A plexus is a bundle of intersecting nerves, blood vessels, or lymphatic vessels in the human body. These bundles typically originate from the same anatomical area and serve specific areas of the body. Bundles of nerves that form a plexus communicate information to your brain about pain, temperature, and pressure.
What are the four nerve plexuses and their functions?
The cervical plexus supplies nerves to the posterior head and neck, as well as to the diaphragm. The brachial plexus supplies nerves to the arm. The lumbar plexus supplies nerves to the anterior leg. The sacral plexus supplies nerves to the posterior leg.
What are all the nerve plexuses?
Cervical plexus – serves the head, neck and shoulders. Brachial plexus – serves the chest, shoulders, arms and hands. Lumbosacral plexus. Lumbar plexus – serves the back, abdomen, groin, thighs, knees, and calves. Sacral plexus – serves the pelvis, buttocks, genitals, thighs, calves, and feet.
What is a nerve plexus and what are they composed of?
A nerve plexus is a network of intersecting nerves, multiple nerve plexuses exist in the body. Nerve plexuses are composed of afferent and efferent fibers that arise from the merging of the anterior rami of spinal nerves and blood vessels.
Which nerve plexus is responsible for functions essential to life?
Function. The brachial plexus is responsible for cutaneous and muscular innervation of the entire upper limb, with two exceptions: the trapezius muscle innervated by the spinal accessory nerve (CN XI) and an area of skin near the axilla innervated by the intercostobrachial nerve.
What is the meaning of plexuses?
Definition of plexus
1 : a network of anastomosing or interlacing blood vessels or nerves. 2 : an interwoven combination of parts or elements in a structure or system.
What is the meaning of nerve plexus?
The nerve plexuses are proximal segments of peripheral nerves emerging from the foramina of the spine with interchanging and intertwining nerves from different spinal levels that then form individual nerves more distally. There are two major nerve plexuses: the brachial and lumbosacral plexus.
What is the benefit of a nerve plexus quizlet?
What is a benefit of a nerve plexus? A plexus does not allow for redistribution. They provide a straight path from the spinal cord to target muscles. Damage to one single branch of a plexus does not necessarily disrupt all motor information sent to a region.
What are the autonomic plexuses?
autonomic plexus: Any of the extensive networks of nerve fibers and cell bodies associated with the autonomic nervous system that are found in the thorax, abdomen, and pelvis, and that contain sympathetic, parasympathetic, and visceral afferent fibers.
What nerves are part of the lumbosacral plexus?
The LS plexus gives off the iliohypogastric, ilioinguinal, genitofemoral, obturator, femoral, lateral femoral cutaneous, sciatic common peroneal, tibial, superior and inferior gluteal, pudendal, and posterior femoral cutaneous nerves, as well as motor branches to the psoas and iliacus muscles.
What muscles does the cervical plexus innervate?
The cervical plexus lies just behind the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, giving off both superficial (superficial cervical plexus) and deep branches (deep cervical plexus). The branches of the superficial cervical plexus supply the skin and superficial structures of the head, neck, and shoulder.
Which cervical plexus nerve Innervates the diaphragm?
The phrenic nerve provides the primary motor supply to the diaphragm, the major respiratory muscle.
What is the largest nerve in the body?
Sciatic Nerve and Sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the longest, largest nerve in your body. Your sciatic nerve roots start in your lower back and run down the back of each leg.
Which spinal nerves affect which parts of the body?
The nerves of the cervical spine go to the upper chest and arms. The nerves in your thoracic spine go to your chest and abdomen. The nerves of the lumbar spine then reach to your legs, bowel, and bladder. These nerves coordinate and control all the body’s organs and parts, and let you control your muscles.
What does sacral plexus control?
The sacral plexus (plexus sacralis) is a nerve plexus that provides motor and sensory nerves for the posterior thigh, most of the lower leg, the entire foot, and part of the pelvis (see the following image).
What makes up the pulmonary plexus?
The pulmonary plexus is an autonomic plexus formed from pulmonary branches of vagus nerve and the sympathetic trunk. The plexus is in continuity with the deep cardiac plexus.
What is a plexus quizlet?
Define Plexus. A network of nerves or vessels in the body. … Buried deep in the neck under the sternocleidomastoid muscle, the ventral rami of the first four cervical nerves form the looping cervical plexus.
What is another word for plexus?
What is another word for plexus?
| web | mesh |
|---|---|
| trellis | tracery |
| reticulum | graticule |
| criss-cross | latticework |
| openwork | filigree |
Where are the nerve plexus located?
Four nerve plexuses are located in the trunk of the body: The cervical plexus provides nerve connections to the head, neck, and shoulder. The brachial plexus provides connections to the chest, shoulders, upper arms, forearms, and hands.
How do you take plexus nerve?
Adults take 1 capsule twice daily with or without food.
Which spinal nerve plexus is responsible for writing?
Lumbar plexus: The lumbar plexus is comprised of the ventral rami of the lumbar spinal nerves (L1–L5) and a contribution from thoracic nerve (T12).
What is the advantage of a nerve plexus?
Bundles of nerves that form a plexus communicate information to your brain about pain, temperature, and pressure. These nerve plexuses also send messages from the brain to the muscles, allowing for movement to occur.
What is the largest nerve in the lumbar plexus?
The femoral nerve ranks as the largest nerve that arises from the lumbar plexus. It is created from lumbar spinal nerves L2, L3, and L4. Its principal function is to supply motor and sensory innervation to the anterior compartment of the thigh.
Which plexus does the phrenic nerve arise from?
The phrenic nerve is derived from the cervical plexus and receives innervation from the C3, C4, and C5 nerve roots. It is the longest branch of the cervical plexus.
Which are nerve plexuses of the body quizlet?
Terms in this set (4)
- cervical plexus. are located deep on each side of the neck, immediately lateral to cervical vertebrae C1-C4 (figure 14.16). …
- Brachial plexus. networks of nerves that supply the upper limb. …
- lumber plexus. …
- sacral plexus.
What is pulmonary plexus?
Medical Definition of pulmonary plexus
: either of two nerve plexuses associated with each lung that lie on the dorsal and ventral aspects of the bronchi of each lung and distribute fibers mainly from the vagus nerve to the lungs.
How lumbosacral plexus is formed?
The lumbosacral plexus is formed by ventral rami of the lumbar and sacral nerves, T12 through S4. The lumbar part is formed by roots from T12 to L4 and the sacral component by L4–S4 roots. These divide into anterior and posterior divisions, which give rise to anterior and posterior branches, respectively.
What is a lumbosacral plexus injury?
The lumbosacral plexus is a network of nerve fibres supplying the muscles of your lower limbs. It’s located in your lower back, and forks into branches in front of the hip joint and down your legs. Damage, at birth or due to a trauma, to the lumbosacral plexus causes pain and weakness in the lower back.
What causes lumbar plexus pain?
The most frequent causes are high-energy trauma, sports injuries, penetrating trauma, and surgery that results in damage to the plexus. In particular, injuries that cause damage between the spinal cord and spinal ganglion (proximal) lead to severe pain.
Why is cervical plexus important?
The function of the cervical plexus is to provide skeletal muscle control of the neck and upper torso as well as providing cutaneous sensation to parts of the occiput, neck, and shoulder. The greater occipital nerve originates from the second cervical nerve independent of the cervical plexus.
What is the main nerve in the cervical plexus?
There is anastomosis with accessory nerve, hypoglossal nerve and sympathetic trunk. It is located in the neck, deep to the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Nerves formed from the cervical plexus innervate the back of the head, as well as some neck muscles.
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| Cervical plexus | |
|---|---|
| FMA | 5904 |
| Anatomical terms of neuroanatomy |
Why is the cervical plexus important for breathing?
It is one of the most complex structures in the body, providing sensory and motor nerve supply to parts of the neck, upper back, and arms. Branches from the cervical plexus also supply nerve impulses to the diaphragm, a large muscle that powers breathing.
What happens when the phrenic nerve is damaged?
When the phrenic nerve is injured, the electrical signals in it stop traveling from the brain to the diaphragm muscle. The diaphragm muscle turns off and the patient may have difficulty breathing.
Does the phrenic nerve innervate the heart?
In humans, the right and left phrenic nerves are primarily supplied by the C4 spinal nerve, but there is also contribution from the C3 and C5 spinal nerves. From its origin in the neck, the nerve travels downward into the chest to pass between the heart and lungs towards the diaphragm.
What can irritate the phrenic nerve?
Phrenic nerve irritation
If your phrenic nerve becomes irritated or damaged, you may lose the ability to take automatic breaths. The condition can be caused by a spinal cord injury, physical trauma, or surgical complications.
Where does sciatica pain originate?
Sciatica is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve, which originates in your buttock/gluteal area. The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest (almost finger-width) nerve in the body.
Can neck problems affect your legs?
Cervical spinal stenosis can potentially cause serious problems with the nervous system, including problems with bowel or bladder control (incontinence) and permanent loss of strength and feeling in the arms, hands, legs, and chest.
What causes sciatica buttock pain?
When a person injures or overworks the piriformis muscle, it can press on the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve runs down from the lower spine through to the buttocks and the back of the thigh. The pressure of the muscle on the sciatic nerve causes the pain known as sciatica.
What part of the spine controls your legs?
The lumbar spinal cord is the lower area of the back. Nerve roots coming from the spinal cord in the lumbar spine control the legs. The lumbar region is where the spinal cord ends (the spinal cord is shorter than the spine).
What is the signs of nerve damage?
Signs and symptoms of peripheral neuropathy might include: Gradual onset of numbness, prickling or tingling in your feet or hands, which can spread upward into your legs and arms. Sharp, jabbing, throbbing or burning pain. Extreme sensitivity to touch.
What part of the spine controls the bladder?
Your sacral micturition center is an area of the spinal cord at the base of the spine. This is the area of the spinal cord that controls your bladder and sphincter. After spinal shock, your sacral micturition center it might start sending signals on its own to tell the bladder to squeeze.
What is a nerve plexus quizlet?
Nerve plexus. A network of nerves in the cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral regions.
What is your plexus?
The solar plexus — also called the celiac plexus — is a complex system of radiating nerves and ganglia. It’s found in the pit of the stomach in front of the aorta. It’s part of the sympathetic nervous system. It plays an important role in the functioning of the stomach, kidneys, liver, and adrenal glands.