INTRODUCTION TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

The nervous system is a network of specialized tissue that controls actions

and reactions of the body and its adjustment to the environment.

The nervous system is FUNCTIONALLY divided into:

•Somatic Nervous System:
It receives somatic sensations from the body and controls voluntary activities

•Autonomic Nervous System:

It receives visceral sensations and controls activities of glands and involuntary muscles

The nervous system is STRUCTURALLY classified into:

•Central Nervous System CNS

•Peripheral Nervous System PNS

 I. CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

BRAIN
Subdivided into:

SPINAL CORD

BRAIN
• The large upper part of the CNS
• Enclosed in the cranial cavity
• Covered by 3 layrers of meninges:
• Dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater

• Subdivided into:
▪ FOREBRAIN: includes the cerebral hemispheres

▪ MIDBRAIN: the junction between the forebrain and hindbrain

▪ HINDBRAIN: includes the pons, medulla oblongata and cerebellum

Remember: the midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata are called the BRAIN STEM
 CEREBRAL HEMISPHERES
•They constitute the largest subdivision of the brain
•The two hemispheres are separated by the longitudinal fissure
•Each hemisphere is formed of FOUR LOBES
▪Frontal
▪Parietal
▪Occipital
▪Temporal

•Each hemisphere has THREE POLES

▪Frontal pole
▪Temporal pole
▪Occipital pole

•Each hemisphere has THREE SURFACES

▪Superolateral surface: related to the skull cap
▪Medial surface: the two medial surfaces are separated by the
longitudinal fissure, but connected below the fissure by commissures.
▪Inferior surface: divided into two parts:
- ORBITAL (anteriorly)
- TENTORIAL (posteriorly)
 MEDIAL SURFACE

INFERIOR SURFACE
BRAIN STEM
A nervous column formed by the midbrain, pons and medulla.

MIDBRAIN
• Constitutes the upper part of the brain stem.

PONS
• Constitutes the middle part of the brain stem.

MEDULLA OBLONGATA
• Constitutes the lower part of the brain stem.
• It is continuous inferiorly with the spinal cord.
• Its upper part is called open medulla.
• Its lower part is called closed medulla.

Midbrain

Pons

Open Medulla

Closed Medulla
 CEREBELLUM

- The posterior part of the hindbrain.

- Situated behind the pons and medulla.
- Divided by fissures into lobes & lobules.
SPINAL CORD Cervical
segments

• An elongated structure which lies within the vertebral canal. Cevical

swelling

• It is functionally divided into 31 segments to which 31 pairs

of spinal nerves are attached.

•Each segment gives rise to a pair of spinal nerves.

Thoracic
segments
• Segments of the spinal cord:
• 8 cervical segments
• 12 thoracic segments
• 5 lumbar segments
• 5 sacral segments
• 1 coccygeal segment
Lumbar
segments Lumbar
swelling
Sacral Conus
segments medullaris

Coccygeal
segment

Filum
terminale
• The cord extends from the upper border of the atlas to the junction between 1st & 2nd
lumbar vertebrae.

• The cord is enclosed within the dura,

arachnoid and pia maters.

• The cord narrows caudally to form the conus

medullaris

• The tube of dura and arachnoid ends at the

level of the 2nd piece of sacrum.

• The filum terminale is an extension of the pia

mater from conus medullaris to 1st piece of coccyx.

REMEMBER:
• The cord ends between L1 & L2
• The meningeal tube ends at S2
• The filum terminale is attached to 1st piece of coccyx
Spinal Cord Enlargements Cervical
segments

• The spinal nerves are attached to the spinal cord by means of Cevical
ventral (motor) and dorsal (sensory) roots swelling

• The parts of the cord which give rise to nerves supplying the

Thoracic segments
upper and lower limbs become enlarged to form:
• CERVICAL enlargement

• LUMBAR enlargement

Lumbar
segments Lumbar
swelling
Sacral Conus
segments medullaris

Coccygeal
segment

Filum
terminale
Cauda Equina
The lower lumbar, sacral and coccygeal nerves
form a bunch of nerve roots around the filum
terminale called the cauda equina

Cauda equina

Nerve roots coming out

of their proper foramina
 Sulci on the Outer Surface of the Cord
• The ANTERIOR MEDIAN FISSURE and a POSTERIOR MEDIAN SULCUS &
SEPTUM incompletely separate the cord into right and left halves.

• The anterolateral sulcus marks the attachment of ventral roots to the cord.
• The posterolateral sulcus marks the attachment of dorsal roots to the cord.

Posterior median sulcus

Posterior intermediate Posterior median septum
sulcus & septum
Dorsal root entering
through posterolateral sulcus

Ventral root Anterior median fissure

 Internal Structure of the Spinal Cord
• The spinal cord appears incompletely divided into 2 symmetrical halves by the anterior
median fissure and posterior median septum.
• It contains a narrow lumen called the central canal
• The cord is formed of gray and white mater.
• The gray matter is central in position, while the white matter lies peripherally

Post white column Posterior root of spinal nerve

Dorsal white commissure Posterior gray column

Lateral white column

Posterior gray commissure

Central canal

Anterior white column

Anterior gray column

Anterior root of spinal nerve Anterior median fissure

Anterior gray commissure
Ventral white commissure
 Gray Mater of the Cord
• In transverse sections, the gray matter appears H-shaped
• It is formed of 2 anterior horns and 2 posterior horns which are connected by
the gray commissures across the median plane
• In the thoracic & upper lumbar segments a lateral grey horn is also present

Post white column Posterior root of spinal nerve

Dorsal white commissure Posterior gray column

Lateral white column

Posterior gray commissure

Central canal

Lateral grey
column

Anterior white column

Anterior gray column

Anterior root of spinal nerve

Ventral white commissure Anterior median fissure Anterior gray commissure

 White Matter of the Spinal Cord
• The white matter is occupied by ascending and descending tracts.
• It is differentiated into 3 columns on each side:
•Posterior white column: between the posterior median septum and the posterior horn.
•Lateral white column: lateral to both anterior and posterior horns
•Anterior white column: between the anterior median fissure and ventral roots of spinal nerves
Posterior white column

Dorsal root

Lateral white
column

Ventral root

Anterior white column

CAVITIES OF THE CNS
• The lumen of each cerebral hemisphere is called the lateral ventricle
• The lumen between the lower parts of the two cerebral hemispheres is called the third ventricle
• The lumen of the midbrain is a canal called the cerebral aqueduct
• The lumen of the hindbrain is the fourth ventricle
• The lumen of the spinal cord and lower part of the medulla is the central canal.

Lateral ventricles
Third ventricle

Cerebral aqueduct

Fourth ventricle
• The ventricles contain a clear watery fluid called the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF)
• The lateral ventricles are connected to the third ventricle via the interventricular foramen.
• The cerebral aqueduct connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle.
• The lower angle of the fourth ventricle is continuous with the central canal.
 II. THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Cerebrospinal nerves
• Cranial nerves
• Spinal nerves

Autonomic nerves
▪ Sympathetic
▪ Parasympathetic

Cranial nerves
• Twelve pairs of nerves attached to the brain
• They exit the cranial cavity through the skull foramina
Cranial nerves
• Twelve pairs of nerves attached to the brain
• They exit the cranial cavity through the skull foramina
Spinal nerves
• 31 pairs of nerves attached to the spinal cord
• They exit the vertebral column through the intervertebral foramina
• They are classified into:
• 8 cervical
• 12 thoracic
• 5 lumbar
• 5 sacral
• 1 coccygeal
• Each spinal nerve is attached by 2 roots to the
corresponding segment of the cord
•Ventral root, (motor)
•Dorsal root, (sensory)

Dorsal root

Spinal nerve

Ventral root
 BLOOD SUPPLY OF THE SPINAL CORD

Anterior spinal artery

from the vertebral artery

Posterior spinal arteries

from the vertebral artery

Radicular arteries
from the segmental arteries