neuroanatomy

The nervous system

• a complex hierarchial structure

  • composed of billions of neurons

    • each neuron communicates directly with 2,000 other neurons

  • interaction of neurons provides at least 1 trillions point of communication

Perioheral nervous system

• Cranial nerves

• Spinal nerves

• Sensory receptors

Central nervous system

• Brain is composed of several different parts

  • cerebrum

  • cerebellum

  • subcortical structures

    • thalamus, basal ganglia, etc

  • brain stem

• Spinal cord

Somatic

• voluntary control

• motor system

  • pyramidal

  • extrapyramidal

• sensory system

autonomic

• involuntary activities

• sympathetic

• parasympathetic

Pyramidal (direct)

• initate voluntary movement

• motor cortex

Extrapyramidal

• Background muscle tone and movements supporting primary movement

Neurons

• also known as nerve cells

• funtional building block for nervous system

• role is to transmit information

Nervous tissue

• communicates information

• consists of neurons or nerve cells

  • building blocks of the nervous system

  • different types: sensory, motor, interneurons

structure of neuron

• soma

• dendrite

• axon

Axon hillock

• junction of axon and soma

Myelin sheath

• white fatty wrapping that speeds up eural conduction

Glia/glial cells

• provide support and nutrients to the neuron

• make up the majority brain tissue

Synapse

• Neurons communicate via electrical and chemical signals

• axon terminal release neurotransmitter taken by the postsynaptic neuron

• gap between the neurons without touching

the cerebrum

• 2 cerebral hemispheres

• frontal lobe

• temporal lobe

• parietal lobe

• occipital lobe

Cererbal landmarks

• cerebral surface is covered bt gyri and sulci

• hemipsheres connected via the corpus callosum

Primary sulci

1. cerebral (superior) longitudinal fissure

2. lateral sulcus/sylvian fissure

3. central sulcus