| peripheral nerves | The nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, including the autonomic, cranial, and spinal nerves. Peripheral nerves contain non-neuronal cells and connective tissue as well as axons. The connective tissue layers include, from the outside to the inside, the epineurium, the perineurium, and the endoneurium. (12 Dec 1998) |
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| middle cluneal nerves | Terminal branches of the dorsal primary rami of the sacral nerves, supplying the skin of the mid-gluteal region. Synonym: nervi clunium medii. (05 Mar 2000) |
| communicating branches of spinal nerves | Short nerves arising from the initial portion of the ventral primary rami of the thoracic and upper lumbar spinal nerves through which all presynaptic sympathetic nerve fibres must pass to reach the sympathetic trunks; also conveyed by the white rami communicans are visceral afferent (sensory) fibres which were conveyed to the sympathetic trunks in splanchnic nerves. Most fibres conveyed by the white rami communicantes are myelinated. Synonym: rami communicantes nervorum spinalium, communicating branches of spinal nerves. (05 Mar 2000) |
| communicating rami of spinal nerves | The communicating branches of spinal nerves, small bundles of nerve fibres connecting spinal nerves with sympathetic ganglia; the fibres passing from the ganglion to the spinal nerve are nonmyelinated and are called gray rami communicantes, those passing in the reverse direction are myelinated and are called white rami communicantes. (05 Mar 2000) |
| plexus of spinal nerves | An intermingling of fibre fascicles from adjacent spinal nerves to form a network; the major plexus's are the cervical, brachial, and lumbosacral. Synonym: plexus nervorum spinalium. (05 Mar 2000) |
| cranial nerves | <anatomy> There are 12 cranial nerves. The olfactory nerve, optic nerve, occulomotor nerve, trochlear nerve, trigeminal nerve, abducent nerve, facial nerve, vestibulocochlear nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, vagus nerve, accessory nerve and the hypoglossal nerve. (18 Nov 1997) |
| posterior branch of spinal nerves | See: dorsal primary ramus of spinal nerve. (05 Mar 2000) |
| posterior labial nerves | Terminal branches of the superficial perineal nerve, supplying the skin of the posterior portion of the labia and the vestibule of the vagina, corresponding to the posterior scrotal nerves in the male. Synonym: nervi labiales posteriores. (05 Mar 2000) |
| posterior scrotal nerves | Several terminal branches of the superficial perineal nerve supplying the skin of the posterior portion of the scrotum, corresponding to the posterior labial nerves in the female. Synonym: nervi scrotales posteriores. (05 Mar 2000) |
| haemorrhoidal nerves | See: superior rectal plexus, middle rectal plexuses, inferior rectal nerves. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sacral nerves | Five nerves issuing from the sacral foramina on either side; the ventral branches of the first three enter into the formation of the sacral plexus, and the last two into the coccygeal plexus. Synonym: nervi sacrales. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sacral splanchnic nerves | Branches from the sacral sympathetic trunk that pass to the inferior hypogastric plexus; part of the abdominopelvic (sympathetic) splanchnic nerves, but their specific function is unclear. They tend to be confused with the pelvic splanchnic nerves, which are much more significant structures. Synonym: nervi splanchnici sacrales. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pterygopalatine nerves | <anatomy, nerve> The ganglionic branches, two short sensory branches of the maxillary nerve in the pterygopalatine fossa, the fibres of which pass through the pterygopalatine ganglion without synapse. Synonym: radix sensoria ganglii pterygopalatini, rami ganglionici nervi maxillaris, rami ganglionares, nervi pterygopalatini, nervi sphenopalatini, pterygopalatine nerves, sensory root of pterygopalatine ganglion. (05 Mar 2000) |
| sinuvertebral nerves | A branch from the initial (mixed) part of each spinal nerve passing in a recurrent fashion back through the intervertebral foramen to supply spinal meninges, the posterior longitudinal ligament, posterolateral periphery of the intervertebral disc, and periosteum of the vertebrae. Synonym: ramus meningeus nervorum spinalium, recurrent meningeal branch of spinal nerves, sinuvertebral nerves. (05 Mar 2000) |
| spinal nerves | The 31 paired peripheral nerves formed by the union of the dorsal and ventral spinal roots from each spinal cord segment. The spinal nerve plexuses and the spinal roots are also included. (12 Dec 1998) |