The spinal cord is the cylindrical extension of the central nervous system that runs from the medulla oblongata through the vertebral canal. It ends near L1-L2 in adults at the conus medullaris and carries motor and sensory pathways between the brain and the body through 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
| Location | Vertebral canal, from the foramen magnum to about the L1-L2 vertebral level. |
|---|---|
| Structure | Central grey matter surrounding the central canal, surrounded by white matter tracts; cervical and lumbar enlargements; conus medullaris; cauda equina. |
| Function | Conducts signals between brain and body and mediates spinal reflexes. |
| Blood supply | One anterior and two posterior spinal arteries reinforced by radicular arteries, including the artery of Adamkiewicz. |
| Innervation | Gives rise to 31 pairs of spinal nerves: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 1 coccygeal. |
3D model: BodyParts3D (CC BY 4.0), adult male reference anatomy. Highlighted structure shown with nearby bones for context.
The vertebral column grows longer than the spinal cord, so the lower spinal nerve roots descend within the canal as the cauda equina.
At the conus medullaris, around the L1-L2 vertebral level in adults.
31 pairs.
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