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Anatomy > 4e Brain Anatomy > Flashcards

4e Brain Anatomy Flashcards

(73 cards)

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1
Q

What protects the CNS, specifically the brain?

A

Bones of the skull and vertebral column
Meninges
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Blood-brain barrier

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2
Q

What are meninges?

A

3 connective tissue membranes
-outermost: dura mater
-middle: arachnoid
-innermost: Pia mater

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3
Q

What is meningitis caused by?

A

Inflammation of the meninges, this inflammation is caused by bacteria and viruses and can lead to encephalitis

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4
Q

What is encephalitis?

A

Inflammation of the brain

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5
Q

Where can you find CSF?

A

Space between the meninges
Ventricles (internal cavities of brain)
Central canal (cavity in the spinal cord)

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6
Q

What are the functions of CSF?

A

Shock absorption
Supporting weight of brain
Nourishment and waste removal
Intercranial pressure buffer

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7
Q

Where are the 4 ventricles located?

A

1 and 2: lateral ventricles, those horns on either side of the midline
3: in the diencephalon, between the lateral ventricles and about at that same height
4: in the brainstem, region of the pons and medulla

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8
Q

Where is the central canal located?

A

In spinal cord, holds CSF

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9
Q

What is CSF?

A

Clear, colorless fluid
Mixture of water, proteins at low concentrations, ions, neurotransmitters, and glucose that is renewed 3-4 times per day

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10
Q

What is the structure of the blood brain barrier?

A

Formed by tight junctions between cells in the walls of capillaries supplying the CNS

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11
Q

What is the specific function of the blood brain barrier?

A

Protection of the CNS by selecting the substances that can cross the CSF from the blood
Is not permeable to water soluble substances
Allows the passage of glucose

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12
Q

What are the disadvantages of the blood brain barrier?

A

While it can keep infection out, if it does get in, they drugs that are not lipid soluble have a much harder time of getting in and treating the infection
This includes infection fighting and tumor-suppressing drugs

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13
Q

What are the four major brain regions in the adult brain from superior to deep? What do they consist of?

A

Cerebral hemispheres
Diencephalon: thalamus and hypothalamus
Brain stem: midbrain, pons, medulla
Cerebellum

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14
Q

What is the cerebrum responsible for? Characteristics?

A

Largest part of the brain, accounts for about 83% of the brain mass
Responsible for higher mental functions including memory and reason

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15
Q

What is the surface of teh cerebrum covered with?

A

Grooves called sulci (valley, deep wrinkle)
Ridges called gyri (bump)
Singularly they are sulcus and gyrus

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16
Q

What is a fissure?

A

A deep sulcus

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17
Q

What is the most identifiable fissure and where is it located?

A

Longitudinal fissure
Runs from front to back of the brain in the center
Divides the brain into right and left hemispheres

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18
Q

What is unique about how the hemispheres integrate information? What kind of information are they integrating?

A

Sensory information
They integrate the information from the opposite side of the body
Contralateral

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19
Q

What is the thin outer layer of the hemisphere?

A

The cerebral cortex

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20
Q

What is the cerebral cortex?

A

Thin outer layer of the hemispheres
Has an outer layer of gray matter (cell bodies)
Has an inner layer of white matter (nerves, axons, dendrites)

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21
Q

There are technically 2 cerebral cortexes, but they still work together, despite being separated by the longitudinal fissure. How?

A

The corpus callosum is a bridge between the hemispheres and allows for communication between them

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22
Q

What does gray matter consist of?

A

Neuroglial cells, nerve cell bodies, unmyelinated axons

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23
Q

What does white matter consist of?

A

Myelinated axons

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24
Q

What does white matter allow for?

A

Communication between various areas of the brain and between the brain and spinal cord

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25
What is the corpus callosum composed of?
Band of white matter (fibre tracts) that connects the two cerebral hemispheres
26
What is the central sulcus?
The anatomical division between the frontal and parietal lobes
27
What is the anatomical division between the frontal and temporal bone called?
Lateral sulcus
28
What is the temporal lobe responsible for?
Contains region for processing sound, primary auditory cortex Main target for auditory and vestibular sensory information Region for language comprehension
29
Where is the region responsible for language comprehension located and what is it called?
Wernickes area Left temporal cortex (outer layer of temporal lobe)
30
What is “vestibular”?
Balance and equilibrium related
31
What is the occipital lobe responsible for?
Primary visual reception area Recall that brain works contra-laterally so damage to the left hemisphere of the occipital lobe will result in impaired vision in the right eye and vice versa
32
What is the parietal lobe responsible for?
Mediates the ability to sense the position of our body Contains primary somatosensory cortex
33
What is the somatosensory cortex responsible for?
Receives and interprets sensory information from skin and muscles
34
What can be found posterior to the primary sensory cortex?
Association area Area that controls fine sensation (texture, weight, etc)
35
Where is the domatosensory association area?
Posterior to the somatosensory cortex
36
What is the frontal lobe responsible for?
Planning, organizing, problem solving, selective attention, personality and other higher cognitive functions
37
What part of the brain is responsible for higher cognitive functions and determination of personality and where is it located?
Prefrontal cortex, the most anterior part of the frontal lobe
38
Where are the neurons that produce movement located in the brain? What type of movement is this?
The motor areas of the frontal lobe Voluntary
39
Where is the primary motor cortex located?
The outer layer of the frontal lobe
40
What are some possible consequences of disturbing or damaging the primary motor cortex?
Loss of fine movements and strength in arms, hands and fingers Little spontaneous facial expression
41
What is the function of the premotor cortex?
Serve to modify movements Storage of motor patterns and voluntary activities (muscle memory)
42
Where is the premotor cortex located?
Before the primary motor cortex, more anterior
43
What are cortical association areas?
Areas found next to each primary sensory area Communicate with the sensory and motor areas and with other parts of the brain to analyze and act on sensory input
44
Why are cortical association areas necessary?
Necessary for perpetual activities like recognizing objects or faces or sounds, depending what were talking about
45
Why is the prefrontal cortex the most complicated association area?
Receives projections from the entire cortex
46
What does the prefrontal cortex do/monitor?
Guides behaviours based on an internal representation of the external world Involves the ability to concentrate and attend, elaboration of thought, jugement, inhibition Personality and emotional traits Involved with short term memory
47
What can damage to the prefrontal cortex present as?
Impulsiveness or inappropriate responses Dramatic change in social behaviour/ personality Abnormal sexual behaviour or reduced sexual interest
48
What is a lobotomy?
An operation in which a surgeon would sever some of teh nerve tracts between the prefrontal cortex and the rest of the brain Aim was to reduce seizures
49
What is the function of the limbic system?
Primarily responsible for our emotional life, formation of memories
50
What are the main parts of the limbic system?
Hypothalamus Hippocampus Amygdala
51
Describe the hippocampus in terms of located and structure.
Location: behind amygdala, medial temporal lobe region, one in each hemisphere Structure: horn shaped, curving back from amygdala
52
What is the function of the hippocampus?
Conversion of short term memory to long term memory
53
What happens of the hippocampus is damaged?
The person cannot form new memories
54
What does the thalamus do in the limbic system?
Receives all conscious sensations and acts as a relay center Receives visual, auditory and somatosensory information -these impulses are directed by the thalamus to where ever they have to go Filters out unwanted stimuli Also part of alert mechanism of the reticular activating system
55
What is the RAS?
Reticular activating system
56
What does the hypothalamus do?
Maintains body homeostasis by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, digestion and body temperature Coordinates the nervous and endocrine systems by influencing the pituitary Regulates emotions as part of the limbic system
57
What are all the inputs to the hypothalamus?
Parts of the limbic system and olfactory nerves: info that helps regulate eating and sexuality Optic nerve: light and darkness Neurons lining the ventricles: contents of the CSF Vagus nerve: blood pressure and distension of gut Reticular formation (in brainstem): skin temperature Receptors of its own: info about ion balance and temperature of blood PONVRR
58
What does RAS stand for and what is it?
Reticular Activating System Extensive network of neurons, runs through medulla and projects to the cerebral cortex It’s a relay station for incoming sensory impulses Filters sensory input and keep the cerebral cortex alert
59
What is the difference between how the thalamus and the RAS act as relay stations?
Thalamus relays to specific cortical areas: tells an isolated area about a specific stimulus RAS relays to nonspecific areas: tells the entire cortex to pay attention
60
What are the potential consequences of damaging the RAS?
Deep coma Brain can still receive stimuli, but if RAS dont work then person will always be in a coma
61
What makes up the brainstem?
Mid-brain Pons Medulla oblongata
62
What does the brainstem contain?
Regions of autonomic function and their connecting tracts
63
Where is the midbrain?
Like the name suggests, lower-middle end of brain Most superior part of the brainstem
64
What does the midbrain contain?
Center for visual reflexes (ie. blinking) Auditory reflexes (ie. turning towards a sound)
65
Where is the pons located?
Immediately inferior to the midbrain
66
Describe the pons structurally
Bridge between the (spinal cord and cerebellum) and (cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus)
67
Where is the cerebellum located?
Back base of brain
68
What are the main functions of the pons?
Regulation of rate and depth of breathing/respiration Contains reflex centers concerned with head movements in response to visual and auditory stimuli
69
Where is the medulla oblongata located?
Inferior to the pons and midbrain
70
What does the medulla oblongata control?
Vital functions like heart rate, blood pressure, breathing rate and depth Regulates blood volume, blood pressure, overall blood distribution Contain reflex centers for coughing, vomiting, sneezing and hiccuping
71
How do the medulla oblongata and pons work together?
They work together to produce rhythmic breathing
72
What is the cerebellum responsible for?
Sensory-motor coordination Coordinates skeletal muscles Received unconscious proprioception and input from all higher motor centers Assists in learning of new motor skills
73
What does teh cerebellum do with the input it receives?
Monitors muscle contractions and planned muscle contractions Maintains a constantly adapting system to coordinate them

Anatomy (25 decks)

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