Structure and Functions of the Body: A Hand-Book of Anatomy and Physiology for Nurses and Others Desiring a Practical Knowledge of the Subject — John Shaqi
Structure and Functions of the Body: A Hand-Book of Anatomy and Physiology for Nurses and Others Desiring a Practical Knowledge of the SubjectFiske, Annette
Science
Structure and Functions of the Body: A Hand-Book of Anatomy and Physiology for Nurses and Others Desiring a Practical Knowledge of the Subject
Fiske, Annette
Human anatomy; Physiology
Various centers exist in the brain, of which the most important perhaps
is the _motor center_. The _visual center_ is in the occipital lobe,
the _auditory center_ in the temporal lobe, the _speech center_ in the
third left frontal convolution. Thus the impulses of the senses have
been located, though the function of many parts, the so called _silent
areas_, are still in obscurity.
The _motor center_, that is, the center for motion of the skeletal
muscles, is situated about the fissure of Rolando and is divided into
three parts, one for the legs, one for the face, and one for the arms,
the one for the legs being uppermost and the others below in the order
mentioned. Fibers from these cells extend down through the brain and
cord to the muscles, the fibers being collected into well-recognized
bundles and the whole known as the _motor tract_. There may be one long
fiber from a cell in the brain down through most of the cord or there
may be a succession of shorter fibers that are not actually connected
but are in close contact with each other. In the upper pons the fibers
for the face cross to the opposite side, while the rest keep on down
through the medulla, and as they emerge from the medulla they too cross
to the other side and keep on down in the crossed pyramidal tract.
A few fibers do not cross but come down the direct pyramidal tract,
which, however, disappears part way down. The _crossed pyramidal tract_
is the true motor tract and in it the fibers are continually sending
branches to the cells in the gray matter, where they connect with the
anterior horn.
The anatomy of the _sensory tract_ is not so well understood. By it
impulses are sent to the brain by the peripheral organs, practically
the surface of the body. The sensory fibers connect with the sensory
cells in the posterior horn, from which fibers are sent to the brain,
practically the reverse of motor action. There are three chief sensory
tracts, which are supposed to transmit different sensations, one pain,
one muscular sensations, and the third sensations of touch. All these
tracts, of which the chief is the _direct cerebellar tract_, in passing
up the cord pass to the opposite side at different levels and then go
on to the cortex of the brain.
The action of the nerves is similar to reflex action, only that an
effort of will is needed to send an impulse from the brain. It is by
the help of the brain along this line that an infinity of artificial
reflexes or habits is acquired, for which volition is needed in the
beginning but which are later done unconsciously. Herein lie the
possibilities of all education.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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