CNS (Intro) Flashcards
What structures does the CNS consist of? (2)
brain
spinal cord
What is the function of the CNS?
- processes incoming sensory and outgoing motor messages
- involved in higher mental activities (ie. learning, memory, and reasoning)
What is the brain enclosed and protected by?
cranial cavity
What is the spinal cord enclosed and protected by?
vertebral canal
How are the nervous tissue in the CNS organized?
as gray and white matter
What is gray matter composed of? (3)
- nerve cell bodies
- bundles of unmyelinated nerve fibers
- neuroglia (non-neuronal supportive cells)
What are neuroglia?
non-neuronal supportive cells
What is white matter composed of?
tracts (bundles of myelinated nerve fibers)
What are tracts?
bundles of myelinated nerve fibers
What is the neural canal region associated with the spinal cord (an adult brain structure)?
central canal
What does gray matter form in the spinal cord?
H-shaped inner core surrounded by white matter
Where is gray matter in the brain?
thin outer shell of gray matter (cortex) covers the core of white matter
What is a nucleus?
cluster of nerve cell bodies embedded within CNS
What is a ganglion?
aggregation of nerve cell bodies outside CNS
What type of nerves (2) and how many does the PNS have?
cranial nerves; 12 pairs
spinal nerves; 31 pairs