Intro to Nervous system Flashcards
(33 cards)
what are the two parts of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
spinal & cranial nerves
what are the subdivisions of the nervous system?
Input System which transmits information from receptors to CNS
Interpreting and Integrative system which processes the information
Output System which transmits information to muscles and glands
Somatic: innervates skeletal muscle
Autonomic nervous system: innervate smooth muscle, cardiac muscle and secretory glands.
what is the sympathetic system?
is known as the fight or flight system raises heart rate and blood pressure dilates pupils increases blood flow to skeletal muscles decreases salivation
what is the parasympathetic system?
is known as the rest and digest system.
deceases heart rate and blood pressure
speeds up the digestive system.
name the 4 brain lobes?
frontal lobe
parietal lobe
occipital lobe
temporal lobe
function of the frontal lobe?
involved in motor skills (including speech) and cognitive functions.
function of the parietal lobe?
main perceptual area of the brain. Receives and processes all somatosensory input from the body (touch, pain).
function of the occipital lobe?
It contains the primary visual cortex. It is involved in visuospatial processing, discrimination of movement & colour.
function of the temporal lobe?
contains the primary auditory cortex which is responsible for the conscious perception of sound. It is also responsible for memory.
Right hemisphere more involved with visual memory
Left hemisphere more involved with verbal memory and language
what is the homunculus?
Both the motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex are mapped to specific body areas.
what is the motor cortex?
sends and receives messages from the pre-motor areas which are located more anteriorly in the frontal lobe. Is the origin of upper motor neurons which synapse with lower motor neurons to activate muscle
what is the Primary somatosensory area?
receives information from spinal and cranial nerves all of which are regulated and relayed via the thalamus.
where is the sensory homunculus?
in the somatosensory region of the parietal lobe.
where is the motor homunculus?
in the motor cortex of the frontal lobe.
what is the limbic system?
Limbic system consists of a number of structures with complex and often looped connections that all ultimately project into the hypothalamus.
It is responsible for emotions and memory
what is the Basal Ganglia?
The basal ganglia sit deep within the cerebral white matter.
Comprises a range of nuclei that are functionally connected
Initiates and controls movement
what is the thalamus?
This structure acts as a gatekeeper and therefore regulates information. It receives input from all other areas of the central nervous system and directly from the peripheral nervous system It integrates information and relays to the appropriate areas of the cortices.
what is the hypothalamus?
main visceral control centre of the body important to all aspects of homeostasis:
Autonomic control centre Centre for emotional response Body temperature regulation Regulation of food intake Regulation of water balance and thirst Regulation of sleep wake cycles Control of endocrine system functioning
what is the cerebellum?
Maintaining posture and balance
Co-ordination of movement
Motor learning
function and parts of the brainstem?
Midbrain Pons Medulla functions; It acts as a pathway for all ascending and descending information between the brain and the spinal cord.
It is the origin of the majority of the cranial nerves, which provide sensory and motor input to the head and control the autonomic system.
It is an integrative centre; controlling cardiovascular and respiratory functions and levels of consciousness, through the nuclei of the reticular formation which runs the length of the brain stem.
the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is divided into 31 segments and is split into cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral regions.
Each Segment is associated with a pair of:
Dorsal root ganglion
Dorsal roots
Ventral roots
The dorsal and ventral root bind together to form a spinal nerve.
These are mixed nerves as they contain both sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) fibres
what are the types and examples of neurons?
multipolar- most common type
pseudounipolar- e.g. skin receptors
bipolar neuron- e.g. photoreceptors
name the glial cells?
CNS- Oligodendrocytes Astrocytes Microglia Ependymal cells
PNS:
Schwann cells
what are astrocytes?
End feet: scaffold the neurons Absorb leaked potassium ions Absorb and release neurotransmitters Contribute to blood brain barrier Limit exchange between CSF and blood
