ABSTRACT
Knowledge of the main components of the nervous system is generally recognized as being essential for an understanding of the gross neuropsychological manifestations of neurotoxic illness, the rationale for the use of specific techniques for the assessment of nervous system functions, and the understanding of pharmacological mechanisms of neurotoxic action. The spinal cord is a whitish structure situated within the vertebral canal that extends from the foramen magnum—a large opening at the base of the skull—to the lower level of the lumbar vertebra. The most prominent features of the spinal cord are the gray matter, appearing in cross sections as a centrally located butterfly-shaped region containing the cell bodies of nerve cells called neurons, and the white matter, wrapped around the gray matter, containing the my-elin-covered fibers of the neurons called axons, “Gray matter” is an ancient term that designates the portion of the brain containing the bodies of nerve cells.
