Nerves

Question 1

What are the components of the central nervous system?

Answer 1

Brain

Spinal cord

Question 2

What are the components of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 2

Cranial nerves
Spinal nerves
Autonomic nerves

Question 3

What is the purpose of autonomic nerves?

Answer 3

Provide communication between brain and organs

Question 4

What is a group of nerve cell bodies in the CNS called?

Answer 4

A nucleus

Question 5

What is a group of nerve cell bodies in the PNS called?

Answer 5

A ganglion

Question 6

What is the name given to a bundle of axons travelling together in the CNS?

Answer 6

A tract

Question 7

What is the name given to a bundle of axons travelling together in the PNS?

Answer 7

A peripheral nerve

Question 8

What is the axon or nerve fibre?

Answer 8

An “electrical cable” conveying the action potentials

Question 9

When is the term “nerve” used?

Answer 9

When referring to a peripheral nerve

Question 10

What is the myelin sheath?

Answer 10

An electrical insulator

Question 11

Does a myelinated or an unmyelinated nerve conduct action potentials faster?

Answer 11

Myelinated

Question 12

What is a peripheral nerve?

Answer 12

A bundle of axons wrapped in connective tissue travelling together to/from the same region of the body or structure

Question 13

What is the outermost layer of the cerebral hemispheres called?

Answer 13

Cerebral neocortex (cortex for short)

Question 14

What is the name given to the fissure which separates the two cerebral hemispheres sagittally?

Answer 14

The longitudinal fissure

Question 15

Which cranial nerves could a pathology in the jugular foramen injure?

Answer 15

CNS IX, X and XI

Question 16

Why is the area of the brain deep to the grey matter coloured white?

Answer 16

It contains many axons which are myelinated and the myelin gives the whiter appearance

Question 17

In the spinal cord, which is deep and which is superficial of the white and grey matter?

Answer 17

White matter is superficial

Grey matter is deep

Question 18

Which structure does the spinal cord pass through to connect with the brain?

Answer 18

Foramen magnum of the occipital bone

Question 19

At which level does the spinal cord end?

Answer 19

L1/L2

Question 20

What is the cauda equina?

Answer 20

Lumbar and sacral spinal roots that descend in the vertebral canal to their respective intervertebral foraminae

Question 21

Which anterior rami mix to make the brachial plexus?

Answer 21

C5-T1

Question 22

What are the five named nerves that stem from the brachial plexus?

Answer 22

Musculocutaneous nerve
Axillary nerve
Median nerve
Radial nerve
Ulnar nerve

Question 23

Which cranial nerves contain parasympathetic axons?

Answer 23

3, 7, 9 and 10

Question 24

What are the structures of the soma (superficial to deep)?

Answer 24

Skin
Fascia
Skeletal muscle
Skeleton
Internal lining of body cavities e.g. parietal pleura

Question 25

What is the name given to the receptors which detect pain?

Answer 25

Nociceptors

Question 26

Which part of the brain is the primary somatosensory area?

Answer 26

Parietal lobe

Question 27

Which part of the brain is the primary somatomotor area?

Answer 27

Frontal lobe

Question 28

How many neurones are in the somatic motor pathway?

Answer 28

2 neurones

Question 29

What is a reflex?

Answer 29

An extremely rapid, involuntary response to a potentially harmful stimulus

Question 30

What is paralysis?

Answer 30

A muscle without a functioning lower motorneurone is paralysed

Question 31

On examination of a paralysed muscle, what could be noted about the muscle tone?

Answer 31

Reduced muscle tone - reduced resistance to stretch?

Question 32

What is spasticity?

Answer 32

When a muscle has an intact and functioning lower motorneurone but the descending controls of the brain are not working, and so the muscle over-contracts continuously

Question 33

On examination of a spastic muscle, what could be noted about the muscle tone?

Answer 33

Increased tone

Question 34

Which part of the spinal cord do sympathetic axons descend in?

Answer 34

White matter

Question 35

Which segments of the spinal cord have lateral horns and why?

Answer 35

T1-L2 | To accommodate sympathetic neurones

Question 36

Which structures in the body wall does the sympathetic system supply?

Answer 36

Skin sweat glands Skin arrector muscles All arterioles