Nervous System

Question 1

What structures are involved in the CNS?

Answer 1

• Brain

- Spinal Cord

Question 2

What structures are involved in the PNS?

Answer 2

• Cranial nerves (12 pairs)

- Spinal nerves (31 pairs)

Question 3

What are neurons?

Answer 3

• Basic structural unit of the nervous system

- Highly specialised cell that conduct electrical signals along axons

Question 4

What are neural connections called?

Answer 4

Synapses

Question 5

What are the supporting cells in both the CNS and PNS?

Answer 5

• Schwann cells in PNS

- Oligodendrocytes in CNS.

Question 6

What are oligodendrocytes?

Answer 6

• Myelinating cell of the CNS

- Can myelinate several axons

Question 7

What is the main difference between gray and white matter?

Answer 7

Gray matter contains more cell bodies and white matter contains more myelinated cells

Question 8

Where is the gray matter located in the spinal cord?

Answer 8

Deep within the horns

Question 9

Where is the gray matter located in the brain?

Answer 9

• Superficial gray matter in the cortex

- Deep gray matter in the basal nuclei

Question 10

Where is the white matter located in the spinal cord?

Answer 10

Superficial to the horns

Question 11

Where is the white matter located in the brain?

Answer 11

Deep within the brain

Question 12

What structures are in the forebrain?

Answer 12

• Cerebrum (telencephalon)

- Thalamus, hypothalamus (diencephalon)

Question 13

What structures are in the midbrain?

Answer 13

• Tectum

- Tegmentum

Question 14

What structures are in the hindbrain?

Answer 14

• Medulla oblongata
• Pons
• Cerebellum

Question 15

What structures make up the brainstem?

Answer 15

• Midbrain
• Pons
• Medulla oblongata

Question 16

What is the main function of the medulla oblongata?

Answer 16

Connects brain to spinal cord and is responsible for complex autonomic reflexes and control of visceral functions

Question 17

What is the main function of the pons?

Answer 17

Bridge’ linking the cerebellum with the mesencephalon, diencephalon, cerebrum and spinal cord

Question 18

What is a sulcus?

Answer 18

A depression or groove in the cerebral cortex, fissures that surround the gyri

Question 19

What is a gyrus?

Answer 19

Ridges within the cerebral cortex, surrounded by sulci

Question 20

What are the four lobes of the brain?

Answer 20

Temporal, parietal, occipital & frontal

Question 21

What is the function of the pre-central gyrus?

Answer 21

• On the lateral, parietal lobe of the brain

- Site of the primary somatosensory cortex

Question 22

What is the function of the post-central gyrus?

Answer 22

• On the posterior, frontal lobe of the brain

- Site of the primary motor cortex

Question 23

What is the function of the central sulcus?

Answer 23

Separates the parietal lobe from the frontal lobe and the primary motor cortex from the primary somatosensory cortex

Question 24

What are the three meninges of the brain and spinal cord?

Answer 24

• Pia mater
• Arachnoid mater
• Dura mater

Question 25

What is the pia mater?

Answer 25

Closest layer to brain, follows all irregularities of brain surface

Question 26

What is the arachnoid mater?

Answer 26

Subdural layer with projections to pia (forms subarachnoid space for CSF)

Question 27

What is the dura mater?

Answer 27

External dense connective tissue (protection)

Question 28

What are dural folds?

Answer 28

- Divides the cranial cavity and help to hold the brain in place - Houses the venous sinuses

Question 29

What are the three main dural folds?

Answer 29

- Falx cerebri - Tentorium cerebelli - Falx cerebelli

Question 30

What is the filum terminale?

Answer 30

a delicate strand of fibrous tissue, proceeding downward from the apex of the conus medullaris to the coccyx