・末梢神経系における神経細胞体の集合体の場合は「神経節」と呼ばれる。
【 数 】
数に関してはっきりと言及している資料は見当たらないのだが、Wikipediaには以下のような解説文が見受けられる。
The vertebrate brain contains hundreds of distinguishable nuclei, varying widely in shape and size.
【灰白質の存在部位】
以下が灰白質が存在する主な部位となる。
以下は「Wikipedia」の解説文となる。
「In neuroanatomy, a nucleus (plural form: nuclei) is a cluster of densely packed cell bodies of neurons in the central nervous system, located deep within the cerebral hemispheres and brainstem.The neurons in one nucleus usually have roughly similar connections and functions. Nuclei are connected to other nuclei by tracts, the bundles (fascicles) of axons (nerve fibers) extending from the cell bodies. A nucleus is one of the two most common forms of nerve cell organization, the other being layered structures such as the cerebral cortex or cerebellar cortex. In anatomical sections, a nucleus shows up as a region of gray matter, often bordered by white matter. The vertebrate brain contains hundreds of distinguishable nuclei, varying widely in shape and size. A nucleus may itself have a complex internal structure, with multiple types of neurons arranged in clumps (subnuclei) or layers.
【 語 句 】
・neuroanatomy：神経解剖学 ・cluster：集団 ・cell body：細胞体 ・central nervous system：中枢神経系 ・cerebral hemisphere：大脳半球 ・brainstem：脳幹 ・tract：索 ・axon：軸索 ・cerebral cortex：大脳皮質 ・cerebellar cortex：小脳皮質 ・gray matter：灰白質 ・white matter：白質 ・distinguishable：区別ができる ・clump：かたまり
The term "nucleus" is in some cases used rather loosely, to mean simply an identifiably distinct group of neurons, even if they are spread over an extended area. The reticular nucleus of the thalamus, for example, is a thin layer of inhibitory neurons that surrounds the thalamus.
Some of the major anatomical components of the brain are organized as clusters of interconnected nuclei. Notable among these are the thalamus and hypothalamus, each of which contains several dozen distinguishable substructures. The medulla and pons also contain numerous small nuclei with a wide variety of sensory, motor, and regulatory functions.
In the peripheral nervous system (PNS), a cluster of cell bodies of neurons (homologous to a CNS nucleus) is called a ganglion. The fascicles of nerve fibers in the PNS (homologous to CNS tracts) are called nerves.」
【 語 句 】
・reticular：網状の ・thalamus：視床 ・inhibitory： ・inhibitory：抑制的な ・hypothalamus：視床下部 ・substructures：下部構造、土台 ・medulla：延髄 ・pons：橋 ・regulatory function：調整機能 ・peripheral nervous system：末梢神経系 ・ganglion：神経核 ・fascicle：小束 ・homologous：一致する
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