The spinal cord skin is the term used to describe the structured connective tissue that surrounds the entire spinal cord in layers. However, from the spinal cord, the spinal cord skin extends upward (cranially) toward the head, where it eventually merges with the meninges through the foramen magnum (the opening at the back of the skull).
What is the meninges of the spinal cord?
The spinal cord skin is an important component of the spinal cord, which forms a bridge between the head and the back. The term “spinal cord skin” refers to several layers of connective tissue that surround the spinal cord and connect to – or rather merge with – the meninges toward the head. For this reason, the spinal cord skin is also counted among the so-called meninges. In medicine, these are the structured tissue layers found in the brain and also in the back of vertebrates and thus also in humans. On its way from the spinal cord to the brain, the spinal meninges pass through the spinal canal (also known as the spinal canal), the interior of which they line. The spinal cord skin primarily serves as a protection for the spinal cord as well as for the nerves and also tissues that are on the way from the spinal cord to the brain. Its purpose is to protect these and also the cerebrospinal fluid from injury due to shock or impact, among other things. However, even the spinal cord skin can only offer limited protection here, which is why it is often injured in serious falls or accidents. Paralysis or sensory disturbances in the limbs can be the result.
Anatomy and structure
Both the meninges and the spinal cord skin are made up of three distinct layers: the hard spinal cord skin (called the dura mater spinalis), the spider tissue skin (medically called the arachnoid spinalis), and the soft spinal cord skin (called the pia mater spinalis). The hard spinal cord skin is found at the transition from the brain to the spinal cord, i.e., at the occipital orifice, medically called the foramen magnum. It is attached to the intervertebral bodies, from which it extends to the second sacral vertebra. Between the hard skin of the spinal cord and the bone of the vertebral canal there is a space filled with fatty tissue. A network of venous blood vessels is found here. The so-called cobweb skin is located directly on the hard spinal cord skin. It is bordered by another interspace, which is medically also called the subarachnoid space. The spinal fluid is located in this space. On the other side of this interspace is the soft spinal cord skin, which thus delimits the subarachnoid space. However, the cobweb skin and the soft spinal cord skin are directly connected by connective tissue cords.
Function and Tasks
The tissue of the spinal cord, together with the tissue of the brain, is one of the most sensitive parts of the body. In addition, there is the important task that the spinal cord has in the human body – but also in the body of any other vertebrate animal. This is because the spinal cord serves as a bridge between the body – i.e. the muscles and the organs – and the brain via the spinal canal. If this connection is interrupted, paraplegia can occur in the worst case. In other words, the affected person can no longer move parts or even all of the limbs of his body in a controlled manner. In addition, the function of the organs may also depend on communication with the brain. An injury to the spinal cord can therefore have serious and even life-threatening consequences. The task of the spinal cord skin and also the meninges, which surround the spinal cord, the spinal canal and later the tissue of the brain, is primarily to protect this connection – that is, the nerves, the tissue and the fluid that is in them. Protect the spinal cord membranes are primarily to protect the spinal cord from injury by surrounding it and cushioning things such as impact and more.
Diseases
Injuries to the spinal cord can cause a variety of symptoms and conditions. But many diseases can also damage the spinal cord – and the spinal cord skin cannot protect it from these. For example, medicine speaks of a so-called flaccid paralysis when a nerve has been severed and is no longer connected to the muscle. Nerves can be damaged or destroyed, for example, by diseases such as polio (poliomyelitis).If the muscles are no longer addressed by the necessary nerve pathways, they slacken and atrophy. Damage can also be caused by accidents or diseases such as tumors. Violent impact, such as can occur in a road traffic accident, in everyday life or during sports, can cause vertebrae to shift or bones to break. This can damage the bone marrow or the nerves located in it. The consequences can manifest themselves in a variety of neurological symptoms, ranging from disturbances in sensitivity in limbs such as the arms or legs to paraplegia. How severe the symptoms are after an injury depends primarily on the damage. However, the level at which the spinal cord was damaged also plays a major role. The higher the location where the spinal cord was damaged, the more bodily functions are cut off from nerve supply and control – and the more areas of the body are paralyzed.
