Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure of the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It involves the examination of the various components of the nervous system, including the organization and relationships between different regions of the brain, the composition and distribution of nerve fibers, and the anatomy of the spinal cord and peripheral nerves. Neuroanatomy is an important discipline for understanding the basic biology of the nervous system and its role in a wide range of physiological processes, including sensation, movement, perception, and cognition. It also provides a foundation for the study of neurological and psychiatric disorders, as well as for developing new treatments and therapies for these conditions. The study of neuroanatomy typically involves the use of techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) scans, and autopsy, as well as the examination of sections of brain tissue under a microscope. It also involves the analysis of the distribution and connectivity of nerve cells, and the chemical and electrical signals that they transmit.
Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure and organization of the nervous system. In contrast to animals with radial symmetry, whose nervous system consists of a distributed network of cells, animals with bilateral symmetry have segregated, defined nervous systems. Their neuroanatomy is therefore better understood. In vertebrates, the nervous system is segregated into the internal structure of the brain and spinal cord (together called the central nervous system, or CNS) and the routes of the nerves that connect to the rest of the body (known as the peripheral nervous system, or PNS). The delineation of distinct structures and regions of the nervous system has been critical in investigating how it works. For example, much of what neuroscientists have learned comes from observing how damage or "lesions" to specific brain areas affects behavior or other neural functions.
For information about the composition of non-human animal nervous systems, see nervous system. For information about the typical structure of the Homo sapiens nervous system, see human brain or peripheral nervous system. This article discusses information pertinent to the study of neuroanatomy.
Neuroanatomy is the study of the structure and organization of the nervous system. In contrast to animals with radial symmetry, whose nervous system consists of a distributed network of cells, animals with bilateral symmetry have segregated, defined nervous systems. Their neuroanatomy is therefore better understood. In vertebrates, the nervous system is segregated into the internal structure of the brain and spinal cord (together called the central nervous system, or CNS) and the routes of the nerves that connect to the rest of the body (known as the peripheral nervous system, or PNS). The delineation of distinct structures and regions of the nervous system has been critical in investigating how it works. For example, much of what neuroscientists have learned comes from observing how damage or "lesions" to specific brain areas affects behavior or other neural functions.
For information about the composition of non-human animal nervous systems, see nervous system. For information about the typical structure of the Homo sapiens nervous system, see human brain or peripheral nervous system. This article discusses information pertinent to the study of neuroanatomy.