part 1 test Flashcards
(41 cards)
What does the central nervous system (CNS) consist of?
Brain and spinal cord
The CNS is the main control center for the body.
What are the primary functions of the brain?
- Controls sensation
- Perception
- Movement
- Thinking
The brain is the largest and most complex part of the nervous system.
How many layers do the meninges consist of?
3 layers
The meninges protect the brain and spinal cord.
What are the three layers of the meninges?
- Dura mater
- Arachnoid mater
- Pia mater
What is the function of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
- Nutritive and protective of CNS neurons
- Helps maintain stable ionic concentrations in the CNS
CSF circulates in ventricles and the subarachnoid space.
What is the role of the choroid plexuses in CSF production?
Secreted by the choroid plexuses, which are special capillaries of pia mater
Ependymal cells cover the choroid plexuses.
What is a concussion?
A mild TBI; typically results from a one-time injury and has no lasting symptoms.
What can increase intracranial pressure (ICP)?
- Infection
- Tumor
- Blood clot
Interference with CSF circulation can lead to serious complications.
What are the major functions of the brain?
- Neural centers for sensory function
- Motor commands to skeletal muscles
- Higher mental functions, such as memory and reasoning
The brain also regulates visceral activities.
What are the three embryonic vesicles that give rise to the CNS?
- Forebrain (prosencephalon)
- Midbrain (mesencephalon)
- Hindbrain (rhombencephalon)
What are the five regions of the brain produced from the embryonic vesicles?
- Cerebrum
- Basal nuclei
- Diencephalon
- Midbrain
- Cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata
These persist in the mature brain as ventricles and tubes.
What is the primary role of the thalamus?
Gateway for sensory impulses ascending to cerebral cortex
It channels impulses to the appropriate part of the cerebral cortex for interpretation.
What is the primary motor area responsible for?
Control voluntary muscles
Most nerve fibers cross over in the brainstem.
What are the two types of memory?
- Short-term (working) memory
- Long-term memory
What are basal nuclei responsible for?
- Producing dopamine
- Helping to control voluntary movement
They are sometimes referred to as basal ganglia.
What is Parkinson Disease (PD)?
A disorder where neurons degenerate in the substantia nigra, leading to dopamine deficiency.
What are the major portions of the adult brain?
- Cerebrum
- Diencephalon
- Cerebellum
- Brainstem
What does the cerebral cortex control?
- Interpreting impulses from sensory organs
- Initiating voluntary movements
- Storing and retrieving memories
It is responsible for higher mental functions.
Which hemisphere is dominant in most people?
Left hemisphere
The dominant hemisphere controls language skills.
What is the function of the reticular formation?
Regulates wakefulness and sleep
It connects various parts of the brain.
Fill in the blank: The _______ connects the brain to the spinal cord.
Brainstem
What is the medulla oblongata?
Enlarged continuation of spinal cord, conducts ascending and descending impulses between brain and spinal cord, contains cardiac, vasomotor, and respiratory control centers, and various nonvital reflex control centers.
Injuries to the medulla oblongata are often fatal.
What does the reticular formation do?
Filters incoming sensory information, passing some to cerebral cortex, discarding unimportant information, and arouses cerebral cortex into a state of wakefulness.
Also called the Reticular Activating System.
What characterizes Non-REM sleep?
Slow wave sleep, restful and dreamless, decreased activity of reticular formation, reduced blood pressure and respiratory rate, and consists of 3 stages.
Alternates with REM sleep.
