Overall brain & Hindbrain Flashcards
CNS branches (29 cards)
What are the branches of the nervous system?
Central nervous system, Peripheral nervous system,
What structures are included in the hindbrain?
Pons, Medulla, Cerebellum
What structures are part of the forebrain?
Cerebral cortex.
Subcortical structures (limbic system): thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, primary and assosiation areas
What are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex?
Occipital, Parietal, Temporal, Frontal
What does the central nervous system refer to?
The brain and spinal cord.
What is the peripheral nervous system divided into, and what do they control?
Somatic and autonomic system.
Somatic: efferent, afferent and cranial nerves
Autonomic: visceral automatic functions eg. heart, lung
What do afferent nerves do?
Transmit information from sense organs to brain through the spinal cord to sense things
Example: eye to visual cortex.
What do efferent nerves do?
Transmit information from CNS through the spinal cord to efferents (muscle/ glands that cause movement)
Example: putting hand on a hot stove.
How many pairs of cranial nerves are there and what are the functions of cranial nerves?
There are 12 pairs of cranial nerves. Some control movements & carry sensations from head & neck, regulate glandular secretions eg. crying, control visceral functions eg. digestion
What is Bell’s Palsy?
Damage to cranial nerves leading to facial muscle problems from surgery/ etc
Example: unable to blink or smile.
What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Severe facial pain (even a breeze) due to damage to the trigeminal nerve.
What is photic sneezing?
Sneezing in response to bright lights, which is genetic.
What are similarities between human and animal brains?
-Both have a left and right hemisphere
-and a longitudinal fissure that seperates them.
-Chimp and human brains (dolphins to some extent) are very convulated
What are differences between human and animal brains?
-Rats and rabbits have big protrusions out of their brain called olfactpry bulbs since olfcacton is one of their main senses; chimps and humans do not.
-very smooth brain
Where do cranial nerves enter & exit?
Through the hindbrain, and they poke through holes in the skull
What are the 3 main parts of the brain and where are they?
Midbrain (deep inside), hindbrain (back of the brain), and forebrain (cortex)
What is the difference between the left and right hemisphere?
They are anatomically similair, but function differently. The left hemisphere is dominant in language and the right is spatial awareness
What are the functions of the pons?
Arousal, relaying sensory information between the cerebellum and cerebrum, regulating respiration, and involvement in sleep and dreaming - shuts down voluntary control of our muscles when we are asleep.
What happens when the pons is damaged?
A stroke can damage the pons and lead to disorders such as locked-in syndrome, where a person cannot move any muscles despite being conscious.
Example: ‘The Diving Bell and the Butterfly’ is written by someone with this syndrome who could only blink one eye.
What did a French researcher discover by damaging the pons in cats?
It caused changes in their sleep behavior making them move around in their sleep, indicating the pons is responsible for shutting down voluntary muscles during sleep.
What is the primary role of the medulla?
Keeps us alive by regulating automatic functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration, vomiting, defecation, etc.
What can damage to the medulla cause?
Can cause death by problems with automatic swallowing, which may cause choking after eating.
What is the function of the cerebellum, and where is it?
Looks like a cauliflower, at the back of the brain.
1) Responsible for balance and coordination, monitors body movements.
2) sequencing & timing of precise motor movements eg. piano
How does the cerebellum assist with movement?
It receives info from the frontal lobes so it knows what each part of the body is doing before actual movement and compensates for head movements to prevent dizziness.
