Term: Central Nervous System

Definition: These two divisions (c, p) of Table A arrange systematically the various major regions of gray matter (predominantly neuronal cell bodies and neuropil) and white matter (predominantly axon bundles) in the mammalian central (c) and peripheral (p) nervous system. The arrangement scheme is designed to facilitate descriptions of nervous system circuitry or network organization. The ventricular system (v), major grooves associated with the CNS (g), coverings of the CNS (m), and various miscellaneous terms (t) are dealt with in succeeding divisions of Table A. The first systematic taxonomy like this was published by His (1895), for features of the human nervous system that are visible upon gross dissection.

Nomenclature: Swanson-2004