Intro to Nervous System Flashcards
Central Nervous System
Brain and Spine
Peripheral Nervouse System
Cranial Nerves, Spinal Nerves, Ganglia
Ganglia
groups of neuronal cell bodies that exist outside of the CNS
Spinal Cord - Dorsal Horn
posterior horns of spinal cord - sensory neurons
Spinal Cord - Lateral Horn
in thoracic and sacral spinal cord, lies between the dorsal and ventral horns and contributes to visceral innervation)
Spinal Cord - Ventral Horn
anterior horns of the spinal cord - motor neurons
Spinal Cord - Gray Matter
contains neuronal cell bodies (butterfly region defining the horns)
Spinal Cord - White Matter
contains tracks of axons
Conus Medullaris
end of the spinal cord at L2
2 Enlargements
due to increased number of neurons, cervical enlargement (C5 - T1) for innervation of upper extremities, and lumbar enlargement (L1 - S3) for innervation of lower extremities
Meninges (3)
connective tissue layers that surround in the brain and spine, Pia Mater, Arachnoid Mater, Dura Mater
What is the order of the meninges and their associated spaces from spinal cord to vertebral canal?
spinal cord - pia mater - subarachnoid space - arachnoid mater - subdural space - dura mater - epideral space - vertebral canal
Epidural Space
between vertebral canal and dura mater, contains fat and intraspinal veins
Dura Mater
dural sac structure that runs from the foramen magnum to S2 where it is continuous with the external filum terminale that’s anchored in the coccyx
External Filum Terminale
coccygeal ligament that is an extension of dura mater from S2 to coccyx
Subdural Space
potential space between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater
Arachnoid Mater
spider web-like layer that lines the dural sac, but is not attached to the dura mater
Subarachnoid Space
between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater, contains the cerebrospinal fliud and extends to S2 and end of dural sac
Pia Mater
continuous with the spinal cord (cannot be detached), runs down to the conus medullaris at L2 and then becomes the internal filum terminale
Denticulate Ligaments
lateral extensions of the Pia Mater that attach the spinal cord to the Dura Mater (support)
Internal Filum Terminale
extension of the Pia Mater where is ends at conus medullaris (L2) to where the dural sac ends at S2 and it joins with the external filum terminale
Cranial Nerves
CN 1 to CN 12, body to brain - mostly in the head and neck, except CN11 Accessory nerve (trapezius) and CN10 Vagus Nerve that goes to the lower abdomen
Spinal Nerves
31 pairs (C1-8) (T1-12) (L1-5) (S1-5) (C1) that attach to the spinal cord through the invertebral foramina
Cervical Spinal Nerve attachment
exits superior to corresponding vertebrae until C8 which exits above T12
