4 - neuroanatomy

• What is the central nervous system (CNS) composed of?

  Brain and spinal cord
• What does the peripheral nervous system (PNS) connect?

  Brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body
• What is the somatic nervous system responsible for?

  Voluntary muscles and sensory information
• What does the autonomic nervous system control?

  Heart, intestines, and other organs
• Why is the dorsal-ventral axis of the human brain at a right angle to the spinal cord?

  Due to humans' upright posture
• What does the term "dorsal" refer to in neuroanatomy?

  Toward the back
• What does the term "ventral" refer to in neuroanatomy?

  Toward the stomach
• What are the three planes used to describe brain sections?

  Horizontal, sagittal, and coronal
• What is the function of the dorsal root in the spinal cord?

  Carries sensory information
• What is the function of the ventral root in the spinal cord?

  Carries motor commands
• Where are the cell bodies of sensory neurons located?

  Dorsal root ganglia
• What is the gray matter in the spinal cord composed of?

  Cell bodies and dendrites
• What is the white matter in the spinal cord composed of?

  Myelinated axons
• What happens if the spinal cord is cut at a given segment?

  Loss of sensation and motor control below that segment
• What are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system?

  Sympathetic and parasympathetic
• What is the primary function of the sympathetic nervous system?

  Prepares the body for "fight or flight"
• What is the primary function of the parasympathetic nervous system?

  Facilitates "rest and digest"
• What does the term "ipsilateral" mean?

  On the same side of the body
• What does the term "contralateral" mean?

  On the opposite side of the body
• What is a ganglion?

  A cluster of neuron cell bodies outside the CNS
• What is a nucleus in the context of neuroanatomy?

  A cluster of neuron cell bodies within the CNS
• What is a tract in the nervous system?

  A set of axons within the CNS
• What is a nerve in the nervous system?

  A set of axons in the periphery
• What is a gyrus?

  A protuberance on the surface of the brain
• What is a sulcus?

  A fold or groove on the brain surface
• What is a fissure?

  A long, deep sulcus
• What is the function of the sympathetic ganglia?

  Act as a single system in "sympathy" with one another
• What organs have only sympathetic input?

  Sweat glands, adrenal glands, blood vessel muscles, and hair muscles
• What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?

  Facilitates vegetative, nonemergency responses
• What does the term "para" in parasympathetic mean?

  Beside or related to
• What is the function of the dorsal root ganglia?

  Contain cell bodies of sensory neurons
• What is the function of the ventral root in the spinal cord?

  Carries motor commands
• What is the function of the white matter in the spinal cord?

  Contains myelinated axons
• What is the function of the gray matter in the spinal cord?

  Contains cell bodies and dendrites
• What is the significance of the H-shaped gray matter in the spinal cord?

  Contains densely packed cell bodies and dendrites
• What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system in "fight or flight"?

  Increases breathing and heart rate, decreases digestion
• What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system in "rest and digest"?

  Facilitates vegetative, nonemergency responses
• What is the function of the dorsal root in the spinal cord?

  Carries sensory information
• Where are the cell bodies of sensory neurons located?

  Dorsal root ganglia
• What is the gray matter in the spinal cord composed of?

  Cell bodies and dendrites