Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Anatomy & Physiology > The Brain > Flashcards

The Brain Flashcards

(77 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

the brain

A

one of the largest organs in the body

consists of about 100 billion neurons and 10-50 trillion neuroglia

2% of total body weight

requires 20% of the body’s oxygen supply

4+ minutes of oxygen deprivation may permanently injure brain neurons

protected by blood- barrier
protected by the cranium and cranial meninges

cerebrospinal fluid

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

blood brain barrier

A

from harmful substances and pathogens; prevents passage of many substances from blood into brain tissue; consists of tightly sealed blood capillaries, assisted
by astrocytes

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

cranium and cranial meninges

A

dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater

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

cerebrospinal fluid

A

Clear, colorless liquid that protect against chemical and physical injury

Carries oxygen, glucose, and other needed chemicals from the blood to neurons and neuroglia and removes wastes and toxic substances

Circulates through the subarachnoid space, around the brain and spinal cord, and ventricles (cavities in the brain)

4 ventricles

choroid plexuses

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

how many ventricles cereospinal fluid travel through

A

4 ventricles: 2 lateral ventricles, 1 third ventricle, 1 fourth ventricle

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

choroid plexuses

A

specialized networks of capillaries in the walls of the ventricles that produce
CSF

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

arachnoid villi

A

fingerlike extensions of the arachnoid mater that allow CSF to be gradually reabsorbed into the blood

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

superior sagittal sinus

A

the primary vein into which CSF drains

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

4 major parts of the brain

A

brain stem
diencephalon
cerebrum
cerebellum

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

brain stem

A

continuous with the spinal cord; medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

diencephalon

A

above the brain stem; thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

cerebrum

A

the bulk of the brain above the diencephalon and brain stem

cerebral cortex
cerebral white matter

Internal region of cerebral white matter

Gray matter nuclei deep within the white matter

Read, write, speak

Calculate, compose music, create

Remember the past and plan for the future

4 lobes named after the bones that cover them: frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, and occipital lobe

Gyrus (gyri)

Plus a 5th lobe that lies deep and cannot be seen at the surface: insula

Regulates the muscle tone required for specific body movements and control subconscious contractions of skeletal muscles such as automatic arm swings while walking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

cerebral cortex

A

thin layer of gray matter on the surface

outer rim of gray matter

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

cerebral white matter

A

beneath the cortex

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

cerebellum

A

posterior to the brain stem

consists of 2 cerebellar hemispheres; located posterior to the medulla and pons and inferior to the cerebrum

cerebellar cortex
white matter
cerebellar nuclei
cerebellar peduncles

Compares intended movements programmed by the cerebral cortex with what is actually happening; receives sensory impulses from muscles, tendons, joints, equilibrium receptors, and visual receptors

Helps to smooth and coordinate complex sequences of skeletal muscle contractions

Regulates posture and balance and is essential for all skilled motor activities

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

medulla oblongata

A

continuation of the spinal cord; inferior part of the brain stem

contains all sensory and motor tracts extending between the spinal cord and the brain

contains several nuclei (masses of gray matter where neurons form synapses with one another)

2 major nuclei
cardiovascular center
medullary rhythmicity area

Nuclei of touch, pressure, vibration, conscious proprioception; and reflexes for
swallowing, vomiting coughing, hiccupping, and sneezing

Nuclei of 5 pairs of cranial nerves: vestibulocholear (VIII), glossopharyngeal (IX), vagus (X), accessory (XI), and hypoglossal (XII)

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

cardiovascular center

A

regulates the rate and force of the heartbeat and the diameter of blood vessels

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Medullary rhythmicity area

A

adjusts the basic rhythm of breathing

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

pons

A

above the medulla and anterior to the cerebellum

Consists of both nuclei and tracts (just like medulla)

Some connect right and left sides of the cerebellum

Others a part of sensory and motor tracts

Several nuclei are the sites where signals for voluntary movements that originate in the
cerebral cortex are relayed into the cerebellum

Some nuclei help control breathing

Nuclei of 4 pairs of cranial nerves: trigeminal (V), abducens (VI), facial (VII), and
vestibulochochlear (VIII)

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

midbrain

A

connects the pons to the diencephalon

cerebral peduncles
substantia nigra
red nuclei

Nuclei of 2 pairs of cranial nerves: oculomotor (III) and trochlear (IV)

4 nuclei that appear as rounded bumps on the posterior surface
2 superior colliculi
2 inferior colliculi

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

cerebral peduncles

A

makes up the anterior part of the midbrain; a pair of large tracts; contain axons of motor neurons that conduct nerve impulses from the cerebrum to the
spinal cord, medulla, and pons

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

substantia nigra

A

nucleus that is large and darkly pigmented; loss of these neurons is associated with Parkinson’s disease

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

red nuclei

A

– reddish due to rich blood supply; cerebellum and cerebral cortex form
synapses here to coordinate muscular movements

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

2 superior colliculi

A

tracking and scanning movements of the eyes and reflexes that govern movements of the eyes, head, and neck in response to visual stimuli

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
2 inferior colliculi
part of the auditory pathway, relaying impulses from the receptors for audition in the ear to the thalamus; reflex centers for the startle reflex
26
startle reflex
sudden movements of the head and body that occur when you are surprised by a loud noise
27
reticular formation
small clusters of neuronal cell bodies (gray matter) intermingled with small bundles of myelinated axons (white matter) that make up much of the brain stem Netlike arrangement of white and gray matter Have sensory and motor functions
28
reticular activating system
ascending part of the reticular formation which consists of sensory axons that project to the cerebral cortex When stimulated, nerve impulses pass upward to widespread areas of the cerebral cortex resulting in consciousness Helps maintain consciousness and is active during awakening from sleep Inactivity produces sleep
29
main motor function
helps regulate muscle tone in normal resting muscles
30
thalmus
paired oval masses of gray matter organized into nuclei with interspersed tracts of white matter Major relay station for most sensory impulses that reach the cerebral cortex from the spinal cord and brain stem Contributes to motor functions by transmitting info from the cerebellum and basal nuclei to motor areas of the cerebral cortex Relays nerve impulses between different areas of the cerebrum Plays a role in the maintenance of consciousness
31
hypothalamus
small portion that lies below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland big role in homeostasis Control of the autonomic nervous system; regulates contraction of smooth and cardiac muscle and secretions of many glands; heart rate, movement of food during digestion, contraction of urinary bladder Control of pituitary gland and production of hormones; primary connection between the nervous system and endocrine system; also produces antidiuretic hormone and oxytocin which are stored in pituitary Regulation of emotional and behavioral patterns; along with the limbic system, regulates rage, aggression, pain, and pleasure, and behavioral patterns related to sexual arousal Regulation of eating and drinking Control of body temperature; stimulates activities that promote heat loss, production, or retention depending on the blood temperature Regulation of circadian rhythms and states of consciousness; patterns of awake and sleep
32
feeding center
promotes eating
33
satiety center
sensation of fullness and cessation of eating
34
thirst center
sensation of thirst caused by rising osmotic pressure of the extracellular fluid; drinking water restores the osmotic pressure to normal
35
pineal gland
size of a small pea protruding from the posterior midline of the third ventricle Secretes the hormone melatonin (promotes sleepiness and contributes to circadian rhythm) Part of the endocrine system
36
cerebellar cortex
surface of the cerebellum consisting of gray matter
37
white matter
beneath the cortex resembling the branches of a tree
38
cerebellar nuclei
masses of gray matter deep within the white matter
39
cerebellar peduncles
bundles of axons that attach the cerebellum to the brain stem Compares intended movements programmed by the cerebral cortex with what is actually happening; receives sensory impulses from muscles, tendons, joints, equilibrium receptors, and visual receptors Helps to smooth and coordinate complex sequences of skeletal muscle contractions Regulates posture and balance and is essential for all skilled motor activities
40
gyrus
folds of the cerebral cortex precentral gyrus
41
precentral gyrus
located immediately anterior to the central sulcus; motor area
42
postcentral gyrus
located immediately posterior to the central sulcus; somatosensory area
43
fissures
deep grooves between folds
44
longitudinal fissure
separates the cerebrum into cerebral hemispheres
45
sulcus (sulci)
shallow grooves between folds
46
central sulcus
separates the frontal and parietal lobes
47
cerebral hemispheres
right and left halves of the brain separated by the longitudinal fissure
48
corpus callosum
broad band of white matter containing axons that extend between the hemispheres to connect internally
49
basal nuceli/ basal ganglia
helps initiate and terminate movements; 3 nuclei within each cerebral hemisphere: Globus palidus, Putamen, Caudate nucleus
50
limbic system
a ring of structures on the inner border of the cerebrum and floor of the diencephalon that encircles the upper part of the brain stem and the corpus callosum; “emotional brain”; plays a primary role in a range of emotions: pain, pleasure, docility, affection, and anger; controls most involuntary aspects of behavior related to survival; major role in controlling the overall pattern of behavior; functions in memory
51
Sensory areas (function areas of cortex)
receive sensory info and are involved in perception
52
perception
the conscious awareness of a sensation
53
motor areas
initiate movements
54
association areas
deal with more complex integrative functions such as memory, emotions, reasoning, will, judgment, personality traits, and intelligence
55
primary somatosensory area
posterior to the central sulcus of each cerebral hemisphere in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe Receives impulses for touch, proprioception, pain, itching, tickle, and temperature and is involved in the perception of these sensations Allows one to pinpoint where sensations originate
56
primary visual area
located in the occipital lobe, receives visual info and is involved in visual perception
57
primary auditory area
located in the temporal lobe, receives info for sound and is involved in auditory perception
58
primary gustatory area
located at the base of the postcentral gyrus, receives impulses for gustation and is involved in gustatory perception
59
primary olfactory area
located on the medial aspect of the temporal lobe, receives impulses for olfaction and is involved in olfactory perception
60
primary motor area
located in the precentral gyrus of the frontal lobe in each hemisphere; controls voluntary contractions of specific muscles on the opposite side of the body
61
broca's speech area
located in the frontal lobe close to the lateral cerebral sulcus Localized in the left hemisphere in 97% of the population Translates thoughts into words and plans complex language for speaking
62
somatosensory association area
posterior to the primary somatosensory area; integrates and interprets somatic sensations such as the exact shape and texture of an object; storage of memories of past sensory experiences for comparison
63
visual association area
located in the occipital lobe; relates present and past visual experiences and is essential for recognizing and evaluating what is seen
64
auditory association area
located below the primary auditory area in the temporal cortex; allows you to recognize a particular sound as speech, music, or noise
65
wenicke's area
a broad region in the left temporal and parietal lobes; interprets the meaning of speech by recognizing spoken words; active as you translate words into thoughts The regions in the right hemisphere that correspond to Wernicke’s and Broca’s areas also contribute to verbal communication by adding emotional content to spoken words
66
common integrative area
receives and interprets nerve impulses from the sensory areas
67
premotor area
immediately anterior to the primary motor area; generates nerve impulses that cause a specific group of muscles to contract in a specific sequence
68
frontal eye field area
in the frontal cortex; controls voluntary scanning movements of the eyes, such as those that occur while reading
69
prefrontal cortex
anterior portion of the frontal lobe; concerned with personality, intellect, complex learning abilities, recall of info, initiative, judgment, foresight, reasoning, conscience, intuition, mood, planning for the future, and development of abstract ideas
70
hemispheric lateralization
functional asymmetry between the hemispheres; specializations in certain function Left hemisphere receives signals from and controls the right side of the body and vice versa Left is more important for spoken and written language, numerical and scientific skills, ability to use and understand sign language, and reasoning Right is more important for musical and artistic awareness, spatial and pattern perception, recognition of faces and emotional content of language, and for generating mental images of sight, sound, touch, gustation, and olfaction
71
Memory
the process by which info acquired through learning is stored and retrieved; it must produce structural and functional changes in the brain
72
parts of the brain involved with memory
Association areas of the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes Parts of the limbic system The diencephalon
73
parts of the brain involved with memory of motor skills
basal nuclei cerebellum cerebral cortex
74
analgesia
pain relif
75
anethesia
loss of sensation
76
nerve block
loss of sensation due to injection of a local anesthetic
77
neuraglia
attacks of pain along the entire length of a local anesthetic

Anatomy & Physiology (15 decks)

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