Human Anatomy - Kotsan I. Ya. 2009

Central Nervous System. Spinal Cord
Age-related features of the spinal cord

During the prenatal period, the Spinal Cord initially fills the entire vertebral canal. Starting from the third month, the spine grows in length faster than the spinal cord, and in a newborn, the lower boundary of the spinal cord is already located at the level of the lower edge of the second lumbar vertebra. The length of the newborn's spinal cord is 13.6–14.8 cm, reaching 20 cm by the age of two, and doubling by the age of 10 compared to the newborn period. The thoracic segments of the spinal cord grow the most rapidly.

The mass of the spinal cord in a newborn is about 5.5 g, in 1-year-old children it is about 10 g, and by the age of 7 it is approximately 19 g.

In a newborn, the cervical and lumbar enlargements are well-defined, and the central canal is wider than in an adult. The narrowing of the central canal lumen occurs primarily During the first 1–2 years of life, as well as in later age periods as the mass of grey and White matter increases.



Last update: 08/08/2026

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