AnatomyLesson 2 of 2 in the course Anatomy of the Nervous System

Peripheral Nervous System: Ganglia, Nerves, and Neural Pathways

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes neural structures outside the central nervous system (CNS). This lesson introduces ganglia, where neuron cell bodies cluster in the periphery, and explains how autonomic and enteric ganglia help regulate body functions.

A ganglion is a group of neuron cell bodies located in the PNS. The most common sensory ganglion is the dorsal root ganglion, an enlargement on the dorsal (posterior) root of a spinal nerve. Its neurons carry sensory information from the body toward the CNS. Their peripheral endings may detect sensations such as touch in the skin, while their central axons enter the spinal cord through the dorsal root.

All flashcards

What is a ganglion?
A ganglion is a group of neuron cell bodies located in the peripheral nervous system.
What does a dorsal root ganglion contain?
It contains sensory neuron cell bodies whose peripheral processes detect stimuli and whose central processes enter the spinal cord through a dorsal root.
What do satellite cells do in sensory ganglia?
Satellite cells surround and support neuron cell bodies in sensory ganglia.
What is the enteric nervous system?
It is a specialized PNS network in the digestive tract that receives autonomic input but can also regulate digestion without direct CNS input.
What is a peripheral nerve?
A bundle of axons in the PNS, supported by connective tissue and supplied by blood vessels.

Quiz questions

  1. What is a ganglion in the peripheral nervous system?Answer: A cluster of neuron cell bodies.
  2. Where is a dorsal root ganglion typically located?Answer: As an enlargement on the dorsal root of a spinal nerve.
  3. What is the typical shape of sensory neurons in dorsal root ganglia?Answer: Unipolar.
  4. Which cranial nerves are sensory only?Answer: CN I, CN II, and CN VIII.
  5. How many pairs of spinal nerves are there, and how are they distributed?Answer: 31 pairs: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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