Lumbar Plexus

Typical Spinal nerves and Lumbar
plexus
Dr Irum Javaid
Structural Organization of the Nervous System
Nervous System
Spinal Nerves
• Integral part of peripheral
nervous system
• Carry motor, sensory, and

autonomic information between
the brain, spinal cord and rest of
body
• Carry sensory information from

periphery to CNS
• Transmit motor commands from

CNS to peripheral muscles
• Spinal nerves are Mixed nerves
• Carry motor, sensory, and autonomic

signals between the spinal cord and
body
• 31 pairs of spinal nerves, one on each

side of the vertebral column
31 pairs of spinal Nerves emerge from the
spinal Cord
• Spinal cord is divided into 31 segments
o 8 cervical segments
o 12 thoracic segments
o 5 lumbar segments
o 5 sacral segments
o 1 coccygeal segment
• A Pair of Spinal nerves leaves

each segment of the spinal cord
Longitudinal section of spinal
cord showing its 31 segments
A single segment of the spinal cord
Two segments of the spinal cord

A single spinal cord segment from which a pair of spinal nerves
emerge
 All Spinal nerves except first pair exit the
vertebral canal through the intervertebral
foramen below their corresponding
vertebra
• 8 pairs of cervical spinal nerves
• 12 pairs of thoracic spinal nerves
• 5 pairs of lumbar spinal nerves
• 5 pairs of sacral spinal nerves
• 1 pair of coccygeal nerve

Formation of Spinal Nerves
• Formed by a combination of nerve fibres from dorsal and ventral roots of Spinal
cord
• Dorsal/Posterior roots carry afferent sensory axons
• Ventral/Anterior roots carry efferent motor axons
• Roots unite at the intervertebral foramina forming a Single Spinal Nerve
Cross section of the spinal cord showing the formation of
the Spinal Nerve
Spinal nerves leave the vertebral canal via intervertebral
foramina, and divides into two branches:
1. Larger Anterior or ventral ramus
2. Smaller Posterior or dorsal ramus

Posterior Ramus
Anterior Ramus
Cross Section of the spinal cord

Anterior/Ventral Ramus
• Innervates skin and muscle on anterior aspect of trunk
Posterior/Dorsal Ramus
• Innervates the post-vertebral muscles and skin of the back
Ramus communicans/Rami
communicants
• Latin term used for a nerve

which connects two other
nerves
• Contain autonomic nerves

that carry visceral motor and
sensory information to and
from the visceral organs
• Each spinal nerve receives a branch
from the sympathetic trunk called
Gray ramus
• Gray rami: Composed of largely

unmyelinated neurons
• Each spinal nerve sends a branch to

the sympathetic trunk called
White ramus
• White rami: Composed of

myelinated neurons
Posterior ramus Dorsal root of
spinal cord
Anterior ramus
Ventral root of
spinal cord
White rami
communicans
Spinal nerve
Grey rami
communicans
Sympathetic chain of
autonomic nervous
system
Nerve plexus
• Is a branching network of
intersecting nerves
• Are composed of afferent and

efferent fibres that arise from
the merging of anterior rami
of spinal nerves
Lumbosacral plexus
• Lumbosacral plexus is formed by
the Anterior rami of spinal nerves
arising from (spinal segments
T12–S4)
• Provides innervation to the lower

extremities
• First lumbar nerve is frequently

joined by a branch from the
twelfth thoracic nerve(T12)
Lumbar plexus
• Located in the lumbar region, within the substance of the psoas major muscle and anterior to
the transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae
• Formed by the Anterior rami (divisions) of the lumbar spinal nerves L1, L2, L3 and L4
• It also receives contributions from thoracic spinal nerve 12
T12
• Anterior rami of L1-L4 divide into
several cords
• The cords combine to form the Six

major peripheral nerves of the
lumbar plexus
• Six nerves then descend the

posterior abdominal wall to reach
the lower limb, where they innervate
their target structures
Branches of the Lumbar plexus
• Iliohypogastric nerve
• Ilioinguinal nerve
• Genitofemoral nerve
• Lateral cutaneous nerve

of thigh
• Femoral nerve
• Obturator nerve
Iliohypogastric nerve
• Roots: L1 (with contributions from

T12)
• Motor Functions: Innervates the

internal oblique and transversus
abdominis
• Sensory Functions: Innervates the

posterolateral gluteal skin in the
pubic region
Ilioinguinal nerve
• Innervates the muscles of the anterior
abdominal wall
• Passes through the superficial inguinal ring

to innervate the skin of the genitalia and
middle thigh
• Roots: L1
• Motor Functions: Innervates the internal

oblique and transversus abdominis
• Sensory Functions: Innervates the skin on

the superior antero-medial thigh
• In males also supplies the skin over the root

of the penis and anterior scrotum
• In females: Also supplies the skin over

mons pubis and labia majora
Genitofemoral nerve
• Roots: L1, L2
• Motor Functions: Genital branch

innervates the cremasteric muscle
• Sensory Functions: The genital

branch innervates the skin of the
anterior scrotum (in males) and skin
over mons pubis and labia majora (in
females)
• Femoral branch innervates the skin

on the upper anterior thigh
Lateral cutaneous nerve of
thigh
• Has a purely sensory function
• Enters the thigh at the lateral aspect of

the inguinal ligament, where it provides
cutaneous innervation to the skin
• Roots: L2, L3
• Motor Functions: None

anterior and lateral thigh down to the
level of the knee
Obturator nerve
• Roots: L2, L3, L4

muscles of the medial thigh –
obturator externus, adductor longus,
adductor brevis, adductor magnus and
gracilis
• Sensory Functions: Innervates the skin

over the medial thigh
Most nerves of the lumbar plexus leave the pelvis by passing under
the inguinal ligament with the exception of obturator nerve which
exits pelvis through obturator foramen
Femoral nerve
• Roots: L2, L3, L4

muscles of the Anterior thigh:
Illiacus, pectineus, sartorius and
quadriceps femoris

skin on the anterior thigh and the
medial leg
Thankyou!

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Typical Spinal nerves and Lumbar

• Carry motor, sensory, and

• Carry sensory information from

• Transmit motor commands from

• Carry motor, sensory, and autonomic

• 31 pairs of spinal nerves, one on each

• A Pair of Spinal nerves leaves

Two segments of the spinal cord

• 8 pairs of cervical spinal nerves

• 12 pairs of thoracic spinal nerves

• 5 pairs of lumbar spinal nerves

• 5 pairs of sacral spinal nerves

• 1 pair of coccygeal nerve

2. Smaller Posterior or dorsal ramus

Cross Section of the spinal cord

• Latin term used for a nerve

• Contain autonomic nerves

• Gray rami: Composed of largely

• Each spinal nerve sends a branch to

• White rami: Composed of

• Are composed of afferent and

• Provides innervation to the lower

• First lumbar nerve is frequently

• The cords combine to form the Six

• Six nerves then descend the

• Lateral cutaneous nerve

• Roots: L1 (with contributions from

• Motor Functions: Innervates the

• Sensory Functions: Innervates the

• Passes through the superficial inguinal ring

• Motor Functions: Innervates the internal

• Sensory Functions: Innervates the skin on

• In males also supplies the skin over the root

• In females: Also supplies the skin over

• Motor Functions: Genital branch

• Sensory Functions: The genital

• Femoral branch innervates the skin

• Enters the thigh at the lateral aspect of

• Motor Functions: None

• Sensory Functions: Innervates the

• Roots: L2, L3, L4

• Motor Functions: Innervates the

• Sensory Functions: Innervates the skin

• Roots: L2, L3, L4

• Motor Functions: Innervates the

• Sensory Functions: Innervates the

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