MRCP UK EXAMINATIONS

Detailed explanation-1: -The brain is superior to the spinal cord in people, but in quadrupeds the brain is anterior (forward in motion) to the spinal cord. “Dorsal” means “in the direction away from the ridge of the human back or its equivalent in other animals.

Detailed explanation-2: -Thus, anterior and posterior indicate front and back; rostral and caudal, toward the head and tail; dorsal and ventral, top and bottom; and medial and lateral, the midline or to the side. Nevertheless, the comparison between these coordinates in the body versus the brain can be confusing.

Detailed explanation-3: -Anterior or ventral-front (example, the kneecap is located on the anterior side of the leg). Posterior or dorsal-back (example, the shoulder blades are located on the posterior side of the body).

Detailed explanation-4: -Anterior means “in front of” or “the front surface of.” It usually refers to the front side of the body. For example, your knee caps are on the anterior part of your body. There are three body views (front, back, and side) that can help you to identify a specific body area.