Brain and Spinal Cord

Understanding the Different Views of the Brain and Spinal Cord

• The brain and spinal cord can be sliced along different planes for study.
• In an axial slice of the brain, you can see the left and right sides, but not the dorsal and ventral sides.
• In an axial slice of the brain, you can see the anterior and posterior sides.
• The cross section of the spinal cord is also known as the transverse plane.
• The midline is the line that runs down the middle of the body.
• Medial refers to something being close to the midline, while lateral refers to something away from the midline.
• Contralateral refers to when functions in the nervous system cross sides.
• Same-sided functions are called ipsilateral.
• The brain can be divided into superior, middle, and inferior sections in different planes.
• The brain is usually studied in slices to better understand its three-dimensional structure.
• The brain can be sliced along the coronal or transverse plane.
• The sagittal plane is a slice along the long axis of the brain, down the midline.
• The axial or horizontal plane allows you to see the top of the ears, but not the dorsal to ventral orientation.