Basic Neuroanatomy Flashcards
1
Q
2 major divisions of the nervous system
A
- Central Nervous System (CNS): Brain and spinal cord
- Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): everything outside brain and spinal cord
2
Q
2 divisions of the PNS
A
- Somatic nervous system (SNS)
- Autonomic Nervous system (ANS)
3
Q
Somatic nervous system
A
- interacts with external environment; controls voluntary muscles
- Has afferent nerves that carry sensory signals in from the skin, skeletal muscles, joints, eyes, ears, etc. into CNS (body -> brain)
- Has efferent nerves that carry motor signals from CNS out to skeletal muscles (brain -> body)
4
Q
Autonomic nervous system
A
- Regulates internal environment; controls internal organs
- Has afferent nerves that carry sensory signals from internal organs to the CNS
- Has efferent nerves that carry motor signals from the CNS to internal organs (2 types)
5
Q
2 types of efferent nerves in Autonomic Nervous System
A
- Sympathetic nerves:
- Mobilize energy resources in threatening situations (ie. Via adrenal glands) to help you take action
- Parasympathetic nerves:
- Conserve energy; facilitates immune function, digestion, etc.
- We usually receive input from these systems at the same time (not true that only one or the other is activated)
6
Q
Term for clusters of cell bodies in CNS vs. PNS
A
- In CNS: “Nucleus”
- In PNS: “Ganglia”
7
Q
Term for bundles of axons in CNS vs. PNS
A
- In CNS: “tract”
- In PNS: “nerve”
8
Q
Alternate term for “axons”
A
“Fibers”
9
Q
Basic neuroanatomical directional terms
A
- Anterior/rostral (front)
- Posterior/caudal (back)
- Dorsal/superior (top)
- Ventral/inferior (bottom)
10
Q
Directions in the NS/Brain
A
- Medial (vertical slice through middle)
- Lateral (either to the left or right of that vertical slice; left lateral or right lateral)
11
Q
Planes the brain is cut on
A
- Coronal (frontal) section (like a slice encompassing your whole face)
- Horizontal section (like a slice cutting horizontally through the top of your head)
- [Mid-]sagittal section (like a vertical slice between your eyes)
12
Q
spinal cord
A
- Different sections (from top to bottom): cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal)
- On spinal cord, most of sensory info comes from dorsal side; on ventral side is where motor information is exiting
- 2 different areas of each piece of spinal cord:
- Inner H-shaped core of grey matter: composed largely of cell bodies and unmyelinated axons
- Surrounding area of white matter: composed of unmyelinated axons
13
Q
Major divisions of the brain
A
- Forebrain (incl. telencephalon & diancephalon)
- Midbrain (incl. mesencephalon)
- Hindbrain (incl. metacephalon & myelencephalon)
14
Q
myelencephalon
A
- AKA: Medulla
- Composed largely of tracts carrying signals between the rest of the brain and the body
- Contains reticular formation (~100 nuclei involved in myriad functions)
- Important for basic life functions
15
Q
metencephalon
A
- Houses many fiber tracts & reticular formation
- Fibers and pontine nuclei create large bulge: “pons”
- Contains cerebellum (10% of brain volume but 50% of its neurons)
