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The spinal cord is made up of nerve tissue, and it extends from the brainstem through the vertebral column.
FunctionsThe spinal cord transmits information from the brain down to the peripheral nerves, which extend to various body parts. It also transmits sensory signals back to the brain, and coordinates many reflexes.
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Reflex ArcReflexes are incredibly fast, and they can occur without signals passing through the brain (only passing through the spinal cord)! On the right is an image of a typical reflex arc in response to touching a sharp pin. Signals pass from touch and pain receptors in the skin to the spinal cord, and in response, signals are sent from the spinal cord to arm muscles to withdraw the hand.
Additional ResourcesCheck out these links for more information on the spinal cord!
Medical News Today: medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326984 Reflexes (Physiopedia): physio-pedia.com/Reflexes |