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Brain and Perception Revision > Lecture 1 A Tour of the brain > Flashcards

Lecture 1 A Tour of the brain Flashcards

1
Q

Role of neurons

A

receive, carry and process information in the form of electrical and chemical signals. Carry out neuronal computations that underpin cognitive and mental operations

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2
Q

How many neurons in human nervous system

A

90 billion

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3
Q

Role of glial cells (Glia)

A

Provide support to the neurons

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4
Q

How may Glial cells in the nervous system?

A

As many glial cells as neurons

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5
Q

Basic structure of neurons: Dendritic tree

A

receive, carry and process information in the form of electrical and chemical signals

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6
Q

Basic structure of neurons: Cell body

A
  • contains the cellular machinery that maintains the neuron’s health.
  • Integrates information received from dendrites
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7
Q

Basic structure of neurons: Axons

A
  • Sends information to other neurons or to other organs (e.g., muscles)
  • Can divide into axon terminals
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8
Q

Main types of neurons: Sensory

A

Bring information to the central nervous system

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9
Q

Main types of neurons: Interneurons

A

Integrate/ associate sensory and motor information in the central nervous system

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10
Q

Main types of neurons: Motor neurons

A

Send information from the central nervous system to muscles

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11
Q

What happens at the synapse?

A

The meeting of an axon terminal of one neuron onto the dendrites of another neuron

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12
Q

Roles of glial cells in the nervous system

A
  • Structure
  • Provide energy and nutrients to neurons by connecting them to the vascular system
  • Blood-brain barrier, preventing some substances from passing from the vascular system to the nervous system
  • Aid re-organisation of the system following brain damage
  • Increase transmission speed of electrical information between neurons
  • Modulate neuronal transmission of information
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13
Q

Examples of glial cells: Astrocytes

A
  • Intermediary between neurons and vascular system
  • Provide energy to neurons
  • Participate in the blood-brain barrier
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14
Q

Examples of glial cells: Microglia

A

Phagocyte dead cells

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15
Q

Examples of glial cells: Oligodendrocytes:

A

Provide insulation to axons, speeding up electrical transmission

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16
Q

Neural structures: Nerves

A

A bundle of axons

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17
Q

Neural structures: White matter

A

nervous tissue made mostly of axons and myelin

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18
Q

Neural structures: Nuclei and ganglions

A

group of neurons (mainly cell bodies)

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19
Q

Neural structures: Grey matter

A

Nervous tissue made mostly of neurons

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20
Q

Neural structures: Cortex

A

Grey matter organised into layers

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21
Q

Anatomical orientation terms: Lateral

A

Towards the outside (left or right)

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22
Q

Anatomical orientation terms: Medial

A

Towards the middle

23
Q

Anatomical orientation terms: Contralateral

A

The opposite side

24
Q

Anatomical orientation terms: Ipsilateral

A

the same side

25
Anatomical orientation terms: Unilateral
One side of the brain
26
Anatomical orientation terms: Bilateral
Both sides of the brain
27
Anatomical sections: Sagittal section
Divides the brain into left and right parts
28
Anatomical sections: Coronal section
separates front brain from the back
29
Anatomical sections: Horizontal or axial section
Splits brain into upper and lower sections
30
Major subdivisions of the nervous system: CNS
- Brain and spinal cord - Encased in skull (brain) and spine (spinal cord) for protection
31
Major subdivisions of the nervous system: PNS
Any part of the nervous system outside skull and spine
32
Peripheral nervous system:
- Mostly nerves (axons) with some neuronal bodies in ganglion - Most nerves enter/exit the spinal cord (except cranial nerves)
33
Somatic nervous system
Sensory nerves: Carry information about the outside world from sensory organs to CNS (afferent information) Conscious perception Motor nerves: carry motor commands from CNS to muscles (efferent information) Voluntary movements
34
Autonomic nervous system
- Involuntary/unconscious - Visceral functions e.g., digest, breathing
35
Branches of autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic branch: Prepares the body for action Parasympathetic branch: Maintains bodily functions Involved in expressing emotion
36
Cranial nerves key point
Connect to the CNS at the level of the brain (instead of the spinal cord)
37
The possible various functions of cranial nerves
- Receives sensory information - Controls facial muscles - Vagus nerve: send/receive information to the parasympathetic nervous system
38
Subdivisions of the CNS: The spinal cord
- Relays sensory and motor information to and from the brain - Dorsal section: sensory functions - Ventral section: motor functions - White matter: sensory and motor nerve fibres (axons) - Grey matter: neuronal bodies, interneurons (involved in arc reflex, e.g., knee reflex) - Different parts of the spinal cord receive information from, and control, different parts of the body
39
Subdivisions of the CNS: The brain stem: medulla
- Directly superior to spinal cord - Vital reflexes - Reticular activating system: controls arousal and sleep-wake cycle - Motor nerves from the brain contralateral side of the body - Point of entry of cranial nerves 9-12: - Damage could lead to death as controls vital functions
40
Subdivisions of the CNS: The brain stem: pons
- Mainly white matter tracts connecting the brain to cerebellum - Point of entry for cranial nerves 5-8
41
Cerebellum
- 'small brain' - Organised in layers of neurons (cortex), with white matter in-between - 5x more neurons than the cerebral cortex - Connected to the brain stem at the pons - Receives sensory and sends motor information - Main functions: fine guidance of motor activity, balance, fluidity and precision of mental processes - Damage will lead to problems with coordination, balance, posture and speech
42
The brain stem: midbrain
Contains - Inferior colliculus: orientation to auditory stimuli - Superior colliculus: orientation to visual stimuli Head and eye movements towards sensory stimuli Point of entry for cranial nerves 3-4 - Eye movements
43
The diencephalon: thalamus
Made of nuclei, each specialised in different sensory or motor functions Sometimes called the "gateway" to the cortex relays information:from the peripheral sensory system to the cerebral cortex, from motor cortex to muscles
44
The diencephalon: hypothalamus
Maintains the body's equilibrium Connected to the hormonal system controls: sexual behaviour, circadian rhythms, fight/flight Dysfunctions can lead to disturbed sleep, body temperature, growth, weight
45
Cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei: basal ganglia
- lateral, anterior and central to the thalamus - Role in motor control - Damage = involuntary movements, tremors
46
Cerebral cortex and subcortical nuclei: Amygdala
Sometimes included in the basal ganglia Role in emotions (part of the limbic system, together with the hypothalamus, the hippocampus and other structures)
47
Cerebral cortex
Folded sheet of grey matter (1.5 to 4.5 mm thick, ~0.25 m2).- Outward fold/bump = gyrus, - Inward fold/groove = sulcus, - large sulcus = fissure Six cortical **layers** in most parts of the cortex Two cerebral hemispheres, functional differences Four main lobes + insula Underpins most higher-level cognitive functions (object recognition, attention, memory, action planning,)
48
Cerebral cortex: anatomical subdivisions:
Each gyrus and sulcus has it's name Exact shape and location varies between people
49
Cerebral cortex: cyto-architectonic subdivisions: Cytoarchitectonic/laminar organisation:
Relative thickness of different neuronal layers
50
Cerebral cortex: cyto-architectonic subdivisions: Brodmann areas
Different cortical areas have different laminar organisations. Cortex can be subdivided into cortical areas with similar laminar organisation. Hypothesise that different brodmann areas may have different functions.
51
Cerebral cortex: functional subdivisions
Lesions in different regions of the cortex result in different deficits Neuroimaging studies: different tasks activate different cortical regions However, one behaviour probably engages many regions, one cortical region may be engaged in different behaviours
52
Protection of CNS
Skull/spinal column Meninges: layers of tissue between bone and brain/spinal cord
53
Protection of CNS: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF):
- Similar composition to blood but no red blood cells Fills, meninges, central and central canal of spinal cord Brain floats in CSF, which acts as a cushion

Brain and Perception Revision (11 decks)

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