The Anatomy of Nervous

System
Psy 211
Prof. Inlyn Jiezl C. Javier
Rostral / anterior (RAHS-truhl) - A directional term meaning toward the
head of a four-legged animal.
Caudal / posterior (KAW-duhl) A directional term meaning toward the
tail of a four-legged animal.
Inferior / ventral A directional term meaning toward the belly of a four-
legged animal.
Superior / dorsal - A directional term meaning toward the back of a
four legged animal.
Neuraxis (ner-AX-is) - An imaginary line that runs the length of the
spinal cord to the front of the brain
Anatomical Directions
• Anatomists use directional terms to name and locate brain
structures. Because standing upright puts a 90-degree angle in the
human neuraxis, the dorsal surface of the human brain also forms a
90-degree angle with the dorsal spinal cord.
Midline - An imaginary line dividing the body into two equal halves.
Ipsilateral - A directional term referring to structures on the same side of the midline.
Contralateral - A directional term referring to structures on opposite sides of the midline.
Medial- A directional term meaning toward the midline. lateral A directional term meaning
away from the midline.
Proximal - A directional term that means closer to center; usually applied to limbs;
opposite of distal.
Distal - A directional term meaning farther away from another structure, usually in
reference to limbs.
Coronal section - An anatomical section dividing the brain front to back, parallel to the face.
Also known as a frontal section.
Sagittal section (SA-ji-tuhl) - An anatomical section that is parallel to the midline.
Midsagittal section - A sagittal section that divides the brain into two approximately equal
halves.
Horizontal / axial section (AX-eeuhl) An anatomical section that divides the brain from top
to bottom.
Planes of Section
• Anatomists use the horizontal, coronal, and sagittal sections to view
three-dimensional structures as two-dimensional images.
Protecting and supplying the nervous system
• The bony skull protects the brain from all but the most serious blows.
It is important to note, however, that the skull bones are not fully
mature in infants. The infant is born with skull bones that can overlap
each other, somewhat like the tectonic plates of the Earth. This design
aids the movement of the baby’s head through the birth canal. In a
young baby with very light or no hair, you can often see a pulse at the
top of the head between the skull bones, known as a soft spot, or
fontanel. It takes about 18 months for human skull bones to fuse
completely.
Meninges
• the bones offer the best defense, even the baby with a soft spot
enjoys substantial protection of its brain provided by the layers of
membranes, or meninges, that surround the nervous system.

Meninges (meh-NIN-jees) - The layers of membranes that cover the

central nervous system and the peripheral nerves.
The three layers of the meninges
• Dura mater - which literally means “hard mother” in Latin. Our word
durable comes from the same root. The reference to “mother”
1. Dura mater (DO-ruh MAH-ter) The outermost of the three layers of
meninges, found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems
2. Arachnoid layer (uh-RACKnoid) The middle layer of the meninges
covering the central nervous system.
3. Pia mater (PEE-ah MAH-ter) The innermost of the layers of meninges,
found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Subarachnoid space (sub-uh, RACK-noid)
• A space filled with cerebrospinal fluid that lies between the arachnoid
and pia mater layers of the meninges in the central nervous system.
•