Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

SA Clinical Neuroscience > S1) Topography of the Nervous System > Flashcards

S1) Topography of the Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What are the four basic components of the central nervous system?

A
  • Cerebral hemispheres
  • Brainstem
  • Cerebellum
  • Spinal cord
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the four basic components of the peripheral nervous system?

A
  • Dorsal and ventral roots
  • Spinal nerves
  • Peripheral nerves
  • Ganglia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Distinguish between the composition of grey matter and white matter

A
  • Grey matter is composed of cell bodies and dendrites (highly vascular)
  • White matter is composed of axons with no cell bodies(+ supporting cells) connects ares of grey matter
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Why does grey matter contain axon terminals?

A

Grey matter contains axons to allow communication with white matter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why is white matter white?

A

White matter is white due to the presence of fatty myelin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

In the peripheral nervous system, identify the equivalent structures of the following:

  • Grey matter
  • White matter
A
  • The PNS equivalent of grey matter is a ganglion
  • The PNS equivalent of white matter is a peripheral nerve
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How many segments does the spinal cord consist of?

A

The spinal cord is composed of 31 segments

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Describe the structure of a spinal cord segment

A
  • Central core of grey matter
  • Outer shell of white matter

Each segment connects with a mixed spinal nerve through dorsal sensory roots and ventral motor roots

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Identify three components of white matter

A
  • Funiculus
  • Tract
  • Fasciculus
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is a funiculus?

A
  • A funiculus is a segment of white matter containing multiple distinct tracts
  • Impulses travel in multiple directions, up and down
  • dorsal funiciulus contains dorsal column tract (ascending)
  • lateral funiciulus contains contains lateral corticospinal trac t (descending)
  • spinothalamic tract (ascending)
  • ventral funiculus contains ventral corticospinal tract (descending)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is a tract?

A
  • found within each funiculus
  • A tract is an anatomically and functionally defined white matter pathway connecting two distinct regions of grey matter
  • Impulses travel in one direction, either up or down (sensory or motor)
  • eg spinothalamic tract (connects spinal cord dorsal horn to thalamus)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is a fasciculus?

A

A fasciculus is a subdivision of a tract supplying a distinct region of the body

  • eg gracile fasciculus supplying lower half of body, cuneate fasciculus supplying upper half
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Identify the three different regions of grey matter

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is a nucleus?

A

A nucleus is a collection of functionally related cell bodies (grey matter)

eg thalamus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is a cortex?

A

A cortex is a folded sheet of cell bodies found on the surface of a brain structure (grey matter)

outer shell of grey mater found on cerebral hemispheres and the cerebellum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is a fibre?

A

A fibre is an axon in association with its supporting cells e.g. oligodendrocytes (synonymous with axon)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the three types of fibres found in the nervous system?

A
  • Association fibres
  • Commissural fibres
  • Projection fibres
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What do association fibres do?

A

Association fibres connect cortical regions within the same hemisphere

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What do commisural fibres do?

A

Commissural fibres connect left and right hemispheres or cord halves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What do projection fibres do?

A

Projection fibres connect the cerebral hemispheres with the cord/brainstem and vice versa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What are the three components of the brainstem?

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is the function of the midbrain (mesencephalon)?

A

The midbrain regulates eye movements and reflex responses to sound and vision

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Which processes are regulated by the pons?

A
  • Feeding
  • Sleep
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Which key centres are found in the medulla?

A
  • Cardiovascular and respiratory centres
  • Major motor pathway (medullary pyramids)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Where is the central sulcus found?
**Central sulcus** is a key landmark separating the frontal and parietal lobes (coronal plane)
26
Which cortices are found in the following locations: - Precentral gyrus - Postcentral gyrus
- **Precentral gyrus:** contains primary motor cortex - **Postcentral gyrus:** contains primary sensory cortex
27
Where is the lateral fissure found?
The **lateral fissure** is a key landmark separating the temporal lobe from the frontal/parietal lobes
28
Where is the parieto-occipital sulcus found?
**Parieto-occipital sulcus** is a key landmark separating the parietal lobe from the occipital lobe can only see this in the middle of the brain
29
Where is the calcarine sulcus found?
The **calcarine sulcus** is a key landmark surrounded by the primary visual cortex
30
What is the optic chiasm?
The **optic chiasm** is a site where fibres in the visual system cross over
31
What is the uncus?
- The **uncus** is a part of the temporal lobe that can herniate, compressing the midbrain - It has an important olfactory role (smell) part of hippocampus, emotions
32
What are the medullary pyramids?
The **medullary pyramids** are a location of descending motor fibres this is a major pathway
33
What is the parahippocampal gyrus?
The **parahippocampal gyrus** is a key cortical region for memory encoding
34
What is the corpus callosum?
The **corpus callosum** consists of fibres connecting the two cerebral hemispheres otherwise left and right are not in coordinaton
35
What is the thalamus?
The **thalamus** is a sensory relay station projecting to the sensory cortex the final point that sensory information has to pass to reach the thalamus
36
What is the cingulate gyrus?
The **cingulate gyrus** is a cortical area important for emotion and memory, grey matter
37
What is the hypothalamus?
The **hypothalamus** is an essential centre for homeostasis
38
What is the fornix?
The **fornix** is a major output pathway from the hippocampus
39
What is the tectum?
The **tectum** is the dorsal part of the midbrain involved in involuntary reflex responses to auditory and visual stimuli
40
What is the cerebellar tonsil?
The **cerebellar tonsil** is a part of the cerebellum that can herniate and compress the medulla if there is an increase in intracranial pressure then this will force this area down and crush the medulla
41
Having developed from a hollow tube, the brain is itself hollow. What are the cavities in the brain called?
The cavities in the brain are called **ventricles**
42
Describe the layout of the ventricular system
43
What is found inside the brain ventricles?
The ventricles each contain **choroid plexus (highly vascular0** , which makes a total of 600-700ml of **cerebrospinal fluid** per day
44
What types of functions does CSF have?
CSF has both **metabolic** and **mechanical** functions - it is important in supporting the brain and making it weightless - contains glucose and good for immunity
45
Describe the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid
CSF circulates through the **ventricular system** and **subarachnoid space** before being reabsorbed at the **arachnoid granulations** in the superior sagittal sinus (and some other sites) and then gets reabsorbed into the venous system
46
what is a gyrus and a sulcus
* gyrus → raised fold of cerebral cortex * sulcus → valley between adjacent gyri
47
what is a fissure?
* large groove in between adjured hemispheres (lobes)
48
pathway of the CSF through the brain ventricles
1. choroid plexus makes CSF 2. most CSF made in the **lateral ventricles** 3. CSF then circulates through **intraventricular foramen** → third ventricle 4. then drained to the fourth ventricle **via the cerebral aqueduct** 5. CSF drains through 2 lateral apertures and median aperture in the 4th ventricle
49
blockage of the ventricular system
* blockage of a part of the system → upstream dilation and damage to surrounding structures * cerebral aqueduct is a common sight due to stenosis or a tumour * blockage of the cerebral aqueduct = dilation of 3rd and 2nd ventricles but normal 4th ventricle
50
what are cerebral peduncles (white matter) in the midbrain
* contain descending corticospinal fibres from ipsilateral hemispheres
51
what is substantia Nigra (grey matter) in the midbrain
* contains dopaminergic neurones that project to striatum
52
what is the red nucleus (grey matter) in the midbrain
- well distinct and gives rise to axons that travel to the cord in vestigial rubrospinal tract (controlling muscle tones and flexion)
53
what is the oculomotor nucleus (grey matter) in the midbrain
* contains lower motor neurone cell bodies projecting through oculomotor nerve to all bar two of extra ocular muscles
54
what is Edinger-Westphal nucleus (grey matter) in midbrain
contains parasympathetic preganglionic neurones that project to the ciliary ganglion in the orbit to cause pupillary constriction
55
what is Periaqueductal grey matter in the midbrain
Periaqueductal grey matter is an area surrounding the cerebral aqueduct that has roles in pain transmission and micturition
56
what are medial lemniscus and spinothalamic tract
medial lemniscus (connecting gracile/cuneate nucleus to thalamus) and spinothalamic tract (connecting spinal dorsal horn to thalamus) path through the midbrain (they have to get to the thalamus!
57
what is Superior/inferior colliculus (grey matter)
Superior/inferior colliculus (grey matter) regulate reflex responses to visual and auditory stimuli respectively
58
how are cell bodies in the grey matter cord organised
in columns organised into laminae
59
which space do bridging veins traverse
subdural
60
what is another term for crus cerebri
cerebella peduncles that connect the cerebral hemispheres to the brainstem
61
what layer is the falx cerebri covered in
meningeal dura
62
what dura covers brain and the spinal cord
* occipital - cervical junction where the periosteal layer covering the brain turns into meningeal dura

SA Clinical Neuroscience (23 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions