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Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

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(@aldebaran)
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Joined: 19 years ago

Hi guys -

Several of us on a thread I posted in another forum are puzzled about a question which appeared in one of this summer's ITEC A&P papers. Not sure that I have got the exact wording right, but the gist is there -

What is NOT a function of the spinal cord?

a) To transmit messages to and from the brain

b) To transmit messages to and from the heart

c) To transmit messages to and from areas of the body at the same level

d) To transmit messages to and from areas of the body at different levels.

This has caused a bit of confusion since the answer cannot be found anywhere in our main required textbook. Can any of you give us a definitive answer?

Thank you!

Aldebaran
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

17 Replies
Posts: 657
 Eve
(@eve)
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Joined: 20 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

At a guess id say C was your answer

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Posts: 657
 Eve
(@eve)
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Joined: 20 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

But then i wouldnt hav professional clue!

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Posts: 155
Topic starter
(@aldebaran)
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Joined: 19 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

LOL Eve [sm=rollaugh.gif]

I don't think ANY of them sound right!!! Several people in my class thought that the heart option was the correct answer. But I don't get that - the heart is controlled from the cardiac centre of the medulla oblongata - ie part of the brain - so how do the messages get through to the heart if not via the spinal cord?!? [&:]

Aldebaran
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(@moonmaiden)
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Joined: 19 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Hi

Just testing my memory here as I did A&P last year.
I would of but A
If I remember correctly or maybe not! that the main function of the spinal cord is to convey (motor) impulses from the brain to the muscles
and sensory reflexes (maybe not the right word to use) from the body back to the brain.
If you find out right answer would love to know.

Moonmaiden

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 Eve
(@eve)
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Joined: 20 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Now, Im starting to really ponder this one! I wouldnt know the first thing, But i know a man who may well have the answer you are all looking for. Will email him now, and hope I get a reply, as its making my feet twitch[>:]

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Posts: 155
Topic starter
(@aldebaran)
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Joined: 19 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Can't wait Eve - let's hope the man has a definitive answer for us all - this one is really bugging me! [:'(]

Karen
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

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(@happyfingers)
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RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

wouldn't it be B... because the heart is innervated by (in part) the vagus nerve which is the only nerve that starts in the brainstem (somewhere in the medulla oblongata i think) and extends all the way down past the head, right down to the abdomen. therefore it misses the spinal cord altogether.

whaddaya reckon?

x

henry

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Topic starter
(@aldebaran)
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Joined: 19 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

You may well be right Henry - wish I could find an intelligible book with an intelligent answer! I have to say that I find the nervous system second in difficulty only to the endocrine... Still don't really understand how and why the vagus nerve bypasses the spinal cord. I know it is a cranial nerve, but even so ... I need a pretty picture or an explanation for idiots to explain it...
[&:]

Karen
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

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(@happyfingers)
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RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

here's an explanation of the path of the vagus and its various branches...

[DLMURL] http://www.utmb.edu/otoref/Grnds/Hoarse-eval-0005/Hoarse-eval-0005.htm [/DLMURL]

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Topic starter
(@aldebaran)
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RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Thank you!

Aldebaran
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

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 Eve
(@eve)
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Joined: 20 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

In answer to this question, My friend and Professional osteopath- replied to my query with this:
A question not put together very well...and answer is- all are possibilities!!!
SO maybe its time for somebody to ring up the lucky punter who thought up this question-and ask them what planet they were on at the time?!

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Posts: 155
Topic starter
(@aldebaran)
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Joined: 19 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Thanks Eve - and thanks to your friendly osteopath! As I said in my first post, I'm not sure that I have the wording exactly right - but it's certainly close enough. From the replies I have had, and the research I have subsequently done, I think ITEC were getting at the heart option (not the one I chose in the exam grrr [:@]) But I certainly think it is another ambiguous question ...

Aldebaran
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

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(@janey)
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RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Think it has to be B as the heart is supplied by the vagus which is a Cranial not a spinal nerve and therefore does not come from the spinal cord - it arises in the medulla.

could easily have been distracted by C though thinking about the reflex arc etc. ..............

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 DFNU
(@dfnu)
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Joined: 20 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

If that's the case it look's like Gray's Anatomy could be wrong then 😉
"The thoracic sympathetics supply accelerator nerves to the heart. They are supposed to emerge from the spinal cord in the anterior roots of the upper four or five thoracic nerves and pass with the white rami to the first thoracic ganglion, here some terminate, others pass in the ansa subclavia to the inferior cervical ganglion. The postganglionic fibers pass from these ganglia partly through the ansa subclavia to the heart, on their way they intermingle with sympathetic fibers from the vagus to form the cardiac plexus"

[link= http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject?id=214 ]http://education.yahoo.com/reference/gray/subjects/subject?id=214[/link]

Good oldITEC 😮 Maybe they should stick to sensible (and relevant) questions and not try and 'impress'
(IMHO of course)

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(@anahata)
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Joined: 21 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

It's a bum question - cos they all apply!

To get that one 'right' you'd probably need to know who set it.

I would love know what there justification in their particular chosen answer was.

Andrew.

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Posts: 176
 Mtbw
(@mtbw)
Estimable Member
Joined: 5 years ago

Hi guys -

Several of us on a thread I posted in another forum are puzzled about a question which appeared in one of this summer's ITEC A&P papers. Not sure that I have got the exact wording right, but the gist is there -

What is NOT a function of the spinal cord?

a) To transmit messages to and from the brain

b) To transmit messages to and from the heart

c) To transmit messages to and from areas of the body at the same level

d) To transmit messages to and from areas of the body at different levels.

This has caused a bit of confusion since the answer cannot be found anywhere in our main required textbook. Can any of you give us a definitive answer?

Thank you!

Aldebaran
[sm=nature-smiley-008.gif]

Let’s exclude right and wrong:
A) right by definition of function of the spinal cord
B) wrong. heart is innervated. This is fact. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibres. CN X (Vagus nerve) + t-1-5 . But cranial nerves are not coming from spine. So, this is not a function of spinal cord.
C) right, typical example of reflex, when you touching hot object.
D) right, for example , good example, 4 pathways of referred pain patterns .

So, the wrong answer is b). You just need to know superficially about vague nerve and what it innervate and where it comes from

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 Mtbw
(@mtbw)
Estimable Member
Joined: 5 years ago

RE: Can any of you clever osteopaths enlighten us?!?

Think it has to be B as the heart is supplied by the vagus which is a Cranial not a spinal nerve and therefore does not come from the spinal cord - it arises in the medulla.

could easily have been distracted by C though thinking about the reflex arc etc. ..............

Great done!!!!!!!!!

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