Organization of the Nervous System Flashcards
Components of CNS
Brain and spinal cord
Spinal nerves are not part of the CNS
Components of PNS
All other tissue besides brain and spinal cord
Describe the flow and type of information in the Nervous System
- Information come from PNS to CNS via Afferents/sensory ( Input)
- Input information can either be unconscious ( from internal enivroment of body, not discretely aware of ) or conscious ( from temp, pain, touch, etc receptors , can be discretely sensed)
- afferent PNS info is processed in CNS
- CNS responds to stimuli/change in body and is mediated via Efferent/Motor ( output)
- Output information can either innverate voluntary ( skeletal) or involuntary muscles/viscera ( cardiac, smooth muscle) muscle
- Two divisions in involuntary motor pathway are PNS ( rest and digest) and SNS ( fight or flight). PNS and SNS are part of the ANS
- There is special nervous system for GI tract called the Enteric Nervous System or ENS.
Parts of the brain
- Cerebrum
- Diencephalon ( thalamus, hypothalamus)
- Cerebullum
- Brainstem ( midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata)
Where does the the spinal cord proper end?
Spinal cord proper ends at L1/2
Cauda Equina and Conus Medularis
spinal nerves the continue past the spinal cord proper are called the Cauda Equina and very tip is called conus medularis
Where is the spinal cord enlarged and why
Cervical and lumbar regions of spinal cord are enlarged b/c have nerves that innervate the arms and legs
Name the 3 meninges of the CNS ( brain and spinal cord)
From outermost to innermost layer
- Dura Mater ( “tough mother”)-tough covering
- Arachnoid Mater-thin meshwork
- Pia Mater-very thin, touches spinal cord, brain
Name all the layers and spaces of the CNS
From outermost to innermost
- Extradural space-outside of menignes, has vessels, nerves, and fat. Fills space w/in v. canal
- Dura mater
- Subdural space-potential space, not a true space but can become one when something goes wrong
- Arachnoid Mater
- Subarachnoid space-has CSF, can have too little or too much or become infected
- Pia Mater
Describe the Lumbar Puncture
Clincial procedure used to test for infection
Needle is inserted at L3/4 or L4/5 level to avoid injury to spinal cord
How do efferent nerves travel to spinal cord?
Anterior/ventral root of spinal cord
somatic and visceral efferents travel this way
How do afferent nerves travel from the spinal cord?
Posterior/dorsal roots of spinal cord
somatic and visceral afferents both travel this way
Dorsal root ganglion
located in dorsal root of spinal nerve and has cell bodies of sensory neurons
What are spinal nerves?
31 pairs of nerves that exit spinal cord
They are NOT part of spinal cord as well as CNS
Number and names spinal nerves
31 pairs of spinal nerves 8 cervical spinal nerves ( C1-C8) 12 thoracic spinal nerves ( T1-T12) 5 Lumbar spinal nerves ( L1-L5) 5 sacral spinal nerves ( S1-S5) 1 coccygeal nerve