Flashcards in Basic Neuro Structure+Functions Deck (18):
1
The Three Major Parts of the Brain
1) Cerebrum: largest part, on top.
2) Brain Stem: connects brain and spinal cord
3) Cerebellum: coordinates movement
2
Components of the Brain Stem
1) Midbrain: contains Substantia Nigra and VTA
2) Pons: Cranial Nerves V-VIII
3) Medulla: Autonomous control of cardiac, respiratory, vomiting, and vasomotor functions
3
Lower Motor Neurons: Anatomy
- Efferent nerves of PNS
- Soma located inside spinal cord
- Synapse on skeletal muscle (one LMN and all synapsed muscles="motor unit")
- Where it meets muscle=NMJ
4
Lower Motor Neuron Signs
1) Atrophy (decreased bulk)
2) Fasciculation (involuntary twitches)
3) Hypotonia (decreased muscle tone)
4) Hyporeflexia (decreased muscle stretch reflex)
5
Muscle Stretch Reflex
1) stretch receptors sends signal to cell body outside CNS
2) Efferent nerves synapse in spinal cord on afferent nerves that resist the stretch in primary muscle and inhibit antagonist muscles
- Ipsilaterally contained (same side)
6
White vs. Grey Matter
White Matter: most of the neuron's soma
- Forms cortex of brain (cerebral and cerebellar)
- within brain, forms Nuclei
- forms H-shape in SC
Grey Matter: myelinated axons
7
Upper Motor Neurons: Function, Location, Divisions
-Control LMNs and their activity
-Somas found in cerebral cortex, synapse onto LMNs
-Divided into: 1) Corticospinal Tract and 2) Corticobulbar Tract
8
Corticospinal Tract & Lesions
- synapse in SC, and cross over in the bottom of the Medulla
- Lesion in cortex -> contralateral weakness
- Lesion in SC -> ipsilateral weakness
9
Corticobulbar Tract & Lesions
- Synapses in brainstem
-Controls face and neck muscles
- upper face is bilateral, lower face is contralateral
-Varied patterns of weakness
10
Upper Motor Neuron Signs
1) Hyperreflexia
2) Clonus (rhythmic contraction of antagonist muscles)
3) Hypertonia
4) Extensor Plantar Response (vs flexor)
-scraping bottom of foot -> toes extend instead of flexing (Babinski's Sign)
11
Somatosensory Tracts and Crossing Over
1) Pain 2) Temperature 3) Gross Touch
-crosses over where it enters
-facially, goes down and crosses in the brainstem before going back up
4) Position 5) Vibration 6) Fine Touch
-crosses over in the brainstem
-facially, crosses over in brainstem as well
12
Cerebellum: Functions
Coordinates movement
1) Motor Planning: muscle contraction (which ones, intensity, duration)
-input: cortex
2) Position Sense: receptors send information to cerebellum to ensure action matches the plan
3) Feedback: to the part of the cerebrum that plans motor function
13
Brainstem: Function
- Connects cerebrum to the spinal cord and the cerebellum to the CNS
-also connects most of the cranial nerves
- Contains the Reticular Formation (circulation, respiration, digestion)
- Contains axons of the Long Tracts
14
Subcortical Cerebrum: Composition and Major Nuclei
- Made of white matter and deep nuclei
1) Internal Capsule (contains corticospinal tract with UMNs)
2) Corpus Callosum
3) Basal Ganglia (motor functions, cognition, emotion)
4) Thalamus (sensory function)
5) Hypothalamus (controls pituitary gland for endocrine system)
15
Cerebral Cortex: Structure and Lobes
- Folded, with large ridges (Gyri), small grooves (Sulci), and large folds (Fissures)
1) Frontal Lobe: contralateral motor cortex
-decision making, problem solving, planning
2) Parietal Lobe: contralateral processing of somatosensory information
3) Temporal Lobe: memory, emotion, hearing, language
4) Occipital Lobe: collaterally processes visual information
16
Cerebral Cortex: Primary vs Association Cortex
1) Primary: performs basic motor and sensory functions
2) Association: input of different types of information for more complex processing
17
CNS Neurotransmitters
1) Glutamate: most common excitatory NT
2) GABA: most common inhibitory NT in brain
3) Glycine: most common inhibitory NT in spinal cord
4) Acetylcholine
5) Histamine
6) Norepinephrine
7) Serotonin (produced and secreted in brain via Raphe Nuclei)
8) Dopamine
18