Nervous system
Lecture 4 – Neuroanatomy
Dorsal – top of brain
Ventral – bottom of a brain
Term Definition
Dorsal Toward the back, away from the ventral (stomach) side. The top of th
dorsal because it has that position in four-legged animals.
Ventral Toward the stomach, away from the dorsal (back) side
Anterior Toward the front end
Posterior Toward the rear end
Superior Above another part
Inferior Below another part
Lateral Toward the side, away from the midline
Medial Toward the midline, away from the side
Proximal Located close (approximate) to the point of origin or attachment
Distal Located more distant from the point of origin or attachment
Ipsilateral On the same side of the body (eg., two parts on the left or two on the
Contralateral On the opposite side of the body (one on the left and one on the righ
Coronal plane (or frontal plane) A plane that shows brain structures as seen from the front
Sagittal plane A plane that shows brain structures as seen from the side
Horizontal plane (or transverse A plane that shows brain structures as seen from above
plane)
CNS = Brain and spinal chord
, PNS = Connects brain and spinal chord to the rest of the body
1. Somatic nervous system = sending information from sense
organs to CNS and from CNS to muscles. Important for muscles,
voluntary behaviour and reflexes.
2. Autonomic nervous system = Controls heart, intestines, blood
pressure, digestion. – regulates automatic behaviour without
conscious awareness.
Sympathetic nervous system =
- Initiates fight or flight – prepares organs for rigorous activity
- Heart rate increases
- Dilates pupils
- Inhibit digestion
- Inhibits urination
- Blood pressure increases
- Increase in oxygen (respiration increases)
- Chains of ganglia left and right of spinal cord
- Releases mainly norepinephrine from the noradrenergic and
cholinergic neurons
Parasympathetic nervous system =
- Non-emergency responses
- Conserves energy
- Calming effect – relaxed states
- Long preganglionic axons extending from the brain and spinal
chord
- Postganglionic axons Ach (modified amino acid)
- Stimulates Salivation
- Slower heard rate
- Stimulates digestion
- Contracts bladder
Lecture 4 – Neuroanatomy
Dorsal – top of brain
Ventral – bottom of a brain
Term Definition
Dorsal Toward the back, away from the ventral (stomach) side. The top of th
dorsal because it has that position in four-legged animals.
Ventral Toward the stomach, away from the dorsal (back) side
Anterior Toward the front end
Posterior Toward the rear end
Superior Above another part
Inferior Below another part
Lateral Toward the side, away from the midline
Medial Toward the midline, away from the side
Proximal Located close (approximate) to the point of origin or attachment
Distal Located more distant from the point of origin or attachment
Ipsilateral On the same side of the body (eg., two parts on the left or two on the
Contralateral On the opposite side of the body (one on the left and one on the righ
Coronal plane (or frontal plane) A plane that shows brain structures as seen from the front
Sagittal plane A plane that shows brain structures as seen from the side
Horizontal plane (or transverse A plane that shows brain structures as seen from above
plane)
CNS = Brain and spinal chord
, PNS = Connects brain and spinal chord to the rest of the body
1. Somatic nervous system = sending information from sense
organs to CNS and from CNS to muscles. Important for muscles,
voluntary behaviour and reflexes.
2. Autonomic nervous system = Controls heart, intestines, blood
pressure, digestion. – regulates automatic behaviour without
conscious awareness.
Sympathetic nervous system =
- Initiates fight or flight – prepares organs for rigorous activity
- Heart rate increases
- Dilates pupils
- Inhibit digestion
- Inhibits urination
- Blood pressure increases
- Increase in oxygen (respiration increases)
- Chains of ganglia left and right of spinal cord
- Releases mainly norepinephrine from the noradrenergic and
cholinergic neurons
Parasympathetic nervous system =
- Non-emergency responses
- Conserves energy
- Calming effect – relaxed states
- Long preganglionic axons extending from the brain and spinal
chord
- Postganglionic axons Ach (modified amino acid)
- Stimulates Salivation
- Slower heard rate
- Stimulates digestion
- Contracts bladder
