NEUROANATOMY & NEUROPHYSIOLOGY 1

Introduction

 Human Body consists of abundant tissues and various ORIENTATION OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
organs that are diverse in structure and function. Still
they function together, and in harmony, for the well-
being of the body.
 Nervous system plays a pivotal role in this coordination.
 Neuroanatomy is the study of the structural aspects of
the nervous system.
 Division of a study of the nervous system into
Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology is only a matter of
convenience

ORGANIZATION OF NERVOUS SYSTEM

 Nervous system can be described in two ways
1. Anatomically
2. Functionally

ANATOMIC DIVISIONS
1. Central Component (Brain and Spinal Cord)
 Called as Central Nervous System (CNS)
 Made of groups of neuronal cell bodies (called
nuclei), their dendritic and axonal processes and
many supporting cells (glia)
2. Peripheral Component (Cranial Nerves and
Peripheral Nerves)
 Called as Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
 Composed primarily of axonal neural processes,
small amounts of neuronal cell bodies (called
ganglia) and supporting cells (Schwann cells or
neurolemmacytes)

Note: Remember that a collection of neural cell bodies has a

different name depending on its anatomical location: ganglia in the
PNS and nuclei in the CNS. These nuclei are collections of cell
bodies and should not be confused with cellular nuclei that contain
chromosomes.

FUNCTIONAL DIVISIONS
1. Sensory (afferent, input)
2. Motor (efferent, output)