Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

Describe the anatomical terminology for the brain:

A

Medial (towards middle - great longitudinal fissure) or lateral (towards sides)
Superior and Inferior - as normal
Dorsal vs Ventral (brain on angle: dorsal above, ventral below; spinal cord: dorsal towards back, ventral towards front)
Rostral (towards forehead) vs Caudal (towards occipital lobe)

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2
Q

How is the Nervous system divided?

A

Central -> brain and spinal cord
Peripheral -> somatic vs autonomic (sympathetic vs parasymphetic)

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3
Q

Function of the Central Nervous System:

A

Receives and intergrates information from rest of body
Coordinates activity of the body

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4
Q

What are the two groups of cells making up the nervous system?

A

Neurons and glial cells

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5
Q

Describe the structure of a neuron and the various types:

A

Structure:
Dendrites - recieve messages from other cells
Cell body - cell’s life support centre
Axon - passes message away from cell body to other neurons, muscles or glands
Myelin sheath - covers the axon of some neurons, aids in speed of neural impulse
Nodes of Ranvier - gaps in myelin sheath which action potential jumps between
Terminal branches of axon - form junction with other cells

Various types:
- Myelinated vs non-myelinated
- Different lengths
- Bipolar (interneuron), Unipolar (sensory neuron), multipolar (motorneuron, interneuron, pyrimidal cell)

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6
Q

What are the 5 different types of glial cells? Where are they found?
What is their function?

A

Astrocytes - CNS - structural and metabolic support for neurons, resident immune cells, nourish and form BBB

Ependymal cells - CNS - produce CSF, promote CSF circulation, on surface of ventricles

Microglial cells - CNS - immune cells

Oligodendrocytes - CNS - produce myelin sheath around neurons

Schwann cells - PNS - produce myelin sheath

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7
Q

What is the difference between grey and white matter? Where is each found generally in the brain and spinal cord?

A

Grey matter: more cell bodies, dendrites and axon terminals, contains synapses, more glial cells and blood vessels
White matter: mainly comprised of axons connecting grey matter

Brain: grey on outside, white inside
Spinal cord: white on outside, grey on inside

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8
Q

What are the grooves and ridges of brain called?

A

Sulci - grooves
Gyri - ridges

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9
Q

What are the 3 function areas of the brain?

A

Cerebrum
Brainstem
Cerebellum

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10
Q

What makes up the cerebrum?

A

Cerebral cortex (divided into lobes and cortexes) and white matter

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11
Q

Different lobes of the brain?

A

Frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal

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12
Q

What is the brainstem divided into?

A

Midbrain, pons and medulla

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13
Q

What are the different developmental areas of the brain? What functional units comprise each area?

A

Cerebrum: cerebral cortex, white matter, basal nuclei
Diencephalon: thalamus and hypothalamus
Midbrain: part of brainstem
Pons: part of brainstem
Medulla oblongata: part of brainstem
Cerebellum

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14
Q

What are the different developmental areas of the brain? What functional units comprise each area?

A

Cerebrum: cerebral cortex, white matter, basal nuclei
Diencephalon: thalamus and hypothalamus
Midbrain: part of brainstem
Pons: part of brainstem
Medulla oblongata: part of brainstem
Cerebellum

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15
Q

What are the deep structures of the brain?

A

Limbic system: amygdala and hippocampus
White matter tracts
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Basal ganglia

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16
Q

What are the different ventricles of the brain?

A

Lateral ventricle, Interventricular forament, third ventricle, aqueduct of midbrain, fourth ventricle

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17
Q

What is the function of the frontal lobe (6)?

A

Voluntary movement
Expressive language
Higher intellect
Personality
Mood
Social conduct

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18
Q

What is the function of the parietal lobe?

A

Language and calculation (dominant hemisphere), visuospatial functions (non-dominant)

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19
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

A

Memory and language, including hearing

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20
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

A

Vision

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21
Q

Lable the different cortexes on a diagram

A

-

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22
Q

Function of midbrain (5):

A

Vision
Hearing
Motor control
Sleep-wake cycle
Consciousness

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23
Q

What is the function of the pons (2)?

A

facial expression/ sensation
body eqm/ posture

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24
Q

What is the function of the medulla (6)?

A

Blood pressure
Breathing
Swallowing
Coughing
Vomiting
Digestion

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25
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum?

A

balance/ posture, coordination of movement

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26
Q

What is the function of the two components of the limbic system?

A

Amygdala - emotions and emotional behaviour
Hippocampus - learning and memory

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27
Q

What is the function of the thalamus?

A

Sensory relay sensor between spinal cortex and cerebral cortex

28
Q

What is the function of the hippocampus?

A

memory

29
Q

What is the function of the basal ganglia?

A

Movement and reward

30
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

A

Regulates body functions

31
Q

What is the function of the ventricles?

A

Produce and contain CSF

32
Q

What regions can the spinal cord be divided into?

A

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral

33
Q

How many cervical nerves are there?

A

8

34
Q

Which cervical nerves form the sympathetic nervous system?

A

T1 - 12

35
Q

Which nerves form the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Cranial nerves and S4

36
Q

What are spinal cord tracts? How are they divided?

A

Bundles of nerve fibres running up and down spinal cord. They can be ascending/ descending and autonomic/ sensory/ motor.
Each tract has different functions and each tract occupies specific region of cord.

37
Q

Draw and label a diagram of a cross section of a spinal cord

A

-

38
Q

What is the function of the dorsal horn?

A

Contains neurons that receive somatosensory information from the body which is transmitted via ascending tracts to brain

39
Q

What is function of ventral horn?

A

Mainly contains motor neurons exiting spinal cord to innervate skeletal muscle

40
Q

What are functionof intemediate collumn and lateral horn?

A

Contain neurons that innervate visceral and pelvic organs

41
Q

What are the 3 layers of the meninges and spaces between?

A

Epidural potential space: between skull and dura
Dura mater: formed from periosteal and menigeal layer
Subdural space: between dura and arachnoid, contains bridgin veins
Arachnoid mater: middle layer, no innervation and avascular
Subarachnoid mater: contains CSP, cerebral arteries and arachnoid trabeculae
Pia mater: tightly adhered to brain and spinal cord surface, highly vascularlised

42
Q

Difference between meninges in spinal cord to in brain:

A

Epidural space in spinal cord contains fat

43
Q

Main function of meninges:

A

Protect brain
Supporting framework of arteries, veins and venous sinuses
Enclose a fluid-filled cavity (subarachnoid space) vital for brain function as contains CSF

44
Q

Composition of CSF

A

Clear, colourles liquid
Very few cells
Similar to blood plasma with much lower protein levels and different electrolyte levels

45
Q

How is CSF produced?

A

Produced by choroid plexus which is made of fenestrated capillary loops covered by layers of ependymal cells
Blood plasma flows through capillary loops (active/ passive transport and osmosis) and met by barrier caused by tight junctions between ependymal cells

46
Q

Movement of CSF

A

Lateral ventricle -> 3rd ventricle -> 4th ventricle -> subarachnoid space or central canal of spinal cord

47
Q

How is CSF removed?

A

Drains into superior venous sinus through arachnoid villi down pressure gradient

48
Q

Function of CSF

A

Protection: cushioning, limits neural damage
Buoyancy: reduces weight of brain
Chemical stability: environment for proper functioning due to electrolyte levels

49
Q

What is the blood-brain barrier?

A

Several features preventing harmful substances entering brain and spinal cord forming a highly selective barrier.

50
Q

Example of BBB in capillaries, ventricles and areas of higher permeability:

A

Capillaries: tight junctions between endothelial cells, thick continous BM, astrocyte processes cover vessels
Ventricles: tight junctions between ependymocyte cells lining ventricles and spinal canal
Higher permeability: sensory functions (postrema in medulla detects toxins and causes vomiting), secretory factors (pituitary glands)

51
Q

Function of BBB

A

Keeps out toxins, pathogens, etc
Stops fluctuations in ion nutrient, metabolite conc in CNS
Permeable to substances that diffuse across
Active transport for specific substances

52
Q

What makes up the Peripheral nervous system?

A

31 spinal nerves
12 cranial nerves

53
Q

What is a Dermatome and myotomes?

A

Each spinal nerve contains many sensory and motor axons
Axons supply structures in well defined parts of body
- For sensory neurones, these regions are called dermatomes
- Motor neurones supply blocks of muscles called myotomes

54
Q

What are the different types of nerve in the PNS?

A
  • Pseudo-unipolar neuron: 1 extension from its cell body and splits into 2 branches (one goes peripherally, other centrally)
  • Mutlipolar neuron: single axon and many dendrites, typically motor neurons
  • Autonomic multipolar neuron: synpase between 2 neurons
55
Q

Cranial nerve I: name and function

A

Olfactory
Smell

56
Q

Cranial nerve II: name and function

A

Optic
Vision

57
Q

Cranial nerve III: name and function

A

Oculomotor
Eye movements

58
Q

Cranial nerve IV: name and function

A

Trochlear
Eye movement

59
Q

Cranial nerve V: name and function

A

Trigeminal
Motor to muscles of mastication (chewing)
General sensory to face

60
Q

Cranial nerve VI: name and function

A

Abducens
Eye movement

61
Q

Cranial nerve VII: name and function

A

Facial
Muscles of facial expression
Sensory innervation of anterior 2/3 of tongue

62
Q

Cranial nerve VIII: name and function

A

Vestibulocochlear
Hearing and balance

63
Q

Cranial nerve IX: name and function

A

Glossopharyngeal
Swallowing and taste

64
Q

Cranial nerve X: name and function

A

Vagus
Wandering nerve supplying heart, lung, gut, etc

65
Q

Cranial nerve XI: name and function

A

Spinal accessory
Neck and muscle

66
Q

Cranial nerve XII: name and function

A

Hypoglossal
Muscles of the tounge

67
Q

Pneumonic to remember cranial nerves

A

On On On They Travelled And Found Voldemort Guarding Very Ancient Horcruxes