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Neuroscience and mental health > CNS > Flashcards

CNS Flashcards

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1
Q

important function of the CNS

A

communication

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2
Q

ways that the CNS is involved in communication

A

with the external world - through peripheral CNS receptors eg sensor neurons, somatic and special senses
within the organism - visceral sensation, involuntary movement, somatic movement, higher cognitive functions - blood pressure and pH

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3
Q

what does the afferent division do

A

bring information to CNS from the receptors (somatic and visceral sensory)

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4
Q

what does the efferent division do

A

carries motor commands away from the CNS (that are processed and integrated) to peripheral tissues and systems via autonomic and somatic nervous systems

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5
Q

what makes our brain so complex

A

wrinkles ie gyrus increases the surface area - if cortex unfolded it would be 10x the size
we have the largest number of neurons in the cortex

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6
Q

describe the brain as an onion

A

has different layers
begin with reptilian brain - basic and instinctive behaviour eg eat, aggression and reproduce
increase complexity with layers - emotions
to primates with frontal cortex which plan and think of consequences
reflected in structure of brain - go from ancient parts to more modern and complex

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7
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘coronal’ mean

A

across - like a headband

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8
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘sagittal’ mean

A

through midline

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9
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘caudal’ mean

A

towards tail

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10
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘ventral’ mean

A

towards abdomen

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11
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘dorsal’ mean in the brain

A

superior

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12
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘rostral’ mean in the brain

A

towards the frontal lobe

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13
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘caudal’ mean in the brain

A

towards the spinal chord

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14
Q

what does the anatomical description ‘ventral’ mean in the brain

A

inferior

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15
Q

describe the spinal cord

A

a column of nervous tissue
protected in vertebral column - stack of vertebrae, hole in middle for spinal cord - allow movement
have holes called foramen - where nerves leave - interface with peripheral nervous system

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16
Q

where do the nerves leave the spinal cord

A

in cervical section they leave above the vertebrae
one also leaves below C8
after that they leave below the vertebrae

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17
Q

in cervical vertebrae how many nerves and vertebrae

A

8 nerves 7 vertebrae

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18
Q

sections of the spinal cord in order

A 
cervical 
thoracic 
lumbar 
sacral
coccygeal
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19
Q

in thoracic section how mant vertebrae and nerves

A

12

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20
Q

in lumbar section how many vertebrae and nerves

A

5

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21
Q

in sacral section how many vertebrae and nerves

A

5

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22
Q

in coccygeal section how many vertebrae and nerves

A

1

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23
Q

where does the spinal chord finish

A

start of the lumbar section

below this there is no tissue, just the emergence of nerves run to find vertebrae to emerge

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24
Q

where do you do a lumbar puncture

A

in the lumbar cistern - between L3 and 4 or L4 and 5 - safe because there is no nervous tissue, less risk to injure tissue

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25
what is the cauda equina
bundle of fibres in the lumbar area | 'horse's tail'
26
what changes throughout the spinal cord
the diameter larger diameter at cervical and lumber level - nerves for hands and legs emerge
27
what does each segment of the spinal cord correspond to
a part of body dermatome (area of skin) myotome (area of muscle)
28
how do nerves leave the spinal cord
by dorsal and ventral route join to form nerve | communication with sympathetic ganglia - line side of vertebral column
29
what is the grey matter
where the cell bodies are
30
why is the white matter white
where the myelinated neurons are
31
structure of spinal cord
core of grey matter surrounded by funiculi of white matter
32
describe the horns in the spinal cord
the dorsal and ventral routes travel out of the dorsal and spinal horns where their respective cell bodies are dorsal horn has sensory neurons ventral horn has motor neurons
33
what is the ascending tract of the white matter
axons go up to the brain
34
what is the descending tract of the white matter
axons go down the spinal cord | they send instructions to muscle
35
what is the autonomous role of the spinal cord
reflexes
36
describe the patella reflex
quadriceps are elongated sensory receptor signal to grey matter motor neuron sendsignal for muscle to contract collateral signals go to brain - you are conscious of the action but it is controlled on the spinal cord
37
sections of the brain as from embryonic origin
forebrain(prosencephalon): diencephalon - thalamus and hypothalamus, cerebral hemisphere (telencephalon) Midbrain Hindbrain (rhombencephalon): brain stem - pons and medulla oblongata, cerebellum
38
sections of the brain with functional characteristics
Cerebrum: cerebral hemisphere, diencephalon - thalamus and hypothalamus brain stem(blub): midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata cerebellum
39
what is the bulbar tract
it is from the cortex to the brain stem
40
similarity of things in the brain stem
have a similar function
41
relationship between spinal cord and brain stem
they are continuous | similar structure of grey and white matter
42
cranial nerves in brain stem
origen brain stem (nuclei there) | important for breathing, control of heart beat, swallowing and eye movement - lesion in brain stem is fatal
43
describe the cells in the brain stem
enlargement of brain stem with deposition of pyramidal neurons - motor tracts from the brain stem to spinal cord, this is where they cross - control opposite side of the body
44
substantia nigra
degenerate in parkinsons | in mid brain
45
pons
bridge connect brain stem to cerebellum
46
describe the diencephalon
has the thalamus - is bilateral, one either side of the brain it is in the centre of the brain info from all afferents - integration for somatic and special senses and projects info to the cortex involved in appropriate movement, emotional status consciousness and the sleep wake cycle hypothalamus: integration centre (visceral) . regulates temp, hunger, thirst, hormones and autonomic function
47
what is a ganglion
a group of cell bodies in the peripheral nervous system
48
what is a nucleus
group of cell bodies in the CNS
49
what is the subcortical structure in the cerebral hemisphere
the basal ganglia
50
what is the function of the basal ganglia
control movement facilitate voluntary movement inhibit unwanted or inappropriate movements fine tuning
51
main basal ganglia
caudate nucleus - tadpole shape putamen together form the corpus striatum because connections between them make stripes putamen and globus pallidus form lentiform nucleus (shape like a lense)
52
other structures in basal ganglia
substantia nigra subthalamic nucleus (in diencephalon) nucleus accumbens
53
substantia nigra role
fine tunes movement suppresses movement coordinates signals from cortex and cerebellum
54
describe the cerebral cortex
2-4mm thick wrinkled in gyrus - only 30% exposed 70% within the sulci fissures divide the gyri into lobes - central fissure separate frontal and parietal lobe
55
motor association area
neurons plan program for contraction of muscles required for an action
56
primary motor cortex
neurons send signals for precise finely coordinated limb movement - contralateral
57
primary somesthetic cortex
primary somatosensory cortex for touch pain and temperature
58
somesthetic association area
interprets sensory info eg for hand eye coordination
59
visual association area
recognise faces
60
primary visual cortex
receive visual signals
61
primary auditory cortex
receive auditory signals
62
auditory association are
recognise signals received as spoken words
63
primary gustatory cortex
receive taste signals
64
prefrontal cortex
personality, judgement, interpretation of the world , planning
65
broca area
motor program for speech | moves tongue and lips
66
Wernicke area
recognition of spoken word and speech
67
describe the lamina of the cortex
6 layers layer where only pyramidal cells layer where there is only connecting white layer older parts eg hippocampus - simpler with only 3/4 layers
68
describe the somatotopic of the cortex
each part of the body is recognised on the brain | face hand and lips a lot of nerve terminals
69
describe the limbic system
made from different parts of the brain with the same function mamillary body in midbrain limbic = edge - arranged around the edge of the midbrain
70
what is the action of the limbic system
motivation, instinctive behaviour, emotion, memory, fear
71
parts of the limbic system
``` amygdaloid body mamillary body hypothalamus anterior group of thalamic nuclei corpus callosum fornix pineal gland cingulate gyrus parrhippocampal gyrus hippocampus ```
72
describe the cerebellum
``` made of 2 hemispheres white matter in the middle grey at the edge have folia - increase SA central vermis attached to brainstem posteriorly with 3 pairs of peduncles ```
73
what is the cerebellum connected to
vestibular system for balance spinal cord and muscles for movement, muscle tone and posture motor cortex and thalamus for learned movement - disease manifest as ataxia
74
describe features in the white matter
commissural fibres - connect between 2 hemisperes association fibre - connect within hemispheres projection fibres - from cortex to spinal cord through internal capsule and spread out at corona radiata reach many parts of the cortex
75
describe the cranium
base of skull have different hollows anterior fossa - frontal lobe posterior cranial fossa - midbrain and cerebellum middle cranial fossa - temporal and hypothalamus fibres through foramen magnum, tiny holes where nerves leave the skull
76
describe the meninges
dura mater - hard and hass fibres, periosteal connect to skull and meningeal connect to lower meninges -venous arachnoid mater - connective tissue, hold vessels in place subrachnoid is where the vessels run, full of CSF - fill ventricles pia mater - follow the gyrus - more flexible
77
describe the ventricular system
hollow space in CNS lateral ventricles: anterior, inferior and posterior horn joined by interventricular foremen between thalamus aceduct goes from 3rd ventricle to 4th ventricle, continuous with the central canal
78
what happens at the choroid plexus
untrafiltration of plasma CSF produced network of capillaries line ependymal cells - filtered into the ventricles
79
how much CSF is produced a day
500ml
80
how does CSF composition differ to plasma composition
lower glucose, protein, ca and k and pH | higher cl and Mg
81
how can the CSF give diagnostic information
if high protein shows abnormality eg infection
82
what is the function of the CSF
it is cushioning, circulates nutrition, removes waste and circulates immune cells
83
describe the pathway of CSF
``` made in choroid plexys lateral ventricle through interventricular foramina 3rd ventricle cerebral aqueduct 4th ventricle through lateral and median apertures subarachnoid space arachnoid villi of dural venous sinuses venous blood heart and lungs arterial blood ```
84
what happens in aqueduct is blocked
by infection/tumour/malformation hydrocephalus enlargement of the ventricle, compression of tissue and can result in enlargement of the whole head

Neuroscience and mental health (14 decks)

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