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Robotic Spine Universe

Structures · Spinal cord segments

S5 spinal cord segment

The piece of spinal cord that gives rise to the S5 pair of spinal nerves. Segment names use the spinal cord level system, which does not line up with the vertebrae.

Show in the 3D spineSee what it connects to in the body

At a glance

Level system
S5 segment (spinal cord level)
Lies opposite
L1 (vertebral level)Model mapping; varies between people. Frostell et al. 2016; De Leener et al. 2018; Cadotte et al. 2014
Length along the cord
4.3 mmMeasured on one model: the Visible Human male, imaged as a supine cadaver. Not a normal range. De Leener et al. 2018; Frostell et al. 2016
Its nerve
The S5 nerve leaves through the sacral hiatus.Betts et al. 2022, §13.4
ISNCSCI key sensory point
Perianal area, less than 1 cm lateral to the mucocutaneous junctionRupp et al. 2021; Kirshblum et al. 2011

Cross-section at S5

AnteriorPosteriorLR
Regions in this section (text list)

    Grey matter and white-matter tracts at this level. Outline from the PAM50 template and atlas, cut at the segment midpoint. De Leener et al. 2018; Lévy et al. 2015

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    What the sources say

    “The lateral horn , which is only found in the thoracic, upper lumbar, and sacral regions, contains cell bodies of motor neurons of the autonomic nervous system.” Betts et al. 2022, §13.2
    “The posterior horn is responsible for sensory processing.” Betts et al. 2022, §13.2
    “The anterior horn sends out motor signals to the skeletal muscles.” Betts et al. 2022, §13.2

    For learning only. Levels and sizes vary between people; nothing here describes a particular person or gives medical advice. Sources: Betts et al. 2022, §13.2; Frostell et al. 2016; De Leener et al. 2018; Cadotte et al. 2014; Betts et al. 2022, §13.4; Rupp et al. 2021; Kirshblum et al. 2011.