrhage into the spinal cord. The cause of this phenomenon can be all kinds of mechanical damage. The occurrence of a hematoma in the spinal cord is very dangerous for the central nervous system. The reason for this may be an infectious disease, mechanical impact, tumor, impaired blood clotting. It also happens that a hemorrhage occurs due to some kind of medical manipulation. This disease does not appear externally. Symptoms of hematomyelia may include impaired coordination, uncontrolled defecation and urination, sensory problems, and paralysis of the limbs. To identify this disease, computed and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid.
Preventive measures against circulatory disorders of the spinal cord
To improve blood circulation in the spinal cord, the following complex is relevant: prevention of degenerative-dystrophic distortions in the joints and prevention of atherosclerosis.
It is impossible to detect hematomyelia and blood supply pathologies inherited without the help of a specialist doctor. But everyone can influence their lifestyle, attracting more and more physical activity for the he alth of joints and blood vessels.
Improve blood supply to the spinal cord and brain
Very often people face the following question: how to restore the blood supply to the spinal cord? It is not allowed to use drugs on their own without the permission of a specialist doctor. To improve blood circulation in the brain, doctors usually prescribe the following drugs:
- Psychostimulants.
- Vasodilators.
- Anti-platelet sticking agents.
- Nootropics.
Medications that prevent blood clotting
In addition, it is very important to review your diet. For better blood supply to the spinal cord and brainthe following foods are recommended:
- Nuts and sunflower seeds.
- Berries - cranberries, lingonberries.
- Vegetable oil - olive, linseed, pumpkin.
- Fish - salmon, tuna, trout.
- Bitter chocolate.
- Green tea.
Also, in order to prevent dysfunctions in the activity of the brain and spinal cord, it is recommended to avoid a motionless, sedentary lifestyle. Therefore, you should regularly walk, run, play sports, and also do exercises that can activate and improve blood circulation throughout the human body as a whole.
In addition, baths and saunas are also great help, because the blood supply to the brain and spinal cord improves when the body warms up. Some alternative medicines are also very effective: propolis, periwinkle and many others.
