Exam 4 Flashcards
(180 cards)
Neuron vs nerve
Neuron: Single nervous system cell
Nerve: Bundle of axons (neurons)
Nervous tissue is excitable
Generates AP from RMP
Excitable: Allow signals to transmit fast, immediate response to stimuli, etc.
Forebrain
Prosencephalon;
Cerebrum;
Diencephalon: Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus;
Telencephalon: Cerebral hemispheres (cortex), basal nuclei, limbic system; Responsible for higher cognitive functions
Midbrain
Mesencephalon;
Reticular activating centers; Alert/awake/consciousness (caffeine blocks adenosine receptors)
Hindbrain
Rhombencephalon; Cerebellum; Medulla oblongata; Pons; Controls basic-life sustaining functions and motor coordination
Spinal cord components
Medulla oblongata and pons
Dienecephalon
Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus
Main parts of the brain
Cerebrum, Cerebellum, Diencephalon, Brainstem
Reticular activating centers
A network of neurons that regulate sleep-wake transition and arousal; Located in the brainstem (above the spinal cord) in the midbrain; Secretes acetylcholine, serotonin, dopamine, histamine
Medulla oblongata
Located in brainstem; Sits beneath the pons and above the spinal cord; Heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, blood flow, vomiting, swallowing
Pons
Located in brainstem; Beneath the midbrain and above the medulla oblongata; Balance and posture
Sulcus
A depression; Increase surface area; Greater number of neurons that can be packed in the cerebral cortex; Central sulcus
Central sulcus
AKA central fissure; Separates frontal and parietal lobes; Separates primary motor and primary somatic sensory cortex
https://www.imaios.com/en/e-anatomy/anatomical-structure/central-sulcus-1553797948
Fissure
Deeper and more prominent than a sulcus; Longitudinal fissure
Longitudinal fissure
Separates left and right halves of brain; Creates cerebral hemispheres; Connected by corpus callosum
Brainstem
Composed of medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain; Connects the brain to the spinal cord
Cerebellum
Coordination, muscle tone, intricate movements, spatial equilibrium
Female vs male brain
Female brain is better at multitasking; increase in corpus callosum, leading to an increase in synapse connections
Substantia nigra
Located in midbrain; Part of the brainstem; Primary function is to produce dopamine (dopaminergic); A modulator for pyramidal tracts
Relationship between Parkinson’s and substantia nigra
In patients with Parkinson’s, dopamine producing neurons degenerate in the Substantia nigra which means pyramidal tracts cant send out signals properly, resulting in impaired motor control (tremors)
Pyramidal tracts
Main motor pathways that directly control voluntary movement by transmitting signals from the motor cortex to the spinal cord;
Limbic system
Paleomammalian cortex (old); Above the brainstem and within the temporal lobe; Made pf amygdala, mammillary bodies, stria medullaris, ventral nuclei of Gudden; interacts with basal ganglia (when see something scary); emotional nervous system; emotions, memory, behaviour
Amygdala
A small, almond-shaped cluster of nuclei located deep within the temporal lobe of the brain; Plays a role in memory, decision making, and processing emotional responses (fear, anxiety, anger, pleasure)
Why is it important that we have an emotional response and brain re-wiring when
experiencing something scary?
The emotional response and brain re-wiring gets the body ready to either face the threat or escape from it (fight or flight); This comes from the sympathetic nervous system