Anatomy and Physiology of Brain and Nervous System Flashcards
(41 cards)
Anatomy
Refers to Structure
Physiology
Function
Central Nervous System
- consists of brain and spinal cord inter neurons
- Spinal cord is an extension of brain stem, co-ordinates reflexes, channels communication between brain and peripheral nerves
- brain is decision making of CNS
Peripheral Nervous System
Carries information b/w CNS and rest of the body
Made up of all nerves and ganglia outside of CNS
- divided into Somatic NS & Autonomic NS
Somatic Nervous System
Conveys sensory info to CNS and motor msgs to muscles
Gathers sensory info from sense organs and sends to brain
Autonomic Nervous System
- Involuntary
- Regulates involuntary, bodily functions
- Connects to the CNS via nerves to internal organs
- Subdivisions are sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Sympathetic
Dominates when under stress
Activates internal muscles to act quickly
e.g. pupils dilate, released endorphins
Parasympathetic
- Maintains steady state of balanced normal functioning
- Restores body to calmness post threat
- opposite to sympathetic
PNS Nerves
- 31 pairs of spinal nerves
- 12 pairs of cranial nerves
- Dorsal Root: sensory info.
- Ventral Root: Motor info.
Frontal Lobe
- Primary Motor Cortex
- Most complex behaviours: planning, problem solving etc
Control of voluntary movement - Left part = Broca’s area which control muscles of throat, tongue, mouth jaw face
Parietal Lobe
- Primary Somatosensory cortex
- Processes: sensory info, motion detection, depth perception, sense of touch
Occipital Lobe
- Primary Visual Cortex
- Processes inc. visual sense info
- Seeing colours, perceiving and recognising objects
Temporal Lobe
- Primary Auditory Cortex
- Processing sound
- Processes auditory information
- Memory, facial recognition, object identification, emotion
broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Arca
- Responsible for speech production and language processing
- Damage to B.Area: slowed speech, prevent person from speaking, inability to understand language
- Damage to W.Area: Loss of ability to understand language, speak clearly but string of words make no sense
External Recordings: EEG
- Detects, amplifies and records electrical activity of neurons
- Produces a recording of brain waves, are analysed and then interpreted
- Different brain waves detected
- Can indicate tumors, epilepsy, sleeping problems
EEG advantages and disadvantages
adv. = painless, harmless, non invasive, cheap, can be used on all ages
limitations = doesnt detect location of electrical activity
- provides an overview and not a source
Scanning techniques: Still pictures CAT
- Computerised Axial Tomography
- Scanned images is turned into 3D image of brain
- Can detect: tumors, strokes, other injuries
- Can show difference between dmgd & healthy tissue
Advantages and Disadvantages of CAT
- Less expensive brain research method
- Non-invasive
- Some require injection of iodine dye
- dis: exposure to radiation
- provides info about structure, not brain activity
Scanning Techniques Still Pictures: MRI
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Uses magnetic field to create detailed image of brain
- Detects: tumors, abnormalities
Can distinguish types of tissue more clearly than a CT
Advantages and Disadvantages of MRI
Adv. = shows difference between dmgd and healthy tissue
- damages areas easily identified
- non invasive
- no exposure to radiation
Limitations: - no info on brain activity, expensive, no magnets in machine
Scanning Techniques Dynamic Pictures: FMRI
- Functional magnetic resonance Imaging
- Measures brain function during consumption of 02 by neurons
- Higher brain activity means higher oxygen intake?
- Uses large magnets to create magnetic field
- Able to detect flow of oxygenated blood to brain, as oxygen moves to active areas
BOLD: Blood Oxygenated Level Dependent Signal
- Higher BOLD = Increase brain activity = Increase oxygen
Advantages and Disadvantages of FMRI
Adv. = Non-invasive, no radiation, displays active areas of brain
Limitations= Most expensive, small movements affect results
Scanning Techniques Dynamic Pictures: PET
- Positron emissions Tomography
- Glucose consumption of brain
- Higher glucose levels reflect higher brain activity
- Radioactive trace that decays by emitting a positron is injected to body
- Requires injection of radio-active glucose
- Measures amount of brain activity that occurs while participant is undergoing task
USED WITH MRI
- Can detect tumors, other damage, areas of brain linked with reading, maths
Advantages and Disadvantages of PET
Adv: - shows area of brain that is damaged
disadvantages: - invasive procedure, exposure to radiation, does not provide detailed images of the brain
