Ganglion 12278 222261886 2008-06-28T11:37:12Z سمرقندی 6983230 {{otheruses|Ganglia (disambiguation)}} In [[anatomy]], a '''ganglion''' ''(pl. ''ganglia'')'' is a [[biological tissue|tissue mass]].<ref>{{Dorlands|g_02|12384214}}</ref> ==Neurology== [[Image:DRG Chicken e7.jpg|thumb|This is a dorsal root ganglion (DRG) from a chicken embryo (around stage of day 7) after incubation overnight in NGF growth medium stained with anti-neurofilament antibody. You can see the axons growing out of the ganglion.]] In neurological contexts, ganglia are composed mainly of [[Soma (biology)|somata]] and [[dendrite|dendritic structures]] that often interconnect with other ganglia to form a complex system of ganglia known as a [[plexus]]. Ganglia provide relay points and intermediary connections between different neurological structures in the body, such as the [[peripheral nervous system|peripheral]] and [[central nervous system|central]] nervous systems. There are two major groups of ganglia: * [[dorsal root ganglion|dorsal root ganglia]] (also known as the spinal ganglia) - contain the cell bodies of [[Afferent nerve|sensory (afferent)]] [[nerve]]s * [[autonomic ganglion|autonomic ganglia]] - contain the cell bodies of [[autonomic nervous system|autonomic]] nerves. In the [[autonomic nervous system]], fibers from the [[central nervous system]] to the ganglia are known as [[preganglionic fibers]], while those from the ganglia to the effector organ are called [[postganglionic fibers]]. ===Basal ganglia=== The term "ganglion" usually refers to the [[peripheral nervous system]]. <ref name="titleUNSW Embryology- Glossary G">{{cite web |url=http://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/Notes/Index/G.htm |title=UNSW Embryology- Glossary G |accessdate=2008-01-13 |format= |work=}}</ref> However, in the brain (part of the [[central nervous system]]), the "[[basal ganglia]]" is a group of nuclei interconnected with the [[cerebral cortex]], [[thalamus]] and [[brainstem]], associated with a variety of functions: motor control, cognition, emotions and learning. Partly due to this ambiguity, the [[Terminologia Anatomica]] recommends using the term "basal nuclei" instead of "basal ganglia".<ref>{{Dorlands|n_11|12580456}}</ref> == See also == * [[Dorsal root ganglion]] * [[Ganglion cell]] * [[Ganglion cyst]] * [[Nervous system]] * [[Neuron]] ==References== {{reflist}} [[Category:Neuroanatomy]] [[Category:Central nervous system]] [[Category:Peripheral nervous system]] [[Category:Autonomic nervous system]] [[Category:Medical terms]] [[de:Ganglion (Nervensystem)]] [[et:Ganglion]] [[es:Ganglio nervioso]] [[fr:Ganglion nerveux]] [[it:Ganglio]] [[he:גנגליון]] [[mk:Ганглија]] [[ur:کتلہ]] [[nl:Zenuwknoop]] [[ja:神経節]] [[no:Ganglion]] [[pl:Zwój (anatomia)]] [[pt:Gânglio nervoso]] [[ru:Ганглий]] [[sr:Ганглион]] [[fi:Hermosolmu]] [[sv:Ganglion]] [[tg:Гангли]]