Dissectible Me 5 minute anatomy

WARNING! The following programme contains anatomy that some students may find daunting. CRANIAL NERVES! Love them or hate them these twelve paired nerves are crucially important, and, in this podcast, we will cover some of their very basics to get you started. What are they, where are they and very briefly what do they do?  

"Say ahh"…. probably a sentence a clinician has said to you at some point in your life.  But did you stop to consider what they are doing and what is the underlying anatomy? Today we explore the soft palate, its 5 muscles and associated nerves.

This episode explores the muscles inside the eye. Their names, location, function, and autonomic control.   Terms covered this week; The pupil, iris, lens, ciliary muscles, sphincter pupilliae, dilator pupilliae, myosis, mydriasis, the light reflex & Horner syndrome.

Ever wondered why we shed salty water from our eyes in times of extreme emotion? Ever considered what exactly are tears, why do we have them, where do they come from and what controls their release? All these questions will be explored in this 5-minute podcast exploring some detail of the orbit. We will specifically focus on the anatomy of the lacrimal glands, their innervation, the drainage syste...

Gazing at the words before you, your eyes track left to right utilising muscles attached to the eye's outer surface to do so. These ‘extraocular’ muscles are the focus of today's podcast. Let’s discuss the names and locations of these seven muscles, whilst also outlining their primary functions and the nerves that innervate these actions.

This week we discuss the anatomy of one of the features that define us humans as mammals, that is the mammary glands or breast tissue. In this episode, we review breast anatomy and the normal physiological changes that occur during the life cycle. Whilst also outlining changes to the breast that warrant greater cause for concern. We focus on the vascular supply and perhaps more importantly the lym...

Today we discuss a tendon named after the Ancient Greek Demigod Achilles which is a good name for the strongest tendon in the human body! Legend has it Achilles was dipped in the River Styx by his mother Thetis who secured him by his heal to do so. This action made Achilles invulnerable to damage everywhere that touched the sacred waters. Fast forward to the Trojan war and an arrow shot to the uns...

This week let’s discuss a ‘talus old as time’, by discussing the osteology of the foot. The human foot is an evolutionary and biomechanical marvel, and, in this episode, we will explore the basics of the bones and joints that make up its structure. Let's explore the subdivisions that make up the hind, mid, and forefoot and add in a couple of classic clinically relevant aspects of this anatomy. A c...

This episode spotlights the anatomy of the ankle joint. The bones that make up the ankle, the joint itself, and the ligaments. Terms discussed; medial & lateral malleoli, the talocrural joint (and alternatives), dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, inversion, eversion, and the deltoid & anterior talofibular ligaments (ATFL). 

This week let's tackle an area of anatomy that many learn ready for an exam, only to discover that this knowledge has gone again mere days to weeks later. The infamous but wonderful anatomy underpinning facial palsies and specifically how to differentiate upper vs lower motor neurone lesions. In this podcast, we will discuss key anatomical principles underpinning types of motor neurones and give a...

To micturate or not to micturate that is the question? This week let's talk about bladder function and focus on what nerves facilitate this function. Stretch receptors, the detrusor muscle, internal vs external urethral sphincters, parasympathetic vs sympathetic bladder control, and the named nerves that control all of this. 

This week we explore the anatomy of cranial nerve VII, the Facial nerve. Let's travel along its tortuous route, and discover its many branches linking each to their varied functions. Along our journey, we will explore vestigial ear wigglers, a small muscle that probably dampens down and protects against LOUD NOISES, and finish by exploring the signs and symptoms experienced by someone during a fac...

Some musculoskeletal anatomy this week, specifically the infamous rotator cuff muscles of the shoulder. Their location, function, and some clinical relevance such as rotator cuff tears and impingement.

This week let’s delve into the anatomy of the scalp. 5 layers of connective tissue that sit atop the cranial vault to provide numerous functions not limited to allowing a fancy hairdo. In this episode, we will explore the structure of these layers, the neurovascular supply and also discuss emissary veins. Examining this anatomy will allow us to explain why scalp lacerations can cause significant h...

At the very end of the gastrointestinal tract is a length of bowel that is arguably the most important part of the whole tract. This terminal segment creates a solid, liquid, and event air-tight barrier, which provides control over bowel contents until it is socially acceptable to release them. But how? In this podcast, Sam discusses the anatomy of the four mechanisms of feacal continence. Specifi...

Today we will tell you a story about a little green coloured fluid called bile that aids digestion and is made in a megafactory called the liver. One day it decides to escape the confines of the liver through a system of tunnels or drainage tubes. Along its treacherous journey bile is made to seek refuge in a safe house called the gallbladder. Only when its friend 'Cholecystokinin' gives it the “a...

This week we tackle the large intestine…..figuratively speaking! Its location, parts, functions, and something that is particularly important in this area of anatomy, the blood supply.

In this episode, we explore a subpart of the central nervous system by dissecting the basic anatomy of the spinal cord. We will delve into its location, length, diameter, and internal organisation of grey vs white matter. We outline terms such as spinal nerve, the conus medullaris, and scrutinize how this latter structure differs from the cauda equina. All this anatomy lays the foundation for disc...

This week Sam completes his recent journey through the small bowel by discussing the anatomy of the ileum. Location, function, blood supply, innervation, lymphatics, and how this part of the bowel differs from other sections of the small intestine.  

After spending his last few episodes rummaging around in the anatomy of the skull, in this episode, Chris explores the anatomy and function of the nasal cavity. Should we give preference to nasal breathing? What exactly are the functions of the nose and why do we have air-filled spaces in our skull termed the paranasal sinuses? Join us as we explore these answers and more in another 5-minute podca...

Continuing our journey through the GI tract today we discuss the Jejunum. Hard to say even harder to spell. Let’s talk about where it begins and ends and how it differs from the rest of the GI tract. What is its function, blood supply, venous drainage, lymphatics, nerve supply, and its microanatomy aka histology?

In this episode, Sam explores the first part of the small intestine, the Duodenum. This soundbite builds a picture of the gross anatomy and explains how the arrangement of cells in the duodenum, facilitates its function as a subpart of the gastrointestinal tract. Do you know your Brunner's glands from your crypts of Lieberkuhn? Your Villi from your Microvilli? If not join us as we dissect this kno...

How many mandibular or lower teeth should a child have? How many adult teeth should grace your own lower jaw? What are the named parts of the mandible and why is the jaw joint so special? If the answer to these questions is not immediately obvious or is of interest to you, then listen in to this episode as we explore an introduction to the anatomy of the human mandible.  

This week we return to the male reproductive system to focus in on the anatomy of the tube known by two names; the ductus deferens aka the vas deferens. We will explore its function, anatomical composition, and the route it takes from the testis to the ejaculatory duct. Finishing on a clinical note, we will outline the underpinning anatomy of a Vasectomy. 

This week let's continue our exploration of the skull, focusing on the bones that make up the orbit. In this soundbite, we will discuss the orbit's protective function and outline some important clinical relevance such as the spread of infection and trauma.  The bones we introduce this week are the paired palatine and nasolacrimal bones. The ethmoid, and last but not least the wasp-shaped sphenoid...