| anterior column | The pronounced, ventrally oriented ridge of gray matter in each half of the spinal cord; it corresponds to the anterior or ventral horn appearing in transverse sections of the cord, and contains the motor neurons innervating the skeletal musculature of the trunk, neck, and extremities. See: gray columns. Synonym: columna anterior. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| anterior column of medulla oblongata | An elongated, white prominence on the ventral surface of the medulla oblongata on either side along the anterior median fissure, corresponding to the pyramidal tract. Synonym: pyramis medullae oblongatae, anterior column of medulla oblongata, anterior pyramid. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior communicating artery | <anatomy, artery> A short vessel joining the two anterior cerebral arteries and completing the cerebral arterial circle (circle of Willis) anteriorly. Synonym: arteria communicans anterior. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior compartment syndrome | <syndrome> Rapid swelling, increased tension, pain, and ischemic necrosis of the muscles of the anterior tibial compartment of the leg, often following excessive exertion. (12 Dec 1998) |
| anterior component of force | A force operating to move teeth anteriorly. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior condyloid canal of occipital bone | The canal through which the hypoglossal nerve emerges from the skull. Synonym: canalis hypoglossalis, anterior condyloid canal of occipital bone, anterior condyloid foramen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior condyloid foramen | The canal through which the hypoglossal nerve emerges from the skull. Synonym: canalis hypoglossalis, anterior condyloid canal of occipital bone, anterior condyloid foramen. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior conjunctival artery | <anatomy, artery> One of a number of small branches of the anterior ciliary arteries that supplies the conjunctiva. Synonym: arteria conjunctivalis anterior, conjunctival arteries. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior coronary plexus | The part of the cardiac plexus that accompanies the coronary arteries on the anterior aspect of the heart. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior corticospinal tract | Uncrossed fibres forming a small bundle in the pyramidal tract. See: pyramidal tract. Synonym: tractus corticospinalis anterior, tractus pyramidalis anterior, anterior corticospinal tract, anterior pyramidal fasciculus, direct pyramidal tract, fasciculus corticospinalis anterior, fasciculus pyramidalis anterior, Turck's bundle, Turck's column, Turck's tract. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior costotransverse ligament | <anatomy> The fibrous band that extends upward from the neck of a rib to the transverse process of the next higher vertebra. Synonym: ligamentum costotransversarium superius, anterior costotransverse ligament, ligamentum costotransversarium anterius. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior cranial base | The portion of the internal base of the skull, anterior to the sphenoidal ridges and limbus, in which the frontal lobes of the brain rest. Synonym: fossa cranii anterior, anterior cranial base. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior cranial fossa | The portion of the internal base of the skull, anterior to the sphenoidal ridges and limbus, in which the frontal lobes of the brain rest. Synonym: fossa cranii anterior, anterior cranial base. (05 Mar 2000) |
| anterior cruciate ligament | <anatomy> A ligament that stabilises the knee joint. <orthopaedics> A common type of knee sprain which involves injury to the anterior cruciate ligament. The knee with an anterior cruciate ligament injury will usually appear swollen and tender. Reconstruction of the ligament is possible using a fibreoptic procedure, known as arthroscopy, is used in the surgical repair of any of several knee ligaments including the anterior cruciate ligament, lateral or medial meniscus, lateral collateral or medial collateral ligament. Recovery from this procedure is based largely on the ligament repaired and can be highly variable. (06 Oct 1997) |
| anterior crural nerve | <anatomy, nerve> A nerve originating in the lumbar spinal cord (usually l2 to l4) and traveling through the lumbar plexus to provide motor innervation to extensors of the thigh and sensory innervation to parts of the thigh, lower leg, and foot, and to the hip and knee joints. (12 Dec 1998) |