Principles of neuroanatomy Flashcards
What are the 3 principal planes?
Sagittal, coronal, transverse
What are the different positional and directional terms?
Rostral - towards the head Caudal - towards the tail Anterior - front Posterior - back Lateral - side Medial - middle Dorsal - back Ventral - belly
What does the central nervous system consists of?
Brain and spinal cord, lying within the cranium and vertebral column.
What does the peripheral nervous system consist of?
Nerves joined to the brain and spine - cranial and spinal nerves
What are spinal nerves to the lower limbs called?
Lumbar plexus
What are spinal nerves to the upper limbs called?
Brachial plexus
What are nerve cell bodies located peripherally called?
Ganglia
What is the function of the autonomic nervous system?
Detect changes in and control the activity of internal organs, smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glands etc…
What is the function of the somatic nervous system?
Detects changes in the environment and controls movement
What are the two functionally and anatomically distinct parts of the autonomic nervous system?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic.
What are afferent neurones?
Neurones that carry signals from peripheral receptors to the CNS.
What are sensory neurones?
If the information carried by afferent neurones reaches consciousness then it is also a sensory neurone.
What are efferent neurones?
Neurones that carry impulses aay from the CNS.
What are motor neurones?
Efferent neurones that innervate skeletal muscle to cause movement.
What are interneurones?
Neurones located entirely within the CNS.
How are afferent and efferent used within the CNS?
Afferent and efferent mean entering and leaving structures within the CNS. They denote the polarity of projections from structure in the CNS. Projections entering the cerebral cortex for example are cortical afferents.
What are the bony coverings of the CNS called?
Skull (brain) and vertebral column (spine)