HEALTH ASSESSMENT

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 ABDOMEN
ANATOMY
WRITTEN BY:
 The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

ABDOMEN, saclike expansion of the digestive system, between the esophagus and
the small intestine; it is located in the anterior portion of the abdominal cavity in most
vertebrates. The stomach serves as a temporary receptacle for storage and
mechanical distribution of food before it is passed into the intestine. In animals whose
stomachs contain digestive glands, some of the chemical processes of digestion also
occur in the stomach. The human stomach is subdivided into four regions: the fundus,
an expanded area curving up above the cardiac opening (the opening from the
stomach into the esophagus); the body, or intermediate region, the central and largest
portion; the antrum, the lowermost, somewhat funnel-shaped portion of the stomach;
and the pylorus, a narrowing where the stomach joins the small intestine. Each of the
openings, the cardiac and the pyloric, has a sphincter muscle that keeps the
neighbouring region closed, except when food is passing through. In this manner, food
is enclosed by the stomach until ready for digestion. The stomach has the ability to
expand or contract depending upon the amount of food contained within it. When
contracted, the interior walls form numerous folds (rugae), which disappear when the
walls are distended. The thick mucous-membrane lining of the walls is densely packed
with small gastric glands; these secrete a mixture of enzymes and hydrochloric
acid that partly digest proteins and fats.The stomach muscles are rarely inactive. Upon
entry of food, they relax briefly, then begin to contract. Periodic contractions churn and
knead food into a semifluid mixture called chyme; rhythmical pumping (peristaltic)
waves move food toward the pylorus and small intestine. Peristaltic contractions
persist after the stomach empties and, increasing with time, may become painful. Such
hunger pangs may also be related to the amount of sugar in the blood. If the level of
sugar decreases significantly, hunger can be experienced without the stomach’s
intervention. The absorption of food, water, and electrolytes by the stomach is practically
negligible, but iron and highly fat-soluble substances such as alcohol and some drugs are
absorbed directly. Secretions and movements of the stomach are controlled by the vagus
nerve and the sympathetic nervous system; emotional stress can alter normal stomach
functions. Common stomach disorders include peptic ulcer, cancer, and gastritis.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Michele Metych, Product
Coordinator.
 Heart
ANATOMY
WRITTEN BY:
 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica

HEART, organ that serves as a pump to circulate the blood. It may be a straight
tube, as in spiders and annelid worms, or a somewhat more elaborate structure with
one or more receiving chambers (atria) and a main pumping chamber (ventricle), as in
mollusks. In fishes the heart is a folded tube, with three or four enlarged areas that
correspond to the chambers in the mammalian heart. In animals with lungs—
amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals—the heart shows various stages of
evolution from a single to a double pump that circulates blood (1) to the lungs and (2)
to the body as a whole. In humans and other mammals and in birds, the heart is a four-
chambered double pump that is the centre of the circulatory system. In humans it is
situated between the two lungs and slightly to the left of centre, behind the breastbone;
it rests on the diaphragm, the muscular partition between the chest and the abdominal
cavity. The heart consists of several layers of a tough muscular wall, the myocardium.
A thin layer of tissue, the pericardium, covers the outside, and another layer,
the endocardium, lines the inside. The heart cavity is divided down the middle into a
right and a left heart, which in turn are subdivided into two chambers. The upper
chamber is called an atrium (or auricle), and the lower chamber is called a ventricle.
The two atria act as receiving chambers for blood entering the heart; the more
muscular ventricles pump the blood out of the heart. The heart, although a single
organ, can be considered as two pumps that propel blood through two different circuits.
The right atrium receives venous blood from the head, chest, and arms via the
large vein called the superior vena cava and receives blood from the abdomen, pelvic
region, and legs via the inferior vena cava. Blood then passes through the
tricuspid valve to the right ventricle, which propels it through the pulmonary artery to
the lungs. In the lungs venous blood comes in contact with inhaled air, picks
up oxygen, and loses carbon dioxide. Oxygenated blood is returned to the left atrium
through the pulmonary veins. Valves in the heart allow blood to flow in one direction
only and help maintain the pressure required to pump the blood. The low-pressure
circuit from the heart (right atrium and right ventricle), through the lungs, and back to
the heart (left atrium) constitutes the pulmonary circulation. Passage of blood through
the left atrium, bicuspid valve, left ventricle, aorta, tissues of the body, and back to the
right atrium constitutes the systemic circulation. Blood pressure is greatest in the left
ventricle and in the aorta and its arterial branches. Pressure is reduced in the
capillaries (vessels of minute diameter) and is reduced further in the veins returning
blood to the right atrium. The pumping of the heart, or the heartbeat, is caused by
alternating contractions and relaxations of the myocardium. These contractions are
stimulated by electrical impulses from a natural pacemaker, the sinoatrial, or S-A, node
located in the muscle of the right atrium. An impulse from the S-A node causes the two
atria to contract, forcing blood into the ventricles. Contraction of the ventricles is
controlled by impulses from the atrioventricular, or A-V, node located at the junction of
the two atria. Following contraction, the ventricles relax, and pressure within them falls.
Blood again flows into the atria, and an impulse from the S-A starts the cycle over
again. This process is called the cardiac cycle. The period of relaxation is
called diastole. The period of contraction is called systole. Diastole is the longer of the
two phases so that the heart can rest between contractions. In general, the rate of
heartbeat varies inversely with the size of the animal. In elephants it averages 25 beats
per minute, in canaries about 1,000. In humans the rate diminishes progressively from
birth (when it averages 130) to adolescence but increases slightly in old age; the
average adult rate is 70 beats at rest. The rate increases temporarily during exercise,
emotional excitement, and fever and decreases during sleep. Rhythmic pulsation felt
on the chest, coinciding with heartbeat, is called the apex beat. It is caused by
pressure exerted on the chest wall at the outset of systole by the rounded and
hardened ventricular wall. The rhythmic noises accompanying heartbeat are
called heart sounds. Normally, two distinct sounds are heard through the stethoscope:
a low, slightly prolonged “lub” (first sound) occurring at the beginning of ventricular
contraction, or systole, and produced by closure of the mitral and tricuspid valves, and
a sharper, higher-pitched “dup” (second sound), caused by closure of aortic and
pulmonary valves at the end of systole. Occasionally audible in normal hearts is a third
soft, low-pitched sound coinciding with early diastole and thought to be produced by
vibrations of the ventricular wall. A fourth sound, also occurring during diastole, is
revealed by graphic methods but is usually inaudible in normal subjects; it is believed
to be the result of atrial contraction and the impact of blood, expelled from the atria,
against the ventricular wall. Heart “murmurs” may be readily heard by a physician as soft
swishing or hissing sounds that follow the normal sounds of heart action. Murmurs may
indicate that blood is leaking through an imperfectly closed valve and may signal the presence
of a serious heart problem.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and
updated by Adam Augustyn, Managing Editor.
What You Should Know About the Peripheral Nervous System
By Kendra Cherry | Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD

What exactly is the peripheral nervous system and what role does it play in the body? First, it is
important to realize that the nervous system is divided into two parts: the central nervous
system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system includes the brain and
spinal cord, while the peripheral nervous system includes all of the nerves that branch out from
the brain and spinal cord and extend to other parts of the body including muscles and organs.
Each part of the system plays a vital role in how information is communicated throughout the
body. Let's learn about bit more about the functions and structure of the peripheral nervous
system.

What Is the Peripheral Nervous System?

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the division of the nervous system containing all
the nerves that lie outside of the central nervous system (CNS). The primary role of the
PNS is to connect the CNS to the organs, limbs, and skin. These nerves extend from the
central nervous system to the outermost areas of the body. The peripheral system allows
the brain and spinal cord to receive and send information to other areas of the body,
which allows us to react to stimuli in our environment.

The nerves that make up the peripheral nervous system are actually the axons or bundles
of axons from neuron cells. In some cases, these nerves are very small but some nerve bundles
are so large that they can be easily seen by the human eye.
The peripheral nervous system itself is divided into two parts:

 The somatic nervous system

 The autonomic nervous system

Each of these components plays a critical role in how the peripheral nervous system operates.

The Somatic Nervous System

The somatic system is the part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for carrying sensory
and motor information to and from the central nervous system. The somatic nervous system
derives its name from the Greek word soma, which means "body."The somatic system is
responsible for transmitting sensory information as well as for voluntary movement. This
system contains two major types of neurons:

1. Sensory neurons (or afferent neurons) that carry information from the nerves to the
central nervous system. It is these sensory neurons that allow us to take in sensory
information and send it to the brain and spinal cord.
 2. Motor neurons (or efferent neurons) that carry information from the brain and spinal
cord to muscle fibers throughout the body. These motor neurons allow us to take physical
action in response to stimuli in the environment.

Functions of the Somatic Nervous System

The autonomic system is the part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for
regulating involuntary body functions, such as blood flow, heartbeat, digestion, and
breathing. In other words, it is the autonomic system that controls aspects of the body that
are usually not under voluntary control. This system allows these functions to take place
without needing to consciously think about them happening.

This system is further divided into two branches:

1. The sympathetic system regulates the flight-or-fight responses. This system prepares the
body to expend energy and deal with potential threats in the environment. When action is
needed, the sympathetic system will trigger a response by speeding up the heart rate,
increasing breathing rate, increasing blood flow to muscles, activating sweat secretion,
and dilating the pupils. This allows the body to respond quickly in situations that require
immediate action. In some cases, we might stay and fight the threat, while in other cases
we may instead flee from the danger.
2. The parasympathetic system helps maintain normal body functions and conserve
physical resources. Once a threat has passed, this system will slow the heart rate, slow
breathing, reduce blood flow to muscles, and constrict the pupils. This allows us to return
our bodies to a normal resting state.
 Neurology
MEDICINE

WRITTEN BY:
 The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica

Neurology, medical specialty concerned with the nervous system and its functional
or organic disorders. Neurologists diagnose and treat diseases and disorders of
the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.
The first scientific studies of nerve function in animals were performed in the early 18th
century by English physiologist Stephen Hales and Scottish physiologist Robert Whytt.
Knowledge was gained in the late 19th century about the causes of aphasia, epilepsy,
and motor problems arising from brain damage. French neurologist Jean-Martin
Charcot and English neurologist William Gowers described and classified many
diseases of the nervous system. The mapping of the functional areas of the brain
through selective electrical stimulation also began in the 19th century. Despite these
contributions, however, most knowledge of the brain and nervous functions came from
studies in animals and from the microscopic analysis of nerve cells.
The electroencephalograph (EEG), which records electrical brain activity, was invented
in the 1920s by Hans Berger. Development of the EEG, analysis of cerebrospinal
fluid obtained by lumbar puncture(spinal tap), and development of cerebral
angiography allowed neurologists to increase the precision of their diagnoses and
develop specific therapies and rehabilitative measures. Further aiding
the diagnosis and treatment of brain disorders were the development of computerized
axial tomography(CT) scanning in the early 1970s and magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI) in the 1980s, both of which yielded detailed, noninvasive views of the
inside of the brain. (See brain scanning.) The identification of chemical agents in the
central nervous system and the elucidation of their roles in transmitting and blocking
nerve impulses have led to the introduction of a wide array of medications that can
correct or alleviate various neurological disorders including Parkinson disease, multiple
sclerosis, and epilepsy. Neurosurgery, a medical specialty related to neurology, has
also benefited from CT scanning and other increasingly precise methods of locating
lesions and other abnormalities in nervous tissues.