DSA: General Terminology & SC Morphology Flashcards by Danielle Collins

What does gray matter contain?

Motor neuron cell bodies

Endings of incoming sensory axons

Second order sensory cell bodies (axons enter ascending tracts to relay sensory information to brainstem and forebrain)

Endings of long descending tracts and local interneurons

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is white matter?

Areas where there is a collection of axons; many covered with myelin

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Fasciculus, funiculus, lemniscus, peduncle and tract are all terms for what?

White matter

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Most tracts (white matter) have 2-part names.. what are they?

1st part = location of neuronal cell bodies from which axons originate

2nd part = site the axons terminate

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The diameter of the spinal cord changes along its length. What do the cerical and lumbosacral enlargements innervate?

Cervical enlargement = UE

Lumbosacral enlargement = LE

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

How many pares of spinal nerves are there? How many for each spinal region?

31 pairs...
8 cervical (C1-8)
12 thoracic (T1-12)
5 lumbar(L1-5) 
5 sacral (S1-5)
1 coccygeal (Co1)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the conus medullaris?

Tapering inferior end of the spinal cord -> inferior to the conus medullaris, groups of axons project from the spinal cord, this is the cauda equina

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the filum terminale?

Thin strand of pia mater that helps anchor the conus medullaris to the coccyx

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The spinal cord is anatomically segmented into anterior and posterior horns. Posterior rootlets _________ (enter/exit) in the posterolateral sulcus, whereas anterior rootlets ________(enter/exit) through the poorly defined anterolateral sulcus

Enter; exit

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What does the posterior horn of the spinal cord consist of?

Interneurons whose processes remain within the spinal cord and projection neurons whose axons collect into ascending sensory pathways

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What does the anterior horn of the spinal cord contain?

Cell bodies of the large motor neurons that supply skeletal muscle -> lower motor neurons

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the 2 prominent parts of the posterior horn of the spinal cord present at all spinal levels and what do they consist of?

Substantia gelatinosa = distinctive region of gray matter that caps the posterior horn

Body of the posterior horn = consists of interneurons and projection neurons that transmit somatic and visceral sensory info

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Why does substantia gelatinosa of the posterior horn of the spinal cord look pale?

Because it deals mostly with finely myelinated/unmyelinated sensory fibers that carry pain and temperature information

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is Lissauer’s tract?

White matter located between the substantia gelatinosa of the posterior horn and the surface of the spinal cord -> contains finely myelinated/unmyelinated fibers with which the substantia gelatinosa deal

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What does intermediate gray matter of the spinal cord contain in general (not at any specific level)

Autonomic neurons (preganglionic) and Clarke’s nucleus at some levels

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What lies in the intermediate gray matter in segments T1-L3?

Preganglionic sympathetic neurons, most located in the ntermediolateral cell column -> forms a pointy lateral horn on the spinal gray matter and their axons leave thorugh the ventral roots

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Cells in the intermediate gray matter in spinal segments S2-S4 constitute the ______________________ nucleus bud do not form distinct lateral horn

Sacral parasympathetic nucleus

Axons synapse on postganglionic parasympathetic neurons for pelvic viscera

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is Clark’s nucleus (posterior thoracic nucleus)?

Collection of large cells located on the medial surface of the base of the posterior horn (T1 to L2)

Has a prominent role in sensory processing and is typically treated as part of the posterior horn

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the fasciculus cuneatus?

Bundle of axon fibers in the posterior column medial lemniscus pathway of the spinal cord

Carries sensory information from the arms

Ascending tract relaying info to the brain via the spinal cord

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What is the fasciculus gracilis?

Bundle of axon fibers in the posterior column medial lemniscus pathway of the spinal cord

Carries sensory information from the middle thoracic and lower limbs of the body

Ascending tract relaying info to the brain via the spinal cord

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

What are the 3 major contents of white mater?

Long descending tracts (from brainstem and forebrain)

Long ascending tracts (to brainstem, cerebellum and forebrain)

Local axons interconnecting different spinal levels

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

There are 4 prominent sulci that divide each cerebral hemisphere into 5 lobes, what are they?

Central sulcus
Lateral sulcus
Parietooccipital sulcus
Cingulate sulcus

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The 2 hemispheres of the brain are joined by a high fiber bundle called the ___________________

Corpus callosum

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The frontal lobe extends from the frontal pole to the ___________ sulcus. Laterally separated from the temporal lobe by the __________ sulcus. Medially, it extends to the ____________ sulcus. Posteriorly spans from top of the __________ sulcus to the __________ sulcus. Inferiorly it continues as the orbital part of the frontal lobe.

Study These Flashcards

Central; lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure); cingulate; central; cingulate

What is the limbic lobe of the brain?

A strip of cortex that appears encircles the telencephalon-diencephalon junction Interposed between the corpus callosum & frontal, parietal & occipital lobes Curves around to occupy part of the medial surface of what would otherwise be called the temporal lobe

What are the arcuate fibers of central white matter?

Connect cortical areas within the same sulci/gyri

What are longitudinal/association fasciculi of central white matter?

Connect cortical areas within the same hemisphere

What are commissural tracts of central white matter?

Connect cortical areas within right and left hemispheres

What is the insula of the brain?

An additional area of cerebral cortex not included in teh 5 lobes Lies burried in the lateral sulcus Concealed by portions of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes

The insula can be seen by prying open the __________ sulcus or by removing the __________, a portion of givens lobe that is overlying

Lateral sulcus or opercula **Theres a frontal, parietal and temporal opercula

The ________________ gyrus houses the primary motor cortex: origin of descending motor pathways and voluntary motors

Precentral gyrus **Premotor and supplementary motor areas occupy the remainder of the precentral gyrus and posterior portions of the superior and middle frontal gyri -> functionally related to planning and initiation of voluntary movements

Where is Broca’s area found in the brain?

Opercular and triangular parts of inferior frontal gyrus (one hemisphere, usually left) **Important in motor aspects of written and spoken language

What is the function of the prefrontal cortex and where is it found?

Occupies part of frontal lobe and s involved with executive functions, personality, decision making, insight, and foresight

The postcentral gyrus corresponds to the ______________________ cortex, which controls what?

Primary somatosensory cortex -> controls with processing of tactile and proprioceptive information and sensory localization

What is the inferior parietal lobe involved in?

Language comprehension **One hemisphere -> usually the left

The parietal lobe contains the primary somatosensory cortex in the postcentral gyrus and the inferior parietal lobule is involved in language comprehension, what is the remainder of the parietal lobe responsible for?

Spatial orientation and directing attention

The inferior surface of the temporal lobe is made up of the broad _________________ gyrus

Occipitotemporal (fusiform) gyrus

The superior surface of the temporal lobe is the ___________________ cortex

Primary auditory cortex

What is located on the posterior surface of the superior temporal gyrus?

Wernicke’s area -> important in the comprehension of language **Only one hemisphere -> usually the left

What function is the inferior surface of the temporal lobe involved in?

Higher-order processing of visual information

What function is the medial part of the temporal lobe involved in?

Learning and memory

The lingual gyrus is inferior to the calcarine sulcus and is usually continuous with what gyrus?

Parahippocampal gyrus

What cortex is contained in the walls of the calcarine sulcus?

Primary visual cortex

The primary visual cortex is contained int he walls of the calcarine sulcus of the occipital lobe. What does the remainder of the occipital lobe contain?

Visual association cortex -> involved in higher order processing of visual information

What is the cuneus of the brain?

A wedge-shaped area between the parietooccipital and calcarine sulci

The limbic lobe of the brain is mostly composed of the _______________ and ________________ gyri

Cingulate and parahippocampal gyri

The limbic lobe is mostly composed of the cingulate and parahippocampal gyri. The anterior end of the parahippocampal gyrus hooks backward on itself, forming a medial numb, the _______________

Uncus

Folded into the temporal lobe at the hippocampal sulcus is the _________________. The _______________ lies beneath the uncus of the temporal lobe.

Hippocampus; amygdala

What are the 4 divisions of the diencephalon?

Thalamus Hypothalamus Epithalamus Subthalamus

The thalamus is an ovoid nuclear mass that borders on the ___________ ventricle and relays information to the ____________________

Third ventricle; cerebral cortex **Nearly every pathway carrying specific information bound for the cerebral cortex from a subcortical site includes a stop in the thalamus -> all sensory info (except olfactory), limbic projections, and motor pathways (between cerebellum and cerebral cortex and between basal nuclei and cerebral cortex)

What system is controlled by the hypothalamus and what does it regulate?

ANS; regulates visceral responses, temperature and some limbic function

The hypothalamus is located ____________ and ___________ to the thalamus, the inferior surface is one of the few parts of the diencephalon visible on an intact brain and includes the _____________________. 2 rounded protuberances called the _______________ are also visible

Inferior & anterior; infundibulum stalk; mammillary bodies

What are teh 3 lobes of the cerebellum and what are each responsible for?

1. Anterior lobe: receives large # of afferents from spinal cord & plays role in coordinating limb & trunk movements 2. Flocculonodular lobe: receives afferents from vestibular system & is involved in controlling eye movements & postural adjustments to gravity 3. Posterior lobe: receives majority of afferents from cerebral cortex via pons & plays role in coordination of voluntary movements

What are basal nuclei and what are the 2 types?

Group of nuclei that lie deep to the cerebral cortex in each hemisphere -> divided into caudate & lenticular nucleus (subdivided into putamen and globus pallidus)

Lenticular nuclei are physically separated from the thalamus & caudate by a thick sheet of fibers, the ______________________

Internal capsule **The internal capsule contains most of the fibers interconnecting the cerebral cortex and deep structures (thalamus, basal nuclei and brainstem)

Peripheral nerve axons are those of ________________, that convey information into the CNS front he periphery. Others are axons of _______________________, fibers that convey messages to skeletal muscles directing them to contract

Primary afferents; lower motor neurons

T/F: UMNs of the corticospinal tractcross midline

True **Single neurons with very long axons project all the way from the motor cortex to the contralateral half of the spinal cord

UMNs of the corticospinal tract cross midline. What does this mean for damage to one cerebral hemisphere causing weakness?

Causes weakness in contralateral arm and leg

DSA: General Terminology & SC Morphology Flashcards

(58 cards)