Advanced Human Anatomy and Histology: Nervous System Review

A comprehensive review of key concepts in Advanced Human Anatomy and Histology focusing on the Nervous System.

What are the two main components of the Nervous System?

Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

What is gray matter?

Tissue in the CNS that contains cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses.

Define white matter.

Groups of myelinated axons in the CNS.

What does the term 'decussate' mean?

To cross from one side to the other.

What is the function of myelin?

To increase conduction speed of nerve impulses, produced by glial cells.

What characterizes a somatic nerve?

It is involved in voluntary control and provides sensory information from the external environment.

What is the main distinction between somatic and visceral systems?

Somatic is voluntary and conscious, whereas visceral is autonomic and involves internal organs.

What is meningitis?

Inflammation and infection of the pia and arachnoid mater.

Which cranial nerve is responsible for the sense of smell?

Cranial Nerve I: Olfactory.

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?

31 pairs.

What are dermatomes?

Regionally distributed sensory information carried by each spinal nerve.

What is shingles caused by?

Viral infection from varicella zoster virus.

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

Regulates involuntary body functions, including heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and digestion.

What is a reflex arc?

A neural pathway that controls a reflex action, involving a sensory neuron, interneuron, and a motor neuron.

What is the function of the enteric nervous system?

Regulates the function of the gastrointestinal tract.

What are sympathetic ganglia and where are they located?

A series of nerve fibers located near the spinal cord which house connections between preganglionic and postganglionic sympathetic neurons.

Define the term 'plexus' in the context of nervous anatomy.

A branching network of intersecting nerves.

How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system differ in function?

Sympathetic is involved in 'fight or flight' responses, while parasympathetic is involved in 'rest and digest' functions.

What is the significance of the blood-brain barrier?

It protects the brain from harmful substances in the bloodstream.

Which layer of the meninges is the outermost?

Dura mater.

What is the role of the vagus nerve in the parasympathetic nervous system?

Regulates various autonomic functions such as heart rate and digestion in the thorax and abdomen.