Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, neurology, physiology.
The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, which are located in the dorsal body cavity. The brain is surrounded by the cranium, and the spinal cord is protected by the vertebrae. The brain is continuous with the spinal cord at the foramen magnum. In addition to bone, the CNS is surrounded by connective […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, neurology, physiology.
The brain has better things to do than worry about contracting the smooth muscle of the large intestine just in time for that 9 am bowel movement. The brain has better things to do than worry about how fast the metabolism is working. The brain has better things to do than worry about exactly what […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, neurology, physiology.
Although terminology seems to indicate otherwise, there is really only one nervous system in the body. Although each subdivision of the system is also called a “nervous system,” all of these smaller systems belong to the single, highly integrated nervous system. Each subdivision has structural and functional characteristics that distinguish it from the others. The […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, neurology, physiology.
Although the nervous system is very complex, there are only two main types of cells in nerve tissue. The actual nerve cell is the neuron. It is the “conducting” cell that transmits impulses and the structural unit of the nervous system. The other type of cell is neuroglia, or glial, cell. The word “neuroglia” means […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, neurology, physiology.
Until recently, most neuroscientists thought we were born with all the neurons we were ever going to have. As children we might produce some new neurons to help build the pathways – called neural circuits – that act as information highways between different areas of the brain. But scientists believed that once a neural circuit […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, blood, blood vessels, physiology.
Blood Reservoir More than 60 per cent of all the blood in the circulatory system is usually in the veins. For this reason and also because the veins are so compliant, it is said that the venous system serves as a blood reservoir for the circulation. When blood is lost from the body and the […]
Published in AEMT, EMR, EMT. Tags: airway, anatomy, pediatrics, physiology, respiratory.
A child’s physiology and anatomy is different in many ways from an adult. When a baby is born there are still gaps in the bones of the skull. The shape of the head can therefore be altered by constant pressure on it especially if the baby is always lying the same way in a bed. […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, blood, blood vessels, physiology, respiratory.
The phrenic nerve originates from the spinal cord at C3 through C5 and traverses the neck, heart, and lungs to reach the diaphragm and terminate into right and left branches at the subclavian artery. The left phrenic nerve innervates the left diaphragmatic dome, and the right phrenic nerve innervates the right diaphragmatic dome, with the […]
Published in AEMT, EMT. Tags: anatomy, directional terms, physiology.
Directional terms Directional terms describe the positions of structures relative to other structures or locations in the body. Directional terms are used solely for comparison. Superior or cranial – toward the head end of the body; upper (example, the hand is part of the superior extremity). Inferior or caudal – away from the head; lower […]
Published in AEMT, EMR, EMT. Tags: anatomy, blood, blood vessels, physiology.
Perfusion is the passage of fluid through the circulatory system (blood stream) or lymphatic system to an organ or a tissue, usually referring to the delivery of blood to an area. Obviously, since the circulatory system transports oxygen and vital nutrients to the body’s cells, any interruption would result in certain death for millions of […]