Intro to Nervous System Flashcards
What are the basic parts of a neuron?
- Body / soma
- Dendrites
- Axon
Which part of neuron carries signals to the soma?
Dendrites
Which part of neuron carries signals away from the soma?
Axon
Where are neurotransmitters released?
At the synapse
Moves from axon AWAY from one neuron to dendrites of post-synaptic neuron
How many cervical vertebrae are there?
7
How many thoracic vertebrae are there?
12
Where does the spinal cord end?
Around the lumbar region
How do signals get to the lower lumbar, sacral and cocygeal regions?
they travel down spinal nerves
group of spinal nerves that carries signals to lower levels is called the Cauda equina
Cauda equina
Group of spinal nerves that carry signals to lower lumbar, sacral and cocygeal regions since spinal cord stops
How many layers are both the brain and spinal cord protected by?
3 layers
List the 3 layers of meninges that protects the CNS
Dura mater
Arachnoid
Pia mater
What makes up the CNS?
brain and spinal cord
How does blood drain out of the skull?
Through the Venous sinus
Venous sinus
A space in meningeal layer of connective tissue
Allows blood to drain
What is a meninge?
Layers of membranes / connective tissue that protect the CNS (brain and spinal cord)
What meninge is the venous sinus located in?
Dura mater
More specifically the meningeal layer
Where is the cerebral fluid found?
In the arachnoid
Pia mater
Most internal meninge
Suspends the spinal cord within the dural sac
PNS
consists of cranial nerves and spinal nerves
Spinal cord versus spinal nerves
Spinal nerves come from the spinal cord and are part of the PNS
the spinal cord itself is part of the CNS
What is true of the spinal nerve?
Contains both motor and sensory
Dorsal ramus
A split of the spinal nerve
Contains both sensory and motor info
Ventral ramus
A split of the spinal nerve
Contains both sensory and motor info
Efferent fibers
Carry signals away from the CNS
Afferent fibers
Carry signals towards the CNS
What type of fibers do spinal nerves contain?
Both efferent and afferent fibers
Myotome
a muscle mass that receives motor information from a specific spinal nerve
What is the T1 myotome, for example?
All of the muscle mass that receives its information from the T1 spinal nerve
Dermatome
An area of skin that has sensory innervation from a specific spinal nerve
Somatic nervous system
Innervate the body wall
A functional division of the nervous system
Contains both motor and sensory modulaties
Under conscious control
Visceral nervous system
Motor system is not under conscious control
A functional division of the nervous system
Is part of the autonomic nervous system
Works on smooth muscles, glands, organs, etc.
Contains both motor and sensory components
List the spinal cord segments
Cervical 8
Thoracic 12
Lumbar 5
Sacral 5
Coccygeal 1
What makes spinal tap possible?
The needle is inserted in the L3-L4 or L4-L5 interspace
This part of the lumbar does NOT contain any spinal cord
Difference between root and rami
The ventral/dorsal rami contain both motor and sensory fibers
The roots only contain either motor or sensory
What do dorsal roots carry?
Sensory fibers to the CNS and from the PNS
What do ventral roots carry?
Motor fibers to the PNS from the CNS
