Neurology - A Review Part III

general organization continued...

The cerebrum is subdivided into lobes namely - temporal, frontal, parietal and occipital. These are further subdivided into:

bulges - gyri
indentations - sulci and fissures (small and large)

The brain stem has 3 parts:
1 - midbrain
2 - Pons - lies against the clivus (region of bone resembling a slide, which extends into the foramen magnum)

*Note - Willis resides in the Pons

3 - Medulla

Neurology - A Review Part II

general organization continued...

31 - the number of spinal nerves pair
12 - the number of cranial nerves pair

*All cervical nerves EXIT at their corresponding vertebrae...

BUT, thoraci nerve 1 and the remainder of the nerves exit below their corresponding numbered vertebrae.

Cervical 8 - UNIQUE

Why? It is because it has no corresponding numbered vertebra.

The Spinal Cord

- is shorter than the vertebral column so that the roots will extend caudally when leaving the cord.
- ends at about the level of L2

but;

L2 to S5 continue caudally which is called the cauda equina or what they call the horse's tail

to be continued...

Neurology - A Review Part I

GENERAL ORGANIZATION

CNS stands for Central Nervous System, which consists of the following:

* Cerebrum
* Cerebellum
* Brain Stem
* Spinal Cord

In addition to this, there are also structures that sound scary situated between the cerebrum and brainstem namely:

* Diencephalon (which includes all names ending with "thalamus" : thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus and subthalamus)

* Basal Ganglia (which includes caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, claustrum and amygdala)

Neuron - basic functional unit in the CNS where the electrophysiological impulses would travel from the dendrites into the cell body and axon.

Synapses - connections where information is chemically transmitted from one neuron to another.

Pathway - this is a series of communicating neurons.

There are various names for a budle of communicating neurons or pathway INSIDE the CNS namely - tract, peduncle, fasciculus and lemniscus.

BUT, when OUTSIDE the CNS these bundle of communicating axons is called Nerves.

to be continued...

I survived the Initial stages of Medicine with Neurology Made Simple

Well, I have always thought I would flunk out Neuro but I survived. I survived when I happen to read the book entitled "Neurology Made Ridiculously Simple" or so it is (I cannot really remember the book title - no offense meant to the author) but I salute you for making my med life easier than how I imagined it would be.

I fancy Neurology not because it studies the brain and everything it encompasses. Hey! I love psychiatry too.

(I just didn't make it out of medicine life alive since I decided to stop just a year before I get my internship. It just so happened that I need to sacrifice things just to be alive literally otherwise my family would suffer had I been selfish to pursue my dream. I still dream of going back still. My husband who graduated from medicine - who I am most proud of - is actually a product of that sacrifice so I do not hold it against fate or life).

Anyway, I started this as Neurology made simple. Most medical students, if I am not wrong, would struggle at the blah blah blah terms in medicine. It was fortunate for me that I found the ridiculously made easy and it made me survive the initial phases of medicine.

If you happen to meet Mr. Ridiculously Made Easy book, I suggest for you to take a look. "Do not judge the book by its cover!"

=) XD