Conus medullaris
Cauda equina and filum terminale seen from behind. The dura mater has been opened and spread out, and the arachnoid mater has been removed.
Gray's	subject #185 749

The conus medullaris is the terminal end of the spinal cord. It occurs near lumbar vertebral levels 1 (L1) and 2 (L2). After the spinal cord tapers out, the spinal nerves continue as dangling nerve roots called cauda equina. This terminal nerve root tail is referred to as the filum terminale. The upper end of the conus medullaris is usually not well defined.

Contents 1 Blood supply 2 Pathology 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Blood supply

The blood supply consists of three spinal arterial vessels -- the anterior median longitudinal arterial trunk and two posterolateral trunks. Other less prominent sources of blood supply include radicular arterial branches from the aorta, lateral sacral arteries, and the fifth lumbar, iliolumbar, and middle sacral arteries. The latter contribute more to the vascular supply of the cauda equina.

[edit] Pathology

Conus medullaris syndrome is a collection of signs and symptoms associated with injury to the conus medullaris.^[1]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Atlas of anatomy at UMich n3a2p5 - "Lower Third of Spinal Cord, MRI"

This neuroscience article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

v • d • e Anatomy of torso (primarily): the spinal cord (TA 14.1.02, GA 9.749) External, dorsal Posterior median sulcus · Posterolateral sulcus Grey matter/ Rexed laminae I-VI: Posterior horn I: Marginal nucleus · II: Substantia gelatinosa of Rolando · III+IV: Nucleus proprius · Spinal lamina V · Spinal lamina VI VII: Lateral horn Intermediolateral nucleus · Posterior thoracic nucleus VIII-IX: Anterior horn Interneuron · Alpha motor neuron (Onuf's nucleus) X: Other Central gelatinous substance · Gray commissure Central canal White matter somatic/ ascending (blue) Posterior/PCML: touch: Gracile · Cuneate Lateral: proprioception: Spinocerebellar (Dorsal, Ventral) · pain/temp: Spinothalamic (Lateral, Anterior) · Posterolateral (Lissauer) · Spinotectal Spinoreticular tract · Spino-olivary tract motor/ descending (red) Lateral: Corticospinal (Lateral) · Ep (Rubrospinal, Olivospinal) Anterior: Corticospinal (Anterior) · Ep (Vestibulospinal, Reticulospinal, Tectospinal) both Anterior white commissure External, ventral Anterior median fissure External, general Cervical enlargement · Lumbar enlargement · Conus medullaris · Filum terminale · Cauda equina