Anterior grey column

Anterior grey column (Anterior horn of spinal cord)

Details
Identifiers
Latin	Cornu anterius medullae spinalis
Dorlands /Elsevier	c_55/12259735
TA	A14.1.02.103
FMA	256541
*Anatomical terminology* [edit on Wikidata]

The anterior grey column (also called the anterior cornu, anterior horn of spinal cord or ventral horn) is the front column of grey matter in the spinal cord. It is one of the three grey columns. The anterior grey column contains motor neurons that affect the skeletal muscles while the posterior grey column receives information regarding touch and sensation. The anterior grey column is the column where the cell bodies of alpha motor neurons are located.

Structure

The location of motor neurons in the anterior grey column of the spinal column

The anterior grey column, directed forward, is broad and of a rounded or quadrangular shape. Its posterior part is termed the base, and its anterior part the head, but these are not differentiated from each other by any well-defined constriction. It is separated from the surface of the medulla spinalis by a layer of white substance which is traversed by the bundles of the anterior nerve roots. In the thoracic region, the postero-lateral part of the anterior column projects laterally as a triangular field, which is named the lateral grey column.

Clinical significance

It is these cells that are affected in the following diseases, – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease, progressive muscular atrophy, all spinal muscular atrophies, poliomyelitis, and West Nile virus.

Pharmacological interaction

The anterior grey column is the target for some spasmolytic medications. Norepinephrine release here, (as induced by cyclobenzaprine) reduces spasms by innervation (reducing nerve activity) of alpha motor neurons via interaction with gamma fibers.^[1]

Additional images

Section of the medulla oblongata through the lower part of the decussation of the pyramids

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

↑ "Cyclobenzaprine". DrugBank.

The spinal cord

General features

Grey matter

Posterior grey column	Marginal nucleus Substantia gelatinosa of Rolando Nucleus proprius Spinal lamina V Spinal lamina VI

Lateral grey column	Intermediolateral nucleus Posterior thoracic nucleus

Anterior grey column	Interneuron Alpha motor neuron Onuf's nucleus

Other	Rexed laminae Central gelatinous substance Gray commissure Central canal Terminal ventricle

White matter

Sensory

Posterior	Posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway: Gracile Cuneate

Lateral:	Spinocerebellar dorsal ventral Spinothalamic lateral anterior Posterolateral Spinotectal

Spinoreticular tract Spino-olivary tract

Motor

Lateral	Corticospinal Lateral Extrapyramidal Rubrospinal Olivospinal Raphespinal

Anterior	Corticospinal Anterior Extrapyramidal Vestibulospinal Reticulospinal Tectospinal

Both

Anterior white commissure

External features

Ventral
- Anterior median fissure
- Anterolateral sulcus
Dorsal
- Posterior median sulcus
- Posterolateral sulcus

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, October 25, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.