Central Nervous System Flashcards
(66 cards)
1
Q
Cerebrum
A
largest and most superior portion of the brain, Right and left hemispheres separated by the longitudinal fissure
2
Q
Cerebral cortex
A
Outer layer of gray matter, deep under the gray matter is white matter and some deep areas of gray matter called basal nuclei
3
Q
Gyrus
A
Elevated ridges on the surface separated by sulci (shallow grooves) and fissures (deep grooves)
4
Q
Frontal lobe
A
- Primary motor cortex lies in the precentral gyrus
- controls somatic motor neurons that excite skeletal muscles on contralateral side
- Premotor cortex-motor planning
- Prefrontal cortex-intellect, reasoning, judgement, concern for others, personality traits, and management of emotions.
5
Q
Precentral gyrus
A
Contains the primary motor cortex
6
Q
Parietal lobe
A
- Primary somatosensory cortex-postcentral gyrus
- Receives impulses involved in touch, pain, pressure and stretch
- Somatosensory association cortex-Integrates sensory input into understanding based on past experiences
7
Q
Postcentral gyrus
A
contains primary somatosensory cortex
8
Q
Temporal lobe
A
- Primary auditory cortex-receives sensory information for sense of hearing
- Auditory association cortex- interprets sound into context
- Olfactory cortex-sensory input for sense of smell
- Hippocampus- functions important for memory formation
- Part of limbic system-functions important for emotions and memories
9
Q
Occipital lobe
A
- Primary visual cortex- receives sensory input for vision
* Visual association cortex- Surrounds the primary, more complex visual processing
10
Q
Insular lobe
A
- Found hidden deep within the lateral sulcus*
- Primary gustatory cortex- receives sensory input for taste
- Functions as part of the limbic sytem processing emotions
11
Q
Tracts
A
white matter in the CNS consisting of bundles of axons
12
Q
Corpus Callosum
A
Largest tract in the brain, connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebrum
13
Q
Broca’s Area
A
- In frontal lobe, left hemisphere only
* controls muscles involved in speech production
14
Q
Wernick’s Area
A
- In temporal lobe, left hemisphere only
* Important for language comprehension
15
Q
Basal nuclei/ basal ganglia
A
Gray matter deep in the cerebrum
- Striatum (includes caudate nucleus and putamen)-Adjust stopping, starting and intensity of movements after receiving input from cerebral cortex
- Globus pallidus-works with striatum to regulate motivation
- Amygdala- almond shaped, deep in temporal lobe, important for negative emotions
16
Q
Diencephalon
A
Superior to brain stem, surrounded by cerebral hemispheres, encloses the third ventricle, consists of hypothalamus/ thalamus, etc
17
Q
Lateral ventricle
A
- Form the walls of the third ventricle
* Relay station for all incoming sensory impulses except olfaction
18
Q
Intermediate mass
A
Connects left and right halves of the thalamus
19
Q
Thalamus
A
Relays sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex
20
Q
Hypothalamus
A
- Four Fs- Feeding, fornication, and fight or flight
- Autonomic control center-controls ANS centers in the brain stem and spinal cord
- emotional responses-fear, anger, pleasure
- Hunger-Responds to changes in levels of nutrients and hormones
- Water balance and thirst- osmoreceptors detect concentrations of body fluids
- Controls body temperature-Initiates cooling or heating mechanisms
- Connects to pituitary and regulates endocrine system
21
Q
Infundibulum
A
connects pituitary gland to hypothalamus
22
Q
Mammillary bodies
A
Important for memory- damage due to thiamine deficiency syndrome causes impaired memory
*connect to the medial temporal lobe through the fornix
23
Q
Pineal gland
A
Secretes melatonin which regulates your day-night cycles
24
Q
Brainstem
A
consists of midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata
25
Midbrain
* Superior portion of the brain stem directly inferior to diencephalon.
* Consists of
- corpora quadrigemina (4 protrusions on dorsal surface, superior colliculli-visual reflexes and inferior colliculli- auditory reflexes)
- cerebral peduncles
- cerebral aqueduct (Connects 3rd and 4th ventricles)
26
Pons
* Bulging region of brain stem between midbrain and medulla
| * Contains respiratory control centers
27
Medulla oblongata
* Base of the brain stem
* Contains vital reflex centers that regulate the cardiovascular, digestive, and respiratory centers
* Consist of meduallry pyramids and medullary olives
28
Medullary pyramids
Longitudinal ridges on the ventral surface of medulla
| *contain motor tracts that cross over before they continue down the spinal cord
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Medullary olives
Relay information to the cerebrum and cerebellum
30
Cerebellum
* Posterior to the pons and medulla
* densely packed with small neurons
* Fine tunes motor commands based on sensory feedback and learning from previous experiences
31
Folia (leaves)
Horizontal folds in the outer gray matter of cerebellar cortex
32
Arbor vita (Tree of life)
Inner white matter, branches of the cerebellum
33
What are the three meninges of the brain?
Pia mater, arachnoid mater and dura mater
34
Dura mater
Superficial layer, consists of two layers of fibrous CT that are fused except for areas where they are separated to enclose dural sinuses
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Arachnoid mater
Loose middle layer, subarachnoid space contains CSF and blood vessels, arachnoid villi extend through dura mater into superior sagittal sinus
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Pia mater
deepest layer, clings tightly to the brain following every sulcus
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Ventricle
Cavity within the brain that is filled with cerebrospinal fluid
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Right and left lateral ventricles
C shaped cavities within the cerebrum
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Septum pellucidum
Thin membrane at midline separating right and left lateral ventricles
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Third ventricle
Formed by the medial walls of the thalamus
41
Fourth ventricle
Inferior to the third ventricle and is continuous with the central canal of spinal cord
42
Cerebral aqueduct
Connects third and fourth ventricle, runs through midbrain
43
Cerebrospinal Fluid / CSF
fluid found in and around the brain and spinal cord, cushions brain and spinal cord, transports nutrients and waste
44
Choroid plexus
Cluster of capillaries found on the roof of ventricles, *Responsible for the formation of CSF
*ependymal calls selectively transport material between blood and CSF
45
What is the function of the spinal cord?
* Contains ascending (sensory info) and descending tracts (motor info) of the CNS
* Integrates and processes information (functional independence)
46
Structure of the spinal cord
Runs from the foramen magnum to L1/L2 through the vertebral foramen
47
Cervical enlargement
Expanded superior end of spinal cord is larger because there are numerous nerves going to/from the upper limbs
48
Lumbar enlargement
expanded inferior end is larger because there are numerous nerves supplying the lower extremities
49
Conus medullaris
Cone shaped tapered end of the spinal cord located st the level of the L1/L2 vertebrae
50
Filum terminale
Meninges extending inferior from conus to anchor spinal cord to coccyx
51
Cauda equina "horse tail"
lower lumbar and sacral spinal nerves travel inferior past the conus through vertebral foramen before exiting the spinal column
52
Anterior median fissure
Deep crease along the ventral surface
53
Posterior median sulcus
Shallow groove along dorsal surface
54
White matter
contains myelinated axons located superficial to gray matter, tracts traveling up and down the spinal cord
55
Tract
Axons in the CNS
56
Nerve
bundles of axons in the PNS
57
Gray matter
non-myelinated (cell bodies, dendrites, axon terminals)
58
Dorsal horns
contain sensory axon terminals and interneurons
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Ventral horns
Contain somatic motor neuron cell bodies
60
Lateral horns
contain preganglionic autonomic motor neuron soma
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Dorsal root
Contain axons of sensory neurons entering the spinal cord
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Ventral root
contain axons of motor neurons leaving the spinal cord
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Ascending tracts
Axons carrying sensory info to the brain
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Descending tracts
Axons carrying motor commands from the brain to the periphery
65
Posterior white colums
contains major ascending tracts carrying the somatosensory information
*medial to posterior gray horns
66
Anterior and lateral white columns
contain major descending tracts that regulate the motor neurons of the ventral gray horn
