Course Exam 3 Flashcards
What are the four principle function of the spinal cord?
1. Conduction - information sent up and down via electrical signals (between sensors, control center CNS and effectors
2. Neural Integration - Nerves receive information from multiple locations and they integrate
3. Locomotion - walking involves several muscles and neurons
4. Reflexes - integration- vital role in posture, motor control and response to pain
What are the regions the spinal chord is divided into?
cervical
thoracic
lumbar
sacral
In two areas the cord is a little thicker than eleswhere. What are these regions called?
In the inferior cervical region = cervical enlargement
lumbosacral region = lumbar enlargement
where does the cord taper to a point?
medullary cone (conus medullaris)
What is the bundle of nerve roots that occupy the vertebral cone from L2 to S5?
cauda equina
(resemblance of a horse’s tail)
Innervates the pelvic organs and lower limbs
What is the fiberous (3) membranes that enclose the spinal cord and brain called?
meninges
separate the soft tissue of the central nervous system from the bone of the vertebrae and skull
from superficial to deep, they are the dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater
What forms a loose-fitting sleeve around the spinal cord?
What is the sleeve called as well?
dura mater
- keeps other things separated from the spinal cord (Epidurals go into this outer dura mater)
dural sheath
What is the space between the sheath and vertebral bone called?
epidural space
occupied by bone vessels, adipose tissue, and loose connective tissue
location of the epidural anesthesia during childbirth
What consists of a highly vascular layer and a simple squamous epithelium that adhears to the inside of the dura, and a loose mesh of collagenous and elasic fibers
arachnoid mater
- does not preserve very well…
What gap is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
subarachnoid space
What is inferior to the medullary cone, the subarachnoid space called? is occupied by the cauda equina and CSF
lumbar cistern
What is delicate, transparent membrane that closely follows the contours of the spinal cord
pia mater
What is relatively dull color because it contains little myelin - mainly neural cell bodies?
contains the somas, dendrites and proximal parts of the axons of neurons
The site of synaptic contact between neurons and therefore the site of all neural integration in the spinal cord
Gray matter
What is bright, pearly white appearance due to the abundance of myelin.
It is composed of bundles of axons, called tracts, that carry signals from one level of the CNS to another
White matter
What are two directional terms used in descriptions of CNS anatomy?
Name and describe
Rostral = “toward the nose”
caudal = “toward the tail”
What are the three major portions to divide the brain?
Cerebrum = 83% of brain’s volume and consists of a pair of half globes called the cerebral hemispheres
Cerebellum = occupies the posterior cranial fossa inferior to the cerebrum, separated from it by the transverse cerebral fissure
Brainstem = it is all of the brain except the cerebrum and cerebellum. Its major components, from rostral to caudal, are the diencephalon, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblangata
What is the thick folds that divide the brain?
What are the thick folds separated by with shallow grooves called?
Thick folds = gyri
Shallow grooves = sulci
What are the thick bundle of nerve fibers that are at the bottom of the fissure that connect the hemispheres?
corpus callosum
a prominent landmark for anatomical description with a distinctive C shape in sagittal section
What is the cerebellum separated by?
transverse cerebral fissure
What are the major components of the brainstem?
diencephalon, midbrain, pons, and medulla oblangata
What does the seat of the neurosomas, dendrites and synapses (gray matter) forming a surface layer called?
cortex
over the cerebrum and cerebellum, and deeper masses called nuclei surrounded by white matter
As in the spinal cord, white matter of the brain is composed of what?
tracts, or bundles of axons, which here connect one part of the brain to another and to the spinal cord
What does the nervous system develop from?
ectoderm, the outermost tissue layer of an embryo
When does the nervous system develop?
Within the first 3 weeks, a neural plate forms along the dorsal midline of the embryo and sinks into the tissues to form a neural groove, wich a raised neural fold along each side.
