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University of Southern California
University of Southern California
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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Getting Crafty with Neuro!

Heather

November 7, 2015
by
Heather

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In our first semester of the Entry-Level Master’s Program, we take a course called the Foundations of Neuroscience. For many students, it is one of their favorite classes. It is challenging, instructive and interesting. Not to mention, it is taught by Dr. Leah Stein Duker, who is incredibly talented, intelligent, and well respected within the Division and the entire field of Occupational Therapy.

As part of the course, we are provided the opportunity to get creative with a “neuro project” of our choosing. Many of the projects that my classmates chose to create depicted the functions of the various structures of the brain. To name a few: the neural pathways, the cortical homunculus of the primary motor cortex, and the innervations of the the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Crafty model of the brain

Crafty model of the brain

For my extra credit project, I created the peripheral nerve distribution of the hand as part of the brachial plexus. I did this project because I am interested in hand anatomy and the biomechanics of the upper extremity. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of my project to share, however, I took a photo of another classmate’s project that did something similar by sewing the innervations of the hand together in glove form.

Model of the hand in glove form

And just to get a little technical on you, the brachial plexus are formed from the junctions of the anterior rami from C5-T1. They innervate the entire upper limb. The nerves that I painted on the hand are the musculocutaneous nerve (green), the ulnar nerve (blue), the median nerve (yellow), and the radial nerve (red). Voila!

Nervous system drawn on t-shirt

Crafty representation of spinal column

Crafty representation of extensor hood mechanism

P.S. If anyone can tell me what this last project is supposed to be, comment and you will get a gold star!

1. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | November 9, 2015

Is that the extensor hood mechanism?