NSCI 175 EXAM II UNC STUDY GUIDE
dorsal - Answer -direction pointing up
ventral - Answer -direction pointing down
rostral - Answer -anterior, toward the nose
caudal - Answer -posterior, towards the back of the body, tail
midsagittal - Answer -the plane dividing the brain into equal right and left halves
horizontal - Answer -splits into dorsal and ventral halves
coronal - Answer -splits into rostral and caudal halves
ipsilateral - Answer -on the same side of the body as another structure
contralateral - Answer -on the opposite side of the body as another structure
proximal - Answer -nearer to the trunk of the body
distal - Answer -farther from the trunk of the body
CNS (central nervous system) - Answer -consists of the brain and spinal cord
PNS (peripheral nervous system) - Answer -the sensory and motor neurons that
connect the CNS to the rest of the body, cranial and spinal nerves
somatic nervous system - Answer -voluntary control, the division of the peripheral
nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
visceral nervous system - Answer -involuntary, the portion of the peripheral nervous
system composed of a motor division (autonomic nervous system) and sensory division
sympathetic nervous system - Answer -the division of the autonomic nervous system
that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations, "fight or flight"
parasympathetic nervous system - Answer -the division of the autonomic nervous
system that calms the body, conserving its energy, "rest and digest"
cerebrum - Answer -largest part of the brain, contralateral control, involved with motor,
touch, and vision
, corpus callosum - Answer -the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain
hemispheres and carrying messages between them
inferior colliculus - Answer -a midbrain nucleus in the auditory pathway
substantia nigra - Answer -midbrain structure where dopamine is produced; involved in
control of movement
ventricles - Answer -areas of the brain that produce transport the CSF that bathes the
CNS
dorsal roots - Answer -axons that bring information to the spinal cord, ie sensory
neurons
ventral roots - Answer -axons that carry information away from the spinal cord, ie motor
neurons
efferent axons - Answer -sends information away from the CNS
afferent axons - Answer -brings information into a the CNS
cranial nerves - Answer -12 pairs of nerves arising from the brain that carry sensory
and motor information
CT (computed tomography) - Answer -measure of x-ray absorption to map tissue
density, gross organization of gray and white matter, and position of ventricles
spinal cord - Answer -nervous tissue within the spinal cavity, brings information to and
from the body to the brain
brainstem - Answer -relays information from cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal
cord, regulates vitals
medulla oblongata - Answer -connects brainstem to spinal cord and contains control
centers for the heart and lungs, ANS, sensory and motor info travel through
pons - Answer -A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest
of the brain, head and facial sensation, motor control of facial structures, ANS
Midbrain - Answer -A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory
information and relays it upward
superior colliculus - Answer -receives visual sensory input and is involved in visual
processes
dorsal - Answer -direction pointing up
ventral - Answer -direction pointing down
rostral - Answer -anterior, toward the nose
caudal - Answer -posterior, towards the back of the body, tail
midsagittal - Answer -the plane dividing the brain into equal right and left halves
horizontal - Answer -splits into dorsal and ventral halves
coronal - Answer -splits into rostral and caudal halves
ipsilateral - Answer -on the same side of the body as another structure
contralateral - Answer -on the opposite side of the body as another structure
proximal - Answer -nearer to the trunk of the body
distal - Answer -farther from the trunk of the body
CNS (central nervous system) - Answer -consists of the brain and spinal cord
PNS (peripheral nervous system) - Answer -the sensory and motor neurons that
connect the CNS to the rest of the body, cranial and spinal nerves
somatic nervous system - Answer -voluntary control, the division of the peripheral
nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles
visceral nervous system - Answer -involuntary, the portion of the peripheral nervous
system composed of a motor division (autonomic nervous system) and sensory division
sympathetic nervous system - Answer -the division of the autonomic nervous system
that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations, "fight or flight"
parasympathetic nervous system - Answer -the division of the autonomic nervous
system that calms the body, conserving its energy, "rest and digest"
cerebrum - Answer -largest part of the brain, contralateral control, involved with motor,
touch, and vision
, corpus callosum - Answer -the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain
hemispheres and carrying messages between them
inferior colliculus - Answer -a midbrain nucleus in the auditory pathway
substantia nigra - Answer -midbrain structure where dopamine is produced; involved in
control of movement
ventricles - Answer -areas of the brain that produce transport the CSF that bathes the
CNS
dorsal roots - Answer -axons that bring information to the spinal cord, ie sensory
neurons
ventral roots - Answer -axons that carry information away from the spinal cord, ie motor
neurons
efferent axons - Answer -sends information away from the CNS
afferent axons - Answer -brings information into a the CNS
cranial nerves - Answer -12 pairs of nerves arising from the brain that carry sensory
and motor information
CT (computed tomography) - Answer -measure of x-ray absorption to map tissue
density, gross organization of gray and white matter, and position of ventricles
spinal cord - Answer -nervous tissue within the spinal cavity, brings information to and
from the body to the brain
brainstem - Answer -relays information from cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal
cord, regulates vitals
medulla oblongata - Answer -connects brainstem to spinal cord and contains control
centers for the heart and lungs, ANS, sensory and motor info travel through
pons - Answer -A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest
of the brain, head and facial sensation, motor control of facial structures, ANS
Midbrain - Answer -A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory
information and relays it upward
superior colliculus - Answer -receives visual sensory input and is involved in visual
processes
