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Brain basics Flashcards

1
Q

What does white matter contain?

A

Myelinated axons

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2
Q

What does grey matter contain?

A

Cell bodies and no myelin sheaths

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3
Q

Define nuclei

A

Collection of nerve cell bodies within the CNS

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4
Q

Define ganglia

A

Collection of nerve cell bodies within the PNS

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5
Q

What is the transverse plane?

A

Horizontal plane (ventral to dorsal)

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6
Q

What is the sagittal plane?

A

Vertical plane (right and left sides of head)

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7
Q

What is the coronal plane?

A

Ear to ear (front and back of head)

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8
Q

What does rostral mean?

A

Towards the nose/ beak

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9
Q

What does caudal mean?

A

Towards the tail

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10
Q

Define ipsilateral

A

On the SAME side

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11
Q

Define contralateral

A

On the OPPOSITE side

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12
Q

What are sulci?

A

Grooves in the cortex

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13
Q

What are gyri?

A

Ridges of the cortex

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14
Q

In the brainstem & spinal cord, dorsal means?

A

Posterior

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15
Q

In the brainstem & spinal cord, ventral means?

A

Anterior

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16
Q

In the cerebrum, dorsal means?

A

Superior

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17
Q

In the cerebrum, ventral means?

A

Inferior

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18
Q

What are commissural fibres?

A

White matter tracts connecting the two hemispheres of the brain

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19
Q

What are association fibres?

A

White matter tracts connecting cortical regions within the same hemisphere

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20
Q

What are projection fibres?

A

White matter tracts connecting cortical and subcortical regions

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21
Q

What fissure separeates the right and left hemisphere?

A

Longitudinal fissure

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22
Q

What is the central sulcus?

A

Fissure separating the frontal and parietal lobes

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23
Q

What is the Sylvian fissure?

A

Lateral sulcus

Separates frontal, parietal and temporal lobes

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24
Q

What fissure separates the parietal and occipital lobe?

A

Parieto-occipital sulcus

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25
Where is the Calcarine sulcus located?
In the occipital lobe (splits it horizontally)
26
Significance of the Calcarine sulcus?
Primary visual cortex is located here
27
What are the main 5 lobes of the brain?
``` Frontal Parietal Occipital Temporal Insular cortex ```
28
Functions of the frontal lobe? (4)
Primary motor cortex Personality Superior decision making (problem-solving, reasoning) Memory
29
Where is Broca's area located?
In frontal lobe [Broadmann 44]
30
Why is Broca's area important?
Responsible for speech production
31
What is Broca's (expressive) aphasia?
Patient can understand but cannot reply/ write
32
Which hemisphere is usually dominant in people ie where are Broca and Wernicke's areas found?
In 95% of R-handed people, left hemisphere is dominant (Broca and Wernicke's found here). In 60% of L-handed people, left hemisphere is still dominant.
33
Functions of the parietal lobe? (2)
Primary somatosensory cortex | Baum's loop passes through here
34
Functions of temporal lobe? (5)
``` Primary auditory cortex Olfactory cortex Memory Emotion Meyer's loop passes through here ```
35
Where is Wernicke's area located?
Temporal lobe [Broadmann 22]
36
Why is Wernicke's area important?
Responsible for understanding written & spoken language
37
What is Wernicke's (receptive) aphasia?
Patient cannot understand written/ spoken language (like hearing a different language)
38
Function of the occipital cortex?
Primary visual cortex
39
Functions of the insular cortex? (2)
Consciousness | Emotion
40
Where is the primary motor cortex located?
Precentral gyrus | Sits anterior to central sulcus, in frontal lobe
41
Where is the primary somatosensory cortex located?
Postcentral gyrus | Sits posterior to central sulcus, in parietal lobe
42
Where is the auditory cortex located?
Superior temporal gyrus | Sits inferior to lateral sulcus
43
Function of the cerebellum?
Coordinates: voluntary movement, balance, speech and muscle tone
44
What do cerebellar injuries result in?
``` DANISH Dysdiadochokinesia Ataxia Nystagmus Intention tremor Staccato/ slurred speech Hypotonia ```
45
What does the superior cerebellar peduncle do?
Attaches cerebellum to midbrain
46
What does the middle cerebellar peduncle do?
Attaches cerebellum to pons
47
What does the inferior cerebellar peduncle do?
Attaches cerebellum to medulla
48
What structures make up the brainstem?
Midbrain Pons Medulla
49
What forms the midbrain?
``` Tectum (superior & inferior colliculi) Cerebral peduncle (tegmentum [red nucleus], substantia nigra & crus cerebri) ```
50
Which cranial nerves come from the midbrain?
CN III - oculomotor nerve (interpeduncular fossa) | CN IV - trochlear nerve (from behind)
51
Which cranial nerves come from the pons?
CN V - trigeminal nerve CN VI - abducens nerve CN VII - facial nerve CN VIII - vestibulocochlear nerve
52
Function of the medulla?
Regulates ANS: cardio-respiratory systems, swallowing, coughing
53
Which cranial nerves come from the medulla?
CN IX - glossopharyngeal nerve CN X - vagus nerve CN XI - accessory nerve CN XII - hypoglossal nerve
54
Name the regions of the corpus callosum
Rostrum Genu ("knee") Body Splenium
55
Functions of the limbic system? (5)
Fear, emotion, learning, memory and motivation (coordinating behavioural response to emotion)
56
Structures of the Papez circuit (8)
``` Uncus Amygdala Hippocampus Fornix Mammillary body Thalamus Cingulate gyrus Parahippocampal gyrus ```
57
Function of the amydgala?
Fear and emotional memory
58
Function of the hippocampus?
Long-term memory and encoding new memories
59
Function of mamillary bodies?
Recollective memory
60
Function of cingulate gyrus?
Links motivation with behaviour
61
Describe the pathway from outside --> in from the insular cortex (10)
1. Insular cortex 2. Extreme capsule 3. Clasutrum 4. External capsule 5. Putamen 6. Globuc pallidus 7. Internal capsule 8. Caudate nuscleus 9. Hypothalamus 10. Amygdala
62
What forms the lentiform nucleus?
Putamen | Globus pallidus
63
What forms the corpus striatum?
Caudate | Putamen
64
What structures does the basal ganglia include? (6)
1. Caudate nucleus 2. Putamen 3. Globus pallidus 4. Substantia nigra 5. Subthalamic nucleus 6. Amygdala
65
What does the basal ganglia do?
Facilitates purposeful behaviour and movement
66
Outputs from the basal ganglia are...
Inhibitory and tonically active (slow + continuous)
67
What does the direct pathway of the basal ganglia do?
Activates thalamus, initiates movement
68
What does the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia do?
Inhibits thalamus, suppresses movement
69
What neurotransmitter does the striatum release?
GABA (inhibitory)
70
What neurotransmitter does the substantia nigra release?
Dopamine (excitatory)
71
What happens with Parkinson's disease?
- Increased muscle tone - Decreased movements - Due to not enough dopamine
72
Clinical presentation of Parkinson's disease
- Brady/ akinesia - Resting tremor - Rigidity
73
What happens with Huntington's disease?
- Decreased muscle tone - Overshooting movements - Due to too much dopamine (as its antagonists have decreased)
74
Clinical presentation of Huntington's disease
- Chorea - Dementia/ personality illness - Personality change

NEURO (7 decks)

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