Neuroanatomy

Question 1

What is the Central Nervous System?

Answer 1

The brain and spinal cord

Question 2

What is the Peripheral Nervous System?

Answer 2

All nerves outside the brain and spinal cord

Question 3

What is the difference between a nucleus and a ganglion

Answer 3

A nucleus is a group of nerve cell bodies within the CNS.

A ganglion is a group of nerve cell bodies within the PNS.

Question 4

What is a sensory nerve?

Answer 4

A sensory nerve carries action potentials from the body wall, body cavity or organ to the brain or spinal cord.

Question 5

What is a motor nerve?

Answer 5

A motor nerve carries action potentials from the brain or spinal cord to a skeletal, smooth or cardiac muscle cell or a gland.

Question 6

What is a second order neurone?

Answer 6

The 2nd neurone (esp sensory). So in the dorsal column

Question 7

Which cranial nerves are special sensory?

Answer 7

I, II, VIII (Olfactory, optic, vestibulocochlear)

Question 8

Which cranial nerves are general sensory?

Answer 8

No cranial nerves are purely general sensory

Question 9

Which cranial nerves are motor?

Answer 9

IV,VI, XI, XII (trochlear, abducent, spinal accessory, hypoglossal)

Question 10

Which cranial nerves are mixed?

Answer 10

III, V, VII, IX, X (oculomotor, trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal, vagus)

Question 11

Where does CN I attach?

Answer 11

Cerebrum

Question 12

Where does CN II attach?

Answer 12

Thalamus

Question 13

Which cranial nerves attach to the brainstem?

Answer 13

CNs III to XII apart from the spinal part of XI

Question 14

Which cranial nerves attach to the spinal cord?

Answer 14

The spinal part of CNXI

Question 15

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?

Answer 15

31

Question 16

What is the function of the spinal nerves?

Answer 16

They supply the structure of the soma

Question 17

How do the spinal nerves leave the spinal cord?

Answer 17

They leave through the intervertebral foraminae of the vertebrae.

Question 18

How do the spinal nerves connect to the structures of the soma and with the spinal cord?

Answer 18

The spinal nerves connect with the structures of the soma via rami and with the spinal cord via roots/rootlets

Question 19

Describe the nerve supply to the soma? (1 word)

Answer 19

Segmental

Question 20

What is a plexus of nerves?

Answer 20

The mixing of nerves within the anterior rami of adjacent ipsilateral spinal nerves

Question 21

What are the 8 body plexuses?

Answer 21

Cervical brachial, lumbar and sacral (often known as lumbosacral) 2 of each

Question 22

What is a dermatome?

Answer 22

The dermatome of each spinal nerve is the area of skin supplied by both the anterior and posterior ramus of that spinal nerve.

Question 23

What is a myotome?

Answer 23

The myotome of a spinal nerve is the skeletal muscles supplied by the anterior and posterior rami of that spinal nerve.

Question 24

What is the sympathetic nerve supply to the soma?

Answer 24

Thoracolumbar supply
Travel from the autonomic centres of the brain
Hitch a ride with arteries to supply head and neck skin and organs
OR
Travel in spinal cord and enter all spinal nerves and then all anterior and posterior rami
In the body wall they supply skin sweat glands, skin arrector muscles and all arterioles.

Question 25

How do sympathetic nerves leave the CNS are reach their target organs? Heart, lungs, abdominopelvic organs, adrenal medulla.

Answer 25

Leave the spinal cord and synapse in the sympathetic chain Heart: presynaptic axons synapse in cervical paravertebral ganglia. Post synaptic pass in cardiopulmonary splanchnic nerves Lungs: presynaptic axons synapse in upper thoracic paravertebral ganglia Postsynaptic axons pass in cardiopulmonary splanchnic nerves Abdominopelvic muscles: Presynaptic axons synapse at one of the preverterbral ganglia: Coeliac: Foregut Aorticorenal: Kidney Superior mesenteric: Midgut Inferior mesenteric: Hindgut and pelvic/perineal organs Adrenal Medulla: Presynaptic axons pass through the aorticorenal ganglion to synapse directly onto the adrenaline/noradrenaline secreting cells of the adrenal medulla

Question 26

How do parasympathetic nerves leave the CNS and reach their target organs?

Answer 26

In cranial nerves III, VII, IX and X and in sacral spinal erves

Question 27

Name 6 causes of Horner's Syndrome

Answer 27

``` Root of neck trauuma Arch of aorta dissection Internal jugular vein engorgement Goitre Deep cervical node metastases Direct spread from lung apex malignancy ```

Question 28

What is Horner's Syndrome?

Answer 28

Damage to a group of sympathetic nerves.

Question 29

Name 3 facial signs of Horner's Syndrome

Answer 29

``` Ipsilateral ptosis (drooping of upper eyelid due to lack of sympathetic innervation of smooth muscles in levator palpebrae superioris) Ipsilateral miosis (pinpoint pupil due to lack of sympathetic innervation to the dilator pupilae) Reduced sweating (lack of sympathetic innervation of skin sweat glands) ```

Question 30

What is the back and what are its functions?

Answer 30

The posterior aspect of the soma (body wall) | Maintains posture, assists with movement of the limbs and trunk.

Question 31

What are the palpable bony features of the back?

Answer 31

T1 spinous process Spina of scapula Thoracic and lumbar spinous processes Posterior aspects of the sacrum and coccyx

Question 32

What are the extrinsic muscles of the back?

Answer 32

Attach the back to the upper limb/pectoral girdle and move upper limb Trapezius, latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, rhomboid major, rhomboid minor

Question 33

What are the intrinsic muscles of the back

Answer 33

``` Located entirely within the back. Mainatin back postrue and move the spine. Erector spinae (superficial) Transversospinalis (deep) ```

Question 34

Where is the erector spinae muscle group and what is its nerve supply?

Answer 34

Vertically arranged muscle group located just lateral to the spine. All run to a common tendon to the tendon to the sacrum and iliac crest. Nerve Supply: Posterior branch of spinal nerve

Question 35

Where is the transversospinalis muscle group and what is its nerve supply?

Answer 35

Skeletal muscles located within the deep grooves between the transverse and spinous processes. Individual muscle fibres attach between: A vertebra and the skull A vertebra and a rib One vertebra and another The sacrum and a vertebra Nerve Supply: Dorsal rami of spinal nerves

Question 36

What are the functions of the spine?

Answer 36

``` Support the weight of the head and trunk in the upright posture (vertebrae and ligaments) Protect the spinal cords and nerves (vertebral foraminae, intervertebral foraminae) Allows movements (joints and muscle attachments) ```

Question 37

What are the typical joints of the spine?

Answer 37

Facet joints | Intervertebral discs

Question 38

Describe the intervertebral disc.

Answer 38

Outer anulus fibrosus and inner nucleus pulposus. Each disc allows small amounts of movement in all directions.

Question 39

Describe the location and general function of the ligaments of the spine

Answer 39

Anterior Longitudinal Ligament:

Question 40

Describe the anatomy of the cervical spine and the joints in the cervical region

Answer 40

.

Question 41

What movements predominate at the atlanto-occipital and atlatoaxial joints?

Answer 41

,

Question 42

What is the spinal canal?

Answer 42

..

Question 43

Describe the anatomy of the sacrum

Answer 43

...

Question 44

Describe the anatomy of caudal anaesthesia

Answer 44

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Question 45

Where is the spinal cord located?

Answer 45

...

Question 46

What is conus medullaris?

Answer 46

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Question 47

What is the cauda equina?

Answer 47

...

Question 48

Features and functions of a typical vertebra

Answer 48

``` Spinous process (ligament and muscle attachments) Transverse processes (ligament, muscle, rib articulations) Vertebral foramen (conveys and protects the spinal cord) Vertebral body (weight bearing) Vertebral arch (protects the spinal cord, consists of 2 pedicles, and 2 laminae) Inferior and superior articular processes (mobility with adjacent vertebrae via synovial facet joints) ```