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Anatomy and Physiology - The Nervous System

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    Study Guide Anatomy and Physiology – The Nervous System 1. Nervous System Terminology When studying the nervous system, you will see many special terms used again and again. Learning these words makes anatomy much easier and helps you understand diagrams and textbook descriptions. Important Nervous System Terms 1. Nerve Fiber, Nerve, and Nerve Tract These terms describe bundles of neuron “wiring,” but the location matters: • Nerve fiber = an axon or dendrite • Nerve = a bundle of nerve fibers in the PNS (peripheral nervous system) • Nerve tract = a bundle of nerve fibers in the CNS (central nervous system) 2. White Matter White matter is found in the CNS and contains mainly: myelinated axons It looks white because myelin has a whitish, fatty appearance. 3. Gray Matter Gray matter is also found in the CNS and contains: • neuron cell bodies • dendrites • axon terminals • unmyelinated axons • neuroglia It appears gray because it lacks large amounts of myelin.

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    Study Guide 4. Nuclei vs Ganglia Both terms describe clusters of neuron cell bodies, but again the location matters: • Nuclei = clusters of cell bodies in the CNS • Ganglia = clusters of cell bodies in the PNS Special note: The basal ganglia are actually located in the CNS, so a better name for them is: basal nuclei 5. Vesicles Vesicles are fluid - filled cavities that form in the early developing brain. The tissues around these vesicles divide and develop into the different parts of the brain. 6. Ventricles Ventricles are the connected fluid - filled spaces in the mature brain. They develop from the embryonic vesicles. The ventricles contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) , which helps by: • nourishing nervous tissue • carrying waste away from nervous tissue 7. Peduncles Peduncles are large tracts (bundles of nerve fibers) that extend from certain brain regions. Because they are large, they look like they “support” the brain structure they come from. The word peduncle means “little foot.”

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    Study Guide 2. Quiz: Nervous System Terminology 1. Question A single axon is classified as a __________. Answer Choices • ganglion • nerve fiber • nerve tract Correct Answer nerve fiber Why This Is Correct A single axon is also called a nerve fiber . It is the long part of the neuron that carries impulses away from the cell body. 2. Question The myelinated axons in the spinal cord are called __________. Answer Choices • ganglia • nerve tracts • bundles of nerves Correct Answer nerve tracts

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    Study Guide Why This Is Correct In the CNS (brain and spinal cord) , bundles of axons are called nerve tracts . These tracts often contain myelinated axons to send messages quickly. 3. Question In the brain and spinal cord, what makes up the white matter? Answer Choices • dendrites • myelinated axons • cell bodies (soma) Correct Answer myelinated axons Why This Is Correct White matter appears white because of myelin , the fatty covering around axons. So white matter is mostly made of myelinated axons , while gray matter contains more cell bodies and dendrites. 3. The Brain The brain is the control center of the nervous system. It processes information, controls movement, and helps regulate many important body functions like temperature, hunger, and sleep. To understand the adult brain, it helps to start with how it develops during embryonic growth.

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    Study Guide 3.1 Brain Development: Vesicles (Early Brain Formation) During early embryonic development, the brain begins as three hollow cavities , called the primary brain vesicles : 1. Forebrain (prosencephalon) 2. Midbrain (mesencephalon) 3. Hindbrain (rhombencephalon) Later, these three primary vesicles develop into five secondary brain vesicles , which eventually form the adult brain structures.

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    Study Guide

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    Study Guide 3.2 The 5 Secondary Brain Vesicles and What They Become 1. Telencephalon Forms the cerebrum , which contains: • cerebral cortex • white matter • basal ganglia 2. Diencephalon Forms: • thalamus • hypothalamus • pineal gland

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    Study Guide 3. Mesencephalon Forms the midbrain portion of the brainstem 4. Metencephalon Forms: • pons (part of brainstem) • cerebellum 5. Myelencephalon Forms the medulla oblongata (part of brainstem) 3.2 The Cerebrum (Largest Part of the Brain) The cerebrum is the biggest and most visible part of the brain. It is made of two cerebral hemispheres , and they are connected by a thick bundle of nerve fibers called the: corpus callosum The surface of the cerebrum looks wrinkled because it has many folds. These folds increase surface area, allowing more brain tissue in a smaller space.

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    Study Guide Figure 1. Anatomy of the adult brain. Brain “Folds” Vocabulary (Very Important Terms) The folds of the cerebrum are called convolutions , and they include: • Gyrus (gyri) = a raised ridge • Sulcus (sulci) = a shallow groove • Fissure = a deep groove Lobes of the Cerebrum Deep fissures divide the cerebrum into five lobes .

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    Study Guide Most lobes are named after the skull bones near them: 1. Frontal lobe 2. Parietal lobe 3. Temporal lobe 4. Occipital lobe 5. Insula Important note: All lobes except the insula can be seen from the outside of the brain. The insula is deep and not visible externally. (Refer to Figure 1 for lobe locations.) 3.3 Inside the Cerebrum: 3 Main Layers A cross - section of the cerebrum shows three distinct layers . Figure 2. The cerebral cortex and basal ganglia.

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