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Neuroanatomy Flashcards

(52 cards)

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1
Q

What makes up the cytoskeleton?

A

Microfilaments, neurofilaments, microtubules and proteins

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2
Q

Properties of microfilaments

A
  • 3-7nm in diameter
  • Mostly polymer of actin
  • Formed by 2 strands
  • Found at the edge of the cell (cell cortex)
  • Provides strength and shape, synaptic specialisation and learning and memory
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3
Q

Properties of neurofilaments

A
  • 7-11nm in diameter
  • Protein composition varies
  • Provides up to 85% of total protein in the neurone
  • Largest population in motoneurons
  • Stabilises and strengthens axons, organises structure, can cause ALS when things go wrong
  • Also known as intermediate filaments
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4
Q

Properties of microtubules

A
  • 20-28nm in diameter
  • Polymer of tubulin molecules
  • Longitudinal arrangement in axons/dendrites
  • Shape altered by polymerization
  • They have microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs)
  • Provide cell movement and axonal transport
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5
Q

How fast can axonal transport be?

A

100-400mm/day or 1mm/day

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6
Q

Orthograde vs retrograde axonal transport

A

Orthograde is from cell body to axonal terminal. Retrograde is from axonal terminal to cell body

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7
Q

Name the 2 molecular motors

A

Kinesin and dynein

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8
Q

What are the properties of kinesin?

A
  • Orthograde transport
  • Has amino terminal for ATP activity
  • Divergent tail for movement
  • Hydrolyses ATP to carry molecule along microtubules
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9
Q

What is dynein?

A

The same as kinesin but is used for retrograde transport

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10
Q

Name the glial cells in the CNS

A

Astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia and ependymal

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11
Q

Name the glial cells in the PNS

A

Schwann cells and satellite cells

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12
Q

Properties of astrocytes

A
  • Guide neurones during development
  • Support neurones and capillaries
  • Buffer extracellular ions
  • Store and release neurotransmitters
  • Allow glia-glia and glia-neurone communication
  • Help the formation of the blood-brain barrier (BBB)
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13
Q

What is the blood-brain barrier (BBB)?

A

Maintains a stable chemical environment and immunological privilege of CNS

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14
Q

Properties of microglia

A
  • Role in CNS immune response to infection or tissue damage
  • Increases in numbers
  • Releases growth factors
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15
Q

What do ependymal cells do?

A

Line the ventricles and central canal of spinal cord to help produce and control flow of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

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16
Q

Properties of oligodendrocytes

A

Myelination (insulation) of axons

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17
Q

What is the oligodendrocytes equivalent for PNS?

A

Schwann cells

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18
Q

What is multiple sclerosis?

A

An autoimmune disease which causes the destruction of myelin in the CNS

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19
Q

What are the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

A

Fatigue, numbness, blurred vision and blindness

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20
Q

What is the PNS equivalent of multiple sclerosis?

A

Guillain Barre syndrome

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21
Q

What are the different sections of the spinal cord?

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A

Dorsal (back), ventral (front), lateral (outside), medial (inside), dorsal horn (back right or left), ventral horn (front right or left) and the intermediolateral horn (middle)

22
Q

How many different lamina are there?

23
Q

What is Lamina I?

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A

Marginal zone

24
Q

What is Lamina II?

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A

Substantia gelatinosa

25
What are Laminae III, IV, V and VI?
Nucleus proprius
26
What is Lamina VII?
Lateral horn (soma of sympathetic preganglionic neurones)
27
What is Lamina IX?
Somatic motoneuronal pools
28
What is the sensor for the spinal cord?
Dorsal root which contains the dorsal root ganglion (DRG)
29
What is the effector for the spinal cord?
Ventral root
30
What is in the somatomotor pathway?
Sensory (afferent) fibres from skin and motor (efferent) fibres
31
What are the processes for sensory fibres?
Cell bodies in dorsal root ganglia, enter SC via dorsal roots and terminate in grey matter of dorsal horn
32
What are the processes for motor fibres?
Cell body in grey matter of lateral horn, exit via ventral root, terminate in skeletal muscle
33
What is in the visceromotor pathway?
Sensory fibres from internal organs and motor fibres
34
How are spinal nerves formed?
Dorsal and ventral roots merge
35
Head end of the spinal cord
Rostral
36
Tail end of the spinal cord
Caudal
37
Endoneurium
Connective tissue layers around individual axons
38
Perineurium
Encloses bundle of axons
39
Epineurium
Dense tissue layer enclosing several bundles
40
What are the 4 interconnecting ventricles?
- Interventricular foramina (lateral to third) - Cerebral aqueduct (third to fourth) - 2 lateral apertures and a medial aperture (fourth to subarachnoid space)
41
How is the CNS protected?
- Outer casting (skull/spinal vertebral column) - Membranes (meninges) - Hydraulic buffer (CSF) - Foreign agents (BBB)
42
How do nerves enter and exit the CNS?
Via foramen (foramina) in the skull or between spinal vertebrae
43
3 substances between the brain and the skull
Dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater. Separated by epidural space, subdural space and subarachnoid space
44
Properties of dura mater
Protective, highly vascularised, innervated and is below epidural space in SC but not in skull
45
Properties of arachnoid mater
Loose fit, avascular, delicate and is above subarachnoid space which contains CSF and is a shock absorber
46
Properties of pia mater
Thin layer of connective tissue, clings to CNS, below subarachnoid space and contains small blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients to CNS
47
What is Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
- Produced by choroid plexuses (capillary networks) in ventricles - Capillaries filter blood plasma then secrete CSF to form blood-CSF barrier - Made of glucose and various ions
48
Function of CSF
- Inside and surrounding CNS - Protects CNS - Gives brain buoyancy - Provides nutrients and removes waste
49
Arachnoid villi
Act as one way valves for projections of arachnoid mater through the dura mater
50
Venous sinuses
Valveless channels supplied by brains venous system (stores arachnoid mater)
51
What is hydrocephalus?
- Overproduction of CSF - Blocks flow between ventricles - Obstructs drainage into circulatory system - Causes increased pressure in CNS - Can cause permanent damage
52
How can you treat hydrocephalus?
Inserting shunts to drain fluid

Physiology (10 decks)

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