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Neuroscience Definitions
Neuroscience Definitions
58
Medical
Graduate
05/04/2010

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Term
1. Afferent/Sensory
Definition
a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system.
Term
2. Arachnoid Mater
Definition
one of the three meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. It is interposed between the two other meninges, the more superficial dura mater and the deeper pia mater, and is separated from the pia mater by the subarachnoid space.
Term
3. Autonomic
Definition
responsible for the control of automatic bodily functions.
Term
4. Brain
Definition
that part of the central nervous system that includes all the higher nervous centers; enclosed within the skull; continuous with the spinal cord .
Term
5. Central Nervous System
Definition
the portion of the vertebrate nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.
Term
6. Cranial Nerve
Definition
any of the 12 paired nerves that originate in the brain stem.
Term
7. Craniosacral
Definition
Cranio refers to the cranium, which is the bony part of the head. Sacral refers to the bony bottom of the spine called the sacrum.
Term
8. Dorsal Horn
Definition
one of the two roots of a spinal nerve that passes dorsally to the spinal cord and that consists of sensory fibers.
Term
9. Dorsal Root
Definition
(or posterior root) is the afferent sensory root of a spinal nerve. Structure (pathway) through which sensory nerves enter the 'back' of the spinal cord.
Term
10. Dorsal Root Ganglion
Definition
A collection of cell bodies of the sensory neurons that are part of the somatic peripheral nervous system.
Term
11. Dura Mater
Definition
the outermost (and toughest) of the 3 meninges, covering the brain and the spinal cord.
Term
12. Efferent/Motor
Definition
motor nerve, a nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands.
Term
13. Ganglion
Definition
A collection of nerve cell bodies in the PNS.
Term
14. Gray Matter
Definition
greyish nervous tissue containing cell bodies as well as fibers; forms the cerebral cortex consisting of unmyelinated neurons.
Term
15. Gray Ramus Communicantes
Definition
each spinal nerve receives a branch, gray ramus communicans, from the adjacent ganglion of the sympathetic trunk.
Term
16. Lateral Horn
Definition
In the thoracic region, the postero-lateral part of the anterior column projects lateral ward as a triangular field, which is named the lateral column (lateral cornu, lateral horn).
Term
17. Meninges
Definition
a membrane (one of 3) that envelops the brain and spinal cord.
Term
18. Mixed Nerve
Definition
A nerve that contains both sensory and motor fibers.
Term
19. Motor Nerve
Definition
a nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands.
Term
20. Nerve
Definition
A collection of nerve cell processes in the PNS.
Term
21. Nuclei
Definition
a part of the cell containing DNA and RNA and responsible for growth and reproduction.
Term
22. Parasympathetic
Definition
The parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) is a division of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), along with the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and enteric nervous system (ENS or "bowels NS"). The ANS is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). ANS sends fibers to three tissues: cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, or glandular tissue. This stimulation, sympathetic or parasympathetic, is to control smooth muscle contraction, regulate cardiac muscle, or stimulate or inhibit glandular secretion. The actions of the parasympathetic nervous system can be summarized as "rest and digest".
Term
23. Paravertebral Ganglia
Definition
Along the length of the sympathetic trunk are ganglia known as ganglia of sympathetic trunk or paravertebral ganglia. The ganglia are distinguished as cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral and, except in the neck, they closely correspond in number to the vertebrae. Cervical ganglia - 3 ganglia, thoracic ganglia - 12 ganglia, lumbar ganglia - 5 ganglia, and sacral ganglia - 4 ganglia.
Term
24. Peripheral Nervous System
Definition
the section of the nervous system lying outside the brain and spinal cord.
Term
25. Pia Mater
Definition
the highly vascular innermost (deep) of the 3 meninges.
Term
26. Postganglionic
Definition
in the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the ganglion to the effector organ.
Term
27. Preganglionic
Definition
In the autonomic nervous system, fibers from the CNS to the ganglion.
Term
28. Prevertebral Ganglia
Definition
sympathetic ganglia which lie between the sympathetic chain and the organ of supply. They are the site of relay of the postganglionic sympathetic fibres that supply abdominal and pelvic viscera.
Term
29. Sensory Nerve
Definition
a nerve that passes impulses from receptors toward or to the central nervous system.
Term
30. Somatic
Definition
Relates to the body and its external environment. Anatomically, body wall: head, neck, limbs (bones, skeletal muscle and skin.

Functionally, hearing, seeing, touching, proprioception (knowing where you are without looking), getting from point A to point B.
Term
31. Spinal Cord
Definition
a major part of the central nervous system which conducts sensory and motor nerve impulses to and from the brain.
Term
32. Spinal Nerve
Definition
any of the 31 pairs of nerves emerging from each side of the spinal cord (each attached to the cord by two roots: ventral and dorsal).
Term
33. Splanchnic Nerve
Definition
any of several nerves of the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system that innervate viscera and blood vessels.
Term
34. Sympathetic
Definition
The part of the autonomic nervous system that under stress raises blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels and dilates the pupils.
Term
35. Sympathetic Chain
Definition
are a paired bundle of nerve fibers that run from the base of the skull to the coccyx. A network of nerves along the anterior cervical and lumbar spine which control multiple functions including constriction and expansion of vessels.
Term
36. Thoracolumbar
Definition
region of the spine at the juncture of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae.
Term
37. Tracts
Definition
a bundle of myelinated nerve fibers following a path through the brain (similar to the ganglia?).
Term
38. Ventral Horn
Definition
one of two the two roots of a spinal nerve that passes ventrally from the spinal cord and that consists of motor fibers. The ventral region of the spinal cord containing neuronal cell bodies.
Term
39. Ventral Root
Definition
the ventral root (or anterior root) is the efferent motor root of a spinal nerve. A collection of efferent, motor nerves that exit the spinal cord.
Term
40. Visceral Afferent
Definition
Monitors and directs INTERNAL environment. Organs and glands (Internal).

Digesting, secreting, sweating.
Term
41. White Matter
Definition
A region of the central nervous system containing myelinated nerve fibres and no dendrites.
Term
42. White Ramus Communicantes
Definition
The thoracic, and the first and second lumbar nerves each contribute a branch, white ramus communicans, to the adjoining (joining) sympathetic ganglion.
Term
43. Telencephalon
Definition
the anterior division of the forebrain; the cerebrum and related parts of the hypothalamus.
Term
44. Diencephalon
Definition
the posterior division of the forebrain; connects the cerebral hemispheres with the mesencephalon.
Term
45. Mesencephalon
Definition
midbrain, the middle portion of the brain.
Term
46. Metencephalon
Definition
the part of the hindbrain (the posterior portion of the brain including brainstem and cerebellum) that develops into the pons and the cerebellum.
Term
47. Myelencephalon
Definition
the posterior part of the hindbrain in developing vertebrates; forms the medulla oblongata in adults.
Term
48. Neural tube
Definition
a tube of ectodermal tissue in the embryo from which the brain and spinal cord develop.
Term
49. Alar plate
Definition
is a neural structure in the embryonic nervous system, part of the dorsal side of neural tube, that involves the communication of general somatic and general visceral sensory impulses. It later becomes sensory axon part of the spinal cord.
Term
50. Basal plate
Definition
In the developing nervous system, the basal plate is the region of the neural tube ventral to the sulcus limitans. It extends from the rostral mesencephalon to the end of the spinal cord and contains primarily motor neurons, whereas neurons found in the alar plate are primarily associated with sensory functions. The cell types of the basal plate include lower motor neurons and four types of interneuron (multipolar neuron which connects afferent neurons and efferent neurons in neural pathways. Like motor neurons, interneuron cell bodies are always located in the central nervous system).
Term
Organizing Principal
Definition
1. Location: Central vs. Peripheral
2. Direction of Information flow: Afferent (Somatic and Visceral) vs Efferent (Somatic and Autonomic)
3. Functional, but with a definite anatomical basis. Depends on information sources and targets: Somatic vs. Autonomic
Term
Neuroanatomical Directions
Definition
1. Superficial/Rostral (top)
2. Inferior/Caudal (bottom)
3. Anterior/Ventral (front)
4. Posterior/Dorsal (back)
Term
Synapse
Definition
Connection between 2 neurons.
Term
Referred Pain
Definition
Pain originating in one part of the body, but is felt in another part of the body.
Term
Sections of the body: Neck, Nipples, Umbilicus, Inguinal
Definition
Neck: C3
Nipples: T4
Umbilicus: T10
Inguinal: L1
Term
Dermatomes
Definition
an area of skin that is mainly supplied by a single spinal nerve.
Term
Myotome
Definition
used to describe the muscles served by a single nerve root. It is the motor equivalent of a dermatome.
Term
Path of Nervous System
Definition
1. Organ --> Sympathetic & Parasympathetic --> Autonomic (Visceral Afferents) --> Afferent --> PNS --> CNS -->

1. CNS --> PNS --> Efferent --> Autonomic --> Sympathetic and Parasympathetic --> Organ

2. Organ --> Somatic --> Afferent --> PNS --> CNS

2. CNS --> PNS --> Efferent --> Somatic --> Organ
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