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| | SPINAL MOTOR STRUCTURES |
 | | Although we usually study the spinal cord as a series of cross sections, it is important to remember that it is in fact a column, with continuous tracts and cell columns. |
 | | However, the cord can be divided into segments by the nerve roots that come off of it; although the rootlets branch off nearly continuously, they coalesce into about 31 discrete nerves along the cord (8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal nerves). |
 | | All of the spinal reflexes are local - all of the cells involved are contained within one or two segments, and cortex is not necessary. |
| thalamus.wustl.edu /course/spinal.html (1662 words) |
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