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Biomedical Anatomy > Central Nervous System: Brain and Spinal Cord > Flashcards

Central Nervous System: Brain and Spinal Cord Flashcards

1
Q

What is a group of neuron cell bodies in the CNS called?

A

Nucleus

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2
Q

What is a group of nerve fibers traveling in parallel called? (only in CNS)

A

Tract

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3
Q

What is a nerve fiber?

A

An axon with or without a myelin sheath; present in both CNS and PNS

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4
Q

What is gray matter?

A

An area of the CNS where neuron cell bodies are located; no myelin

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5
Q

What is white matter?

A

An area of the CNS where axons are present (no cell bodies); myelinated

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6
Q

What is the soma (or perikaryon)?

A

A neuron cell body (conducting); present in CNS and PNS

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7
Q

What are glial cells?

A

Non-conducting support cells of the CNS

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8
Q

What are stains that allow for the visualization of myelinated fibers?

A

Myelin stains; do not react with cell bodies or dendrites.

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9
Q

What stains allow for visualization of nerve fibers and cell bodies?

A

Silver stains

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10
Q

What stain allows for visualization of the cell body, axon, and dendrites in their entirety?

A

Golgi stain

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11
Q

What stains allow for the visualization of RER and Nissl bodies, therefore showing the shape and size of cell bodies?

A

Nissl stains

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12
Q

Define meninges.

A

Connective tissue covering of the brain and spinal cord; composed of dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.

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13
Q

Describe the dura mater.

A

Tough, outer layer of the meninges; composed of dense irregular connective tissue

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14
Q

Describe the arachnoid mater.

A

Transparent, middle layer of the meninges; thin, delicate connective tissue lined with simple squamous epithelium

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15
Q

Describe the subarachnoid space.

A

Separates the arachnoid from the pia mater; stores and moves CSF around the outside of the brain and spinal cord

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16
Q

Describe the pia mater.

A

Delicate inner layer of the meninges; thin layer of connective tissue lined with simple squamous epithelium; has direct contact with neural tissue

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17
Q

What are the four principal functions of the spinal cord?

A

Conduction: sensory information ascends and motor commands descend

Neural integration: processing of information from diverse sources

Locomotion: central pattern generators coordinate simple repetitive movements

Reflexes: involuntary stereotyped response to stimuli

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18
Q

Describe the cervical enlargement?

A

Widening of the spinal cord from C2-C7; gives rise to nerves of the upper limbs.

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19
Q

Describe the lumbosacral enlargement?

A

Widening of the spinal cord between vertebrae between T10-T12; gives rise to the nerves of the pelvic region and lower limbs; superior to the medullary cone.

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20
Q

Describe the medullary cone?

A

Tapering off of the spinal cord at L1, giving rise to the nerve root bundles of the cauda equina

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21
Q

Describe the cauda equina?

A

Nerve roots given off by the medullary cone that occupy the vertebral canal from L2-S5; innervates the pelvic organs and lower limbs

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22
Q

Describe the dorsal (posterior) and ventral (anterior) horns of the spinal cord.

A

Compose the gray matter of the spinal cord; the dorsal horn is typically composed of afferent sensory neurons that ascend the spinal cord to the brain; the ventral horn is typically composed of efferent motor neurons that descend the spinal cord from the brain.

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23
Q

Describe sulci and gyri

A

Sulci: grooves

Gyri: folds

Increase surface area of the cerebral cortex

24
Q

What is the longitudinal cerebral fissure?

A

The large sulcus that divides the brain into left and right hemispheres.

25
Q

What are folia?

A

Thinner gyri of the cerebellum.

26
Q

What is the vermis?

A

Narrow, wormlike bridge that connects left and right hemispheres of the cerebellum.

27
Q

Describe the molecular layer of the cerebellar cortex.

A

Contains primarily axons and dendrites, with only very fey neuron cell bodies; outer layer of the cortex (gray matter)

28
Q

Describe the Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellar cortex

A

Coordinating cells; contains a single layer of round cell bodies; lies between the granule cell layer and the molecular cell layer of the cerebellar cortex (gray matter)

29
Q

Describe the granular layer of the cerebellar cortex

A

Contains an enormous number of very small, tightly packed cells and their dendrites (making it appear granular); deepest layer of the cerebellar cortex (gray matter)

30
Q

Describe the cerebellar medulla

A

White matter of the cerebellum

31
Q

What are the functions of the cerebellum? (4)

A

Coordination and fine motor control

Muscle tone

Balance and equilibrium

Maintenance of normal posture

32
Q

What are the functions of the frontal lobe of the cerebrum? (pick 5 of 10)

A

Abstract thought

Explicit memory

Mood

Motivation

Foresight and planning

Decision making

Emotional control

Social judgment

Voluntary motor control

Speech production

33
Q

What are the functions of the insula? (4 of 6)

A

Taste

Pain

Visceral sensation

Consciousness

Emotion and empathy

Cardiovascular homeostasis

34
Q

What are the functions of the parietal lobe? (5 of 7)

A

Taste

Somatic sensation

Sensory integration

Visual processing

Spatial perception

Language processing

Numerical awareness

35
Q

What are the functions of the occipital lobe?

A

Visual awareness and processing

36
Q

What are the functions of the temporal lobe? (pick 4 of 8)

A

Hearing

Smelling

Emotion

Learning

Language comprehension

Memory consolidation

Verbal memory

Visual and auditory memory

37
Q

Describe the postcentral gyrus

A

fold of the cerebrum that lies immediately caudal to the central sulcus and forms the anterior border of the parietal lobe; commonly referred to as the primary somatosensory cortex; serves as a “sensory map” of the contralateral side of the body

38
Q

Describe the precentral gyrus.

A

Fold in the cerebrum that lies directly rostral to the central sulcus and forms the posterior border of the frontal lobe; also referred to as the primary motor cortex

39
Q

What major sulci separate which lobes of the brain?

A

Central sulcus: frontal and parietal

Lateral sulcus: temporal lobe and frontal (and part of parietal)

40
Q

Describe Wernicke’s area

A

Posterior language area; responsible for the recognition of spoken and written language; lies just posterior the lateral sulcus, usually in the left hemisphere; crossroad between visual, auditory, and somatosensory cortices

41
Q

Describe Broca’s area.

A

Motor speech area; located in the inferior prefrontal cortex of the left hemisphere; generates motor programs for the muscles of the larynx, tongue, cheeks, and lips to produce speech

42
Q

What are the six layers of the cerebral cortex?

A

Dura

I: Plexiform (or molecular) layer

II: External granular layer

III: Medium pyramidal layer

IV: Internal granular layer

V: Large pyramidal layer

VI: Polymorphic layer

White matter

43
Q

What are the three components of the diencephalon?

A

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Epithalamus

44
Q

What are the functions of the thalamus and what do its three nuclei do?

A

Relay and integration

Relay nuclei: motor and sensory information

Association Nuclei: connect limbic system (awareness, emotion, memory)

Midline nuclei: stress, fear, reward (mood)

45
Q

What are the functions of the hypothalamus?

A

Connects the nervous and endocrine systems; connects to limbic system, brainstem, regulates emotions, autonomic control, and thermoregulation

46
Q

What is the epithalamus?

A

Dorsal region of the diencephalon; contains mainly the pineal gland

47
Q

What are the functions of the midbrain and what cranial nerves is it associated with?

A

Cranial nerves III & IV

Function: motor control, pain, visual & auditory attention

48
Q

What are the functions of the pons and what cranial nerves is it associated with?

A

Cranial nerves V, VI, VII, and some of VIII

Functions: connects spinal cord and cerebellum; facial sensation & expression, control of chewing, respiration, and sleep (circadian rhythm)

49
Q

What are the functions of the medulla oblongata and what cranial nerves is it associated with?

A

Cranial nerves IX, X, XI, and some of VIII

Functions: regulates heart rate and blood pressure; rate and depth of breathing; speech; coughing, sneezing, salvation, swallowing, gagging, vomiting, and sweating

50
Q

Describe the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

A
  1. CSF secreted by choroid plexus in lateral ventricles
  2. CSF flows through interventricular foramina
  3. Choroid plexus in third ventricle adds more CSF
  4. CSF flows down cerebral aqueduct to fourth ventricle
  5. Choroid plexus in fourth ventricle adds more CSF
  6. CSF flows out two lateral apertures and one median aperture
  7. CSF fills subarachnoid space and bathes external surfaces of brain and spinal cord
  8. At arachnoid granulations, CSF is reabsorbed into venous blood of dural venous sinuses
51
Q

Describe the structure and function of astrocytes.

A

Structure: large glial cells with processes that form networks

Function: provide physical and metabolic support

52
Q

Describe the structure and function of oligodendrocytes.

A

Structure: small cells; somewhat resemble an octopus

Function: synthesis and maintenance myelin in CNS

53
Q

Describe the structure and function of microglia.

A

Structure: small cells with small dark elongated nuclei; have fingerlike extensions to constantly probe the tissue for cellular debris or other problems

Function: phagocytosis (in place of WBC; no WBCs in brain)

54
Q

Describe the structure and function of ependymal cells.

A

Structure: ciliated columnar epithelium that line the internal cavities of the brain and spinal cord

Function: secrete and circulate CSF in brain ventricles

55
Q

Describe the blood-brain-barrier

A

Physical barrier that seals nearly all blood capillaries throughout the brain tissue by end food processes of astrocytes; prevents diffusion of most molecules to the brain

Biomedical Anatomy (10 decks)

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