Central Nervous System

Question 1

What are the basic functions of the nervous system?

Answer 1

Sensory input, Integration and Motor output.

Question 2

Name the two types of nerve cells in the CNS?

Answer 2

Neurons and neuroglia (supporting cells).

Question 3

What are cell bodies called in the CNS & PNS?

Answer 3

CNS = nuclei.
PNS = ganglia.

Question 4

What is the function of a dendrite?

Answer 4

They act as the main receptive or input region, providing a large surface area for receiving signals.
They forward incoming messages to the cell body.

Question 5

What is the axon ending called?

Answer 5

Axon Terminal

Question 6

Which division of the NS contains the majority of cell bodies?

Answer 6

Central Nervous System

Question 7

What structure primarily constitutes the PNS?

Answer 7

Neurons

Question 8

Name the space that neurotransmitters pass from one structure to another at?

Answer 8

Synaptic Cleft.

Question 9

What part of a neuron is the AP generated at?

Answer 9

Axon hillock

Question 10

Why does a myelinated axon conduct impulses quickly?

Answer 10

The myelin sheath insulates the axon, it is tightly coiled around the nerve.

Question 11

Name the impulse direction of motor and sensory nerves.

Answer 11

Sensory / Afferent - to the brain.

Motor / Efferent - from the brain to the body.

Question 12

Where do somatic and visceral fibres arise from?

Answer 12

Somatic - from body wall.

Visceral - from organs or glands.

Question 13

What structures primarily constitute the PNS?

Answer 13

Cranial & spinal nerves, Communication between the CNS and the body.

Question 14

Name the 3 layers of embryo development.

Answer 14

Ectoderm
Mesoderm
Endoderm

Question 15

Which embryo layer develops into the CNS?

Answer 15

Ectoderm

Question 16

Name the parts the neural tube and crests become.

Answer 16

Upper part neural tube = brain & spinal cord

Neural crest cells = nerves & ganglia

Question 17

What are ventricles?

Answer 17

Fluid filled spaces arising from the lumen of the embyronic tube.
Filled with cerebrospinal fluid, a cushion for the brain.

Question 18

Name 4 protective structures of the brain.

Answer 18

Bones
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
Meninges
Blood-brain barrier

Question 19

Name the layers of the meninges from superficial to deep.

Answer 19

Dura Mater
Arachnoid Mater
Pia Mater

Question 20

Which meninges layer contains CSF & blood vessels?

Answer 20

Arachnoid Mater

Question 21

What original space did the ventricles arise from?

Answer 21

The lumen of the embryonic neural tube.

Question 22

What are grey and white matter?

Answer 22

Grey = cell bodies
White = axons covered by myelin sheath.

Question 23

Name the 4 lobes of the brain?

Answer 23

Frontal, Parietal, Occipital, Temporal.

Question 24

Name the 3 types of neuron.

Describe them.

Answer 24

Unipolar - only one process.
Bipolar - two processes, specialised sensory neurons.
Multipolar - multiple processes, the most common neuron.

Question 25

How many spinal pairs are there?

Answer 25

31

Question 26

In the spinal column, which tube contains grey matter?

Answer 26

Cellular regions in the central spinal cord.

Question 27

In the spinal column, what type of matter do the tracts contain?

Answer 27

White matter, ascending & descending to/from the brain.

Question 28

Name the sections of the spinal column ascending to descending, and the number of segments.

Answer 28

``` 8 Cervical 12 Thoracic 5 Lumbar 5 Sacral 1 Coccygeal ```

Question 29

Give an example of a descending motor pathway.

Answer 29

Corticospinal pathway = upper motor neuron > lower motor neuron. Decussates to opposite side of body.

Question 30

Give an example of an ascending sensory pathway.

Answer 30

Spinothalmic pathway (temperature) = First order neuron > second order neuron > third order neuron.. Decussates to opposite side of body.

Question 31

What primarily constitutes the PNS?

Answer 31

Meninges, spinal cord & brain. | Connects CNS to the organs.

Question 32

What is the name of the indentations of the brain?

Answer 32

Gyrus.

Question 33

Which lobes does the central sulcus separate?

Answer 33

Parietal & Frontal

Question 34

What are the 4 main blood vessels that supply the brain?

Answer 34

Anterior cerebral artery Middle cerebral artery Internal carotid artery Vertebral artery

Question 35

Where do the major blood vessels that supply the brain lie? | What do they form and where?

Answer 35

They lie within the subarachnoid space. Their branches join on the inferior surface of the brain. They form the circle of willis.

Question 36

What is the benefit of the circle of willis?

Answer 36

It allows the redirection of blood around the brain. It enables communication of the forebrain & hindbrain.

Question 37

What are the special senses?

Answer 37

Vision, smell, taste, hearing & equilibrium.

Question 38

What are the general senses?

Answer 38

Touch, pressure, vibration, stretch, temperature, pain, proprioception.

Question 39

Name the 12 cranial nerves in order.

Answer 39

Olfactory, optic, occulomotor, trochlear, trigeminal, abducens, facial, vestibulocochlear, glosspharyngeal, vagus, accessory, hypoglossal.

Question 40

What does the numbering of the cranial nerves reflect?

Answer 40

Their sequence of their attachment to the brain from forebrain to hindbrain.

Question 41

Name the 3 branches of the trigeminal nerve.

Answer 41

V1 - opthalmic V2 - Maxillary V3 - Mandibular

Question 42

What is a schwann cell?

Answer 42

The name for myelinated axons in the PNS.

Question 43

What does GSA, GVA, GSE, GVE & SSA stand for?

Answer 43

``` GSA - general somatic afferent GVA - general visceral afferent GSE - general somatic efferent GVE - general visceral efferent SSE - special somatic afferent ```