The spinal cord is part of the central nervous system and is the channel of communication between the brain and the peripheral nerves. Spinal nerves emanate from both sides of the spinal cord to innervate internal organs and muscles.
The length of adult spinal cord is about 42-45 centimeters, the upper part is connected with medulla oblongata at the foramen magnum of the occipital bone, and the lower part is called spinal cord cone which is flat on the lower edge of the first lumbar vertebrae, while the lower part of spinal cord of newborn babies is flat on the lower edge of the third lumbar vertebrae. The spinal cord sends out a total of 31 pairs of spinal nerves to innervate organs and tissues throughout the body, so anatomically the spinal cord is divided into 31 segments.
The spinal cord is composed of gray matter surrounding the central canal and white matter at the periphery. The gray matter can be divided into the anterior horn, posterior horn, and middle band, and consists of various nuclei such as the thoracic nucleus, the medial nucleus of the middle, and the anterior peduncle motor neurons. White matter can be divided into anterior, posterior, and lateral cords, including the thin bundles, cuneiform bundles, anterior spinal cerebellar fasciculus, posterior spinal cerebellar fasciculus, and corticospinal tracts that make up the spinal cord.
The spinal cord is an important part of the central nervous system of the human body, which can conduct various commands issued by the brain to complete the body movement, and also transmit the pain, touch, and temperature sensations in various parts of the body.