Nervous System

Question 1

What is a Tract and what type of matter is it associated with in the brain and spinal cord?

Answer 1

Bundle of axons in the CNS

White Matter

Question 2

What is a Nucleus and what type of matter is it associated with in the brain and spinal cord?

Answer 2

Collection of neuronal cell bodies in the CNS

Grey Matter

Question 3

Afferent is what type of nerve? What direction does it move information?

Answer 3

Sensory nerve

Towards the CNS

Question 4

Efferent is what type of nerve? What direction does it move information?

Answer 4

Motor nerve

Away from the CNS

Question 5

What structures compose the CNS?

Answer 5

Brain and Spinal Cord

Question 6

What structures compose the PNS?

Answer 6

Cranial Nerves and Spinal Nerves (everything that isn’t the CNS)

Question 7

What is a ganglion and where is it located?

Answer 7

A collection of neuronal cell bodies OUTSIDE the CNS

Question 8

Is the Somatic division of the nervous system voluntary or involuntary? What are the two divisions?

Answer 8

Voluntary

Somatic Motor and Somatic Sensory

Question 9

Is the Autonomic division of the nervous system voluntary or involuntary? What are the two divisions?

Answer 9

Involuntary

Visceral Motor (sympathetic and parasympathetic) and Visceral Sensory

Question 10

What is the origin path for the sympathetic pathway?

Answer 10

Lateral horn
Anterior root
Spinal nerve
Anterior ramus
White ramus communicans
Paravertebral ganglion

Question 11

Which pathways DO synapse in the paravertebral ganglion?

Answer 11

Head/Neck, Body wall, and Thorax

Abdomen/Pelvis does NOT

Question 12

Where does the Abdomen/Pelvis pathway synapse?

Answer 12

Prevertebral (preaortic) ganglion

Question 13

Which areas use the cranial nerves as their parasympathetic pathway? Which CN are utilized?

Answer 13

• Head/Neck: CN III, VII, IX, X
• Thorax: CN X
• Foregut/Midgut: CN X

Question 14

Which areas use the pelvic splanchnic nn. as their parasympathetic pathway? What is the level of these nn.?

Answer 14

Hindgut and Pelvis

S2-4

Question 15

What are the two branches of the efferent ANS (visceral motor) and what areas are they responsible for? - think about pathways

Answer 15

• Sympathetic: thoracolumbar

- Parasympathetic: craniosacral

Question 16

What is the origin path for the somatic sensory pathway?

Answer 16

Tissues (posterior ramus from middle back OR anterior ramus from all other somatic tissues)
Spinal nerve
Posterior root ganglion
Posterior root
Posterior horn

Question 17

What is the origin path for the somatic motor pathway?

Answer 17

Anterior horn
Anterior root
Spinal nerve
Target tissues (posterior ramus to epaxial/back OR anterior ramus to hypaxial/anterior trunk)