Nervous System Part 2 - The Brain

Question 1

what do the brain and spinal cord develop from?

Answer 1

different sections of the neural tube
- and throughout fetal development, it is going to undergo more and more differentiation to get to the brain structure we have

Question 2

what three sections does the brain begin to develop into?

Answer 2

1. the forebrain
2. the midbrain
3. the hindbrain

• called the primary brain vesicles

Question 3

the primary brain vesicles develop further until we get?

Answer 3

our brain structure as well as the spinal cord

Question 4

what is the cerebrum of the forebrain?

Answer 4

• the big part of the brain that we picture

Question 5

what are the two aspects of the cerebrum?

Answer 5

• grey matter
• white matter

Question 6

what does white matter in the brain and spinal come from?

Answer 6

myelinated axons of neurons
- they are light in colour

Question 7

why do we end up with areas where we have a lot of cell bodies clumped together in the cerebrum?

Answer 7

because of the grouping and organization of the neurons
- called grey matter

Question 8

what is grey matter made up of?

Answer 8

mainly cell bodies as well as dendrites that are attached to them

Question 9

what is deeper grey matter?

Answer 9

internal structures that develop from the forebrain

Question 10

what is a fissure?

Answer 10

a division between two segments of the brain

Question 11

what are the bumps on the brain called?

Answer 11

gyrus (single)
gyri (plural)

Question 12

what are the valleys on the brain called? (deep to the bumps)

Answer 12

• sulcus (single)
• sulci (plural)

Question 13

what does our sulcus and gyrus allow us to do?

Answer 13

cram a lot more brain into a small space

Question 14

what is the outermost surface of the brain called? (grey matter)

Answer 14

the cortex

Question 15

what is the inner surface of the brain?

Answer 15

white matter

Question 16

what is the cerebellum?

Answer 16

a part of the hindbrain attached to the bottom of the cerebrum

Question 17

what is each hemisphere of the brain divided into?

Answer 17

lobes
- the names match the names of the skull

Question 18

what are the lobes of the brain?

Answer 18

• frontal lobe
• parietal lobe
• temporal lobe
• occipital lobe
• insula lobe

Question 19

which lobe is deep to the rest of the lobes?

Answer 19

the insula lobe
- cannot been seen from a surface view

Question 20

what are our deeper gray matter of the brain?

Answer 20

• thalamus
• hypothalamus
• basal nuclei

Question 21

what is the MAIN function of the thalamuS?

Answer 21

passes sensory signals to the cerebrum from other areas of the brain and spinal cord

Question 22

where is the hypothalamus located with respect to the thalamus?

Answer 22

inferiorly and a little anteriorly of the thalamus

Question 23

what does the hypothalamus control?

Answer 23

the autonomic nervous system
- involuntary motor control of organs

also controls the endocrine system (the system that regulates hormones)

Question 24

what is the basal nuclei?

Answer 24

a collection of cell bodies

Question 25

what does a ganglia mean?

Answer 25

it is in the peripheral nervous system, while the brain is NOT. so this is why we call it a basal nuclei and not a basal ganglia

Question 26

where can the basal nuclei be found?

Answer 26

on either side of the thalamus

Question 27

what is the function of the basal nuclei?

Answer 27

to pass voluntary motor signals from the cerebrum down to other areas of the brain and the spinal cord (so signals can go to the skeletal muscles) - quick the opposite of the thalamus

Question 28

which aspect of the brain is affected during parkinsons disease?

Answer 28

the basal nuclei - when they do not function properly, you end up with these additional voluntary motor signals being sent down to the skeletal muscles - typically the basal nuclei filters the signals before sending them out because the cerebrum often sends off unnecessary motor signals

Question 29

different areas of white matter in the brain are going to be grouped based on?

Answer 29

the direction that the axons are carrying information - the groups are called tracts because they are all carrying information in the same direction

Question 30

what are your commissural tracts?

Answer 30

the tracts that run horizontally in the brain - myelinated axons that are connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain

Question 31

what are your projection tracts?

Answer 31

the tracts that run vertically in the brain - axons carry sensory information from the cerebrum and other aspects of the brain (deeper grey matter) down towards the spinal cord and bringing motor signals back up to the cortex and the deeper grey matter

Question 32

what are the association tracts?

Answer 32

the myelinated axons that stay within their hemisphere of the brain

Question 33

what are our two types of association tracts?

Answer 33

1. longitudinal fibres/tracts 2.arcuate fibres/tracts

Question 34

what are the association longitudinal tracts?

Answer 34

tracts that are going to travel all the way through the hemisphere (cross lobes)

Question 35

what are the association arcuate tracts?

Answer 35

tracts that stay within their same lobe - pass information throughout their lobe

Question 36

what is the only structure in the midbrain?

Answer 36

the midbrain

Question 37

what is the midbrain responsible for?

Answer 37

- controlling eye movement - visual and auditory reflexes (if there is a loud sound, you will turn to look at that sound)

Question 38

how is the midbrain connected to the cerebellum?

Answer 38

through an area called the peduncle (cerebellar peduncles)

Question 39

what do peduncles do?

Answer 39

going to attach structures in the brainstem area to the cerebellum in the back

Question 40

what are cerebral peduncles?

Answer 40

peduncles that attach structures up to the cerebrum

Question 41

what is the hindbrain composed of?

Answer 41

- cerebellum - pons - medulla oblongata

Question 42

what is the pons most importantly responsible for?

Answer 42

regulates your breathing (with the medulla oblongata)

Question 43

what is the pons connected through?

Answer 43

cerebellar peduncles to the cerebellum

Question 44

what peduncle connects the midbrain to the cerebellum?

Answer 44

the superior cerebellar peduncle

Question 45

what peduncle connects the pons to the cerebellum?

Answer 45

the middle cerebellar peduncle

Question 46

what peduncle connects the medulla oblongata to the cerebellum?

Answer 46

the inferior cerebellar peduncle

Question 47

what is the function of the medulla oblongata?

Answer 47

regulates many vital functions like: - heart rate - breathing (works with the pons) - blood pressure - works with the hypothalamus to regulate the ANS to control the vital functions

Question 48

what are cranial nerves?

Answer 48

nerves of the PNS that come directly off of the brain

Question 49

what is the vermis?

Answer 49

connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebellum

Question 49

what is the white matter of the cerebellum called?

Answer 49

arbor vitae - means "tree of life" because it sort of looks like a tree

Question 49

where is the cerebellum located?

Answer 49

posterior to the brainstem

Question 50

what is the outer dark matter of the cerebellum called?

Answer 50

the cortex

Question 51

what is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 51

to coordinate motor actions - works with many other components of the brain that are involved in motor actions in the body