| internal carotid (nervous) plexus | An autonomic plexus surrounding the internal carotid artery in the carotid canal and cavernous sinus, and sending branches to the tympanic plexus, sphenopalatine ganglion, abducens and oculomotor nerves, the cerebral vessels, and the ciliary ganglion. Synonym: internal carotid venous plexus. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| involuntary nervous system | <anatomy> Neurons that are not under conscious control, comprising two antagonistic components, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The autonomic nervous system regulates key functions including the activity of the cardiac (heart) muscle, smooth muscles (e.g., of the gut), and glands. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions: 1. The sympathetic nervous system that accelerates the heart rate, constricts blood vessels, and raises blood pressure. 2. The parasympathetic nervous system slows the heart rate, increases intestinal and gland activity, and relaxes sphincter muscles. (03 Jul 1999) |
| enteric nervous system | Two ganglionated neural plexuses in the gut wall which form one of the three major divisions of the autonomic nervous system. The enteric nervous system innervates the gastrointestinal tract, the pancreas, and the gallbladder. It contains sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons. Thus the circuitry can autonomously sense the tension and the chemical environment in the gut and regulate blood vessel tone, motility, secretions, and fluid transport. The system is itself governed by the central nervous system and receives both parasympathetic and sympathetic innervation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| accessory meningeal branch of middle meningeal artery | <anatomy, artery> A branch of either the middle meningeal or maxillary artery in the infratemporal fossa and passing superiorly through the foramen ovale to supply the trigeminal ganglion, dura mater and inner table of bone. Synonym: ramus meningeus accessorius arteriae meningeae mediae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acetabular branch | An arterial branch that supplies the acetabulum; two arteries, the obturator and the medial femoral circumflex, have such branches. Synonym: ramus acetabularis, acetabular artery, arteria acetabuli. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acromial branch of suprascapular artery | <anatomy, artery> Branch of suprascapular artery which pierces the origin of the trapezius muscle to run to the acromion; anastomoses, acromial branch of thoracoacromial artery. Synonym: ramus acromialis arteriae suprascapularis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acromial branch of thoracoacromial artery | <anatomy, artery> A branch of the thoracoacromial artery that runs over the coracoid process and under the deltoid muscle. Synonym: ramus acromialis arteriae thoracoacromialis, acromial artery. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anastomotic branch | The anastomotic branch, a blood vessel that interconnects two neighboring vessels. It should not be used for the nervous system, because there is no analogy between a vascular anastomosing branch and a connection between nerves or their subdivisions. Synonym: ramus anastomoticus. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anastomotic branch of middle meningeal artery to lacrimal artery | <anatomy, artery> A branch of the middle meningeal artery arising in the cranial cavity which runs anteriorly through the superior orbital fissure to anastomose with the lacrimal artery. See: orbital branch of middle meningeal artery. Synonym: ramus anastomoticus arteriae meningeae mediae cum lacrimali. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior basal branch | Anterior basal branch of basal parts of the inferior lobar branches of the right and left pulmonary arteries, and superior basal branches of the right and left inferior pulmonary veins. Synonym: ramus basalis anterior. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior branch | The anterior branch of the following: great auricular nerve lateral cerebral sulcus left and right superior pulmonary veins medial cutaneous nerve of the forearm obturator artery obturator nerve renal artery right branch of portal vein right hepatic duct superior thyroid artery ulnar recurrent artery. Synonym: ramus anterior. (05 May 2002) |
| anterior cutaneous branch of iliohypogastric nerve | <anatomy, nerve> Distribution, skin on pubis. Synonym: ramus cutaneus anterior nervi iliohypogastrici, genital branch of iliohypogastric nerve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior scrotal branch of external pudendal artery | <anatomy, artery> Distribution, skin of anterior scrotum; anastomoses, posterior scrotal branches from internal pudendal artery. Synonym: rami scrotales anteriores arteriae pudendae externae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apical branch | The apical branch of the following: 1) superior lobar branches of left and right pulmonary arteries; 2) left superior pulmonary vein. Synonym: ramus superior. Synonym: ramus apicalis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| apicoposterior branch of left superior pulmonary vein | <anatomy, vein> Drains apicoposterior bronchopulmonary segment of superior lobe of left lung. Synonym: ramus apicoposterior venae pulmonalis sinistrae superioris. (05 Mar 2000) |