nervous system CNS

Question 1

what is the CNS

Answer 1

the central nervous system. it is composed of the brain and spinal cord and is responsible for the integrative functions of the nervous system.

Question 2

what does the CNS do

Answer 2

it receives and processes information from the internal and external environment of the body, coordinating and controlling body activities in response
CNS controls integrative functions

Question 3

how does the CNS carry out functions such as memory, learning, personality and intelligence

Answer 3

through communication networks of neurons within the brain and spinal cord and through the connection of nerve cells in these regions with nerve cells of the peripheral nervous system PNS

Question 4

what is the cerebrum

Answer 4

the most dominating structure of the brain, divided into left and right hemispheres. the hemispheres are connected by a white matter tract called the corpus collosum which allows communication between the 2 hemispheres

Question 5

what is the cerebrum covered in

Answer 5

bumps called gyri and grooves called sulci. they increase the surface area of the brain, allowing more neurons to be contained within the skull

Question 6

what is the cerebral cortex

Answer 6

the outermost gray matter covering the cerebrum, forming the functional areas of the brain

Question 7

what are the 3 functional areas of the brain

Answer 7

sensory areas, motor areas and association areas

Question 8

what are sensory areas

Answer 8

they are areas responsible for conscious perception and interpretation of somatic senses, some of the visceral senses and the special senses

Question 9

what are the motor areas

Answer 9

involved in deciding, planning and initiating somatic motor signals

• pre frontal cortex- decide
• pre motor cortex- plan
• primary motor cortex- initiate

Question 10

what are association areas

Answer 10

they are multimodal areas receiving input from multiple senses and sending output to multiple areas. they integrate (combine) motor, sensory and higher cognitive functions such as memory, learning and emotion to produce a response

Question 11

what is the primary somatosensory cortex (sensory area) and where is it located

Answer 11

located on the parietal lobe. identifies location, type and intensity of somatic senses

Question 12

what is the somatosensory association area and where is it located

Answer 12

located behind the primary somatosensory cortex within the parietal lobe. interprets details of somatic sensations using memory

Question 13

visual cortex (special sense)

Answer 13

located in the occipital lobe. interprets visual signals from the eyes

Question 14

auditory cortex (special sense)

Answer 14

located on the temporal lobe. interprets auditory signals from the ears for hearing

Question 15

vestibular cortex (special sense)

Answer 15

located on the insula. interprets signals from the inner ear for balance

Question 16

gustatory cortex (special sense)

Answer 16

loacted on the insula. interprets signals from the taste buds

Question 17

olfactory cortex (special sense)

Answer 17

located on the the temporal lobe. interprets signals from the nose for smell.

Question 18

visceral sensory cortex (special sense)

Answer 18

located on the insula. receives signals front the viscera of the body and provides conscious perception of visceral sensations e.g. an upset stomach

Question 19

what are motor areas and where are they located

Answer 19

located on the frontal lobe and is responsible for deciding, planning and initiating motor signals to be sent to skeletal muscles. all parts of the motor cortex communicate with each other

Question 20

primary motor cortex

Answer 20

located on the frontal lobe. initiates the movement by sending signals down the spinal cord towards skeletal muscle

Question 21

premotor cortex

Answer 21

located in the frontal lobe. planning of skeletal muscle movements

Question 22

brocas area

Answer 22

small cortical area within the premotor cortex of the left hemisphere. responsible for coordinating the movements of muscles related to speech

Question 23

frontal eye field

Answer 23

another small area within the motor cortex that controls the voluntary movements of the eye

Question 24

association area of the cortex

Answer 24

they are involved in sending and receiving input to and from the CNS and integrate (combines) motor and sensory functions as well as higher cognitive functions

Question 25

prefrontal cortex (association area) of cerebral cortex

Answer 25

- responsible for deciding which skeletal muscle movements are required - deciding higher cognitive functions such as intelligence, cognition, recall and memory, reasoning and planning etc

Question 26

posterior association area of the cerebral cortex

Answer 26

recognition and interpretation of sensations and understanding of language

Question 27

basal ganglia

Answer 27

- recieves input from numerous areas of the brain - help in the planning of motor movements - starting and stopping skeletal muscle movements

Question 28

thalamus

Answer 28

role in movement, role in emotions, relay station for incoming sensory information to cerebral cortex

Question 29

hypothalamus

Answer 29

autonomic NS control center, emotional response center, control of appetite and thirst, endocrine control center, thermoregulation, control of sleep-wake cycles

Question 30

limbic systems

Answer 30

regulating and interpreting emotional responses, emotional memory recall, assessment of danger

Question 31

brainstem gray and white matter

Answer 31

gray matter areas in the brainstem produce the autonomic behaviours for survival as-well as influencing some of the communication between other CNS areas. The white matter is arranged into tracts that provide a pathway of communication between the spinal cord, cerebellum and higher brain centers.

Question 32

what is the diencephalon

Answer 32

located in the middle of the basal ganglia. it is divided into the thalamus and the hypothalamus

Question 33

brainstem (midbrain, medulla and pons) functions

Answer 33

midbrain- pain suppression and coordination of auditory and visual senses medulla- regulation of respiratory functions, cardiac functions and other automatic actions (sneezing, coughing) pons- major connections pathway to cerebellum

Question 34

what does the spinal cord do

Answer 34

it is a 2 way conduction system providing neuronal pathways to and from the brain. it is where synapses occur between neurons of the CNS and PNS and is the site for integration of involuntary reflexes below the head.

Question 35

what are the functional areas of the spinal cord

Answer 35

dorsal (back) horns-receive incoming sensory information of sensory neurons via peripheral nerves ventral (front) horns- send motor signals out of the body structures via peripheral nerves

Question 36

what is the anatomy of the spinal cord

Answer 36

the gray matter forms a H shape with two posterior dorsal horns and two anterior ventral horns

Question 37

outline the protection of the CNS

Answer 37

they are surrounded by multiple tissue layers in order from superficial to deep 1. bone 2. dura mater 3. arachnoid mater 4. CSF 5. pia mater

Question 38

what does bone and meninges do in the protection of the CNS

Answer 38

the brain is surrounded by cranial bones and the spinal cord is surrounded by the vertebrae. the meninges are 3 connective tissue layers that surround the brain and spinal cord. they also protect blood vessels of the CNS and provide space for cerebrospinal fluid to form partitions in the fissures of the the brain.

Question 39

what does cerebrospinal fluid do in the protection of the CNS

Answer 39

- it lines the spaces of the brain - ensures the protection of the CNS from mechanical shocks and vibrations - regulation of inter cranial pressure

Question 40

what part of the brain receives and processes somatic sensory impulses for touch, pain and temperature

Answer 40

parietal lobe

Question 41

what part of the brain processes and initiates motor signals

Answer 41

frontal lobe

Question 42

what part of the brain is the primary visual cortex on that allows the interpretation of colour and shape

Answer 42

occipital lobe

Question 43

what part of the brain receives impulses for smell

Answer 43

temporal lobe