Neurology Flashcards
(25 cards)
What are the main structures of the central nervous system? (CNS) x3
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- Neurons
Complex blood supply
What is the function of the brain? x2
- Integrates, processes and coordinates sensory data from sense receptors throughout the body
- Initiates and controls motor action
What are the four main areas of the brain?
- Cerebral hemisphere
- Cerebellum
- Diencephalon
- Brainstem
What is the corpus callosum responsible for?
Sending signals from the left to right hemispheres of the brain and vice versa
What is the cortex?
Outer surface of the hemispheres
Made up of gyrus, sulcus and fissures
What is gyrus?
Ridge-like elevation
What is sulcus and fissure?
Sulcus - depressions or grooves
Fissure - deep sulcus
What are the functions of the frontal lobe? x3
Cerebral hemisphere
1. Primary motor cortex - motor
2. Supplementary motor cortex - motor speech planning
3. Broca’s area - controls movement in speech production
Disorders - Broca’s aphasia and apraxia of speech
What are the functions of the parietal lobe? x3
Cerebral hemisphere
1. Primary somatosensory cortex - sensory information
2. Supramarginal gyrus - phonological processing for speech
3. Angular gyrus - reading and written comprehension
What is the function of the occipital lobe?
Cerebral hemisphere
Vision
Disorders - visual hallucinations and prosopagnosia (face blindness)
What are the functions of the temporal lobe? x3
Cerebral hemisphere
1. Primary auditory cortex
2. Auditory association - interprets sound, speech and music
3. Wernicke’s area - comprehension of spoken and written language
What is the Arcuate fasciculus?
Bunch of axons (fibres)
Connects Wernicke’s area to Broca’s area
What are the main areas of the Diencephalon? x6
Thalmus
Hypothalmus
Subthalmus
Epithalmus
Optic tract
Third Ventricle
What is the function of the thalmus?
Part of the Diencephalon
1. Sensory information
2. Motor impulses
3. Consciousness and alertness
What is the function of the hypothalmus?
Linker and regulator
Keeps body in a regular state (homeostasis)
What are the four main lobes of the Cerebral hemisphere?
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Occipital lobe
What is the function of the Cerebellum?
“Little brain” - second largest brain region
Composed of two hemispheres
1. Movement coordination, precision and accurate timing
2. Balance and equilibrium
3. Rapid and precise speech movements
What is the structure of the Brainstem? x4
Third major brain area
Connects spinal cord to brain
1. Midbrain
2. Pons
3. Medulla
4. Fourth ventricle
What is the function of the midbrain?
Part of the brainstem
1. Motor and sensory functions
2. Postural and visual reflexes
3. Eye movements
What is the function of the pons?
Part of the brainstem
1. Transmits information from cerebral hemispheres to cerebellum
What is the function of the medulla?
Part of the brainstem
1. Controls automatic bodily functions
2. Very important for speech control
What is the function of the fourth ventricle?
Part of the brainstem
Protects the brain from trauma
How many ventricles are there in the brain and what is their function?
Four cavities within the brain
Produces, stores and removes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Protects brain against trauma
What are cranial meninges?
Three layers of protective tissue
Offers protection from shock response
Meningitis - infection of these layers
Protects the brain and spinal cord
