Week 33 /Nervous System 4 Flashcards
(68 cards)
Q: What are the three main areas of the brain?
A: The hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain.
Q: What structures make up the hindbrain?
A: The cerebellum, the pons, and the medulla.
Q: What is the brainstem composed of? [3]
A: The midbrain, pons, and medulla (sometimes only the pons and medulla oblongata).
Q: Where are all cranial nerves situated?
A: In the brainstem.
Q: Where is the medulla oblongata located?
[location?]
[where is it in between ?]
A: The medulla oblongata is the lowest part of the brain, located between the pons and the spinal cord. It is continuous with the spinal cord.
Q: What are the functions of the medulla oblongata? [5]
A: The medulla oblongata controls:
Breathing
Maintaining steady heart rate and blood pressure
Swallowing, vomiting
Urination and defecation
Coordinating lifesaving reflexes
Q: What important centers are located in the medulla? [2]
A: The medulla contains:
Cardiac, respiratory, and vasomotor centers.
Chemoreceptor trigger zone, which communicates with other structures to initiate vomiting
Q: What is the main function of the pons?
A: The pons connects the cerebral cortex with the medulla oblongata and helps transfer messages between various parts of the brain and spinal cord.
Q: What sensory and motor functions does the pons serve?
A: The pons is involved in motor control and sensory analysis, acting as a sensory/motor relay center.
Q: What cranial nerve nuclei are located in the pons? [4]
A: The pons contains the nuclei for:
Trigeminal nerve (sensory nucleus, V)
Abducens nucleus (VI)
Facial nerve nucleus (VII)
Vestibulocochlear nuclei (VIII)
Q: How does the pons assist with the respiratory system?
A: The pons helps regulate the respiratory system by assisting the medulla oblongata in controlling breathing rate.
Q: What autonomic body functions does the pons help control?
A: The pons helps control autonomic body functions such as regulating the heart, stomach, and intestines.
Q: What is the role of the raphe nuclei in the pons?
A: The raphe nuclei in the pons are the principal site for the synthesis of serotonin, which plays a role in mood regulation, sleep, and arousal.
Q: How does the pons contribute to sleep-wake cycles?
A: Chemicals produced in the pons help maintain the sleep-wake cycle, and it activates inhibitory centers in the medulla to inhibit movement during sleep.
Q: What is the primary role of the cerebellum?
A: The cerebellum is responsible for sensorimotor functions, playing a key role in regulating motor movement and balance control.
Q: What happens if the cerebellum is damaged?
A: Damage to the cerebellum can result in conditions like cerebral palsy, which affect movement and coordination.
Q: How does the cerebellum contribute to motor control?
A: The cerebellum coordinates gait, maintains posture, controls muscle tone, and regulates voluntary muscle activity, but it cannot initiate muscle contraction.
Q: What are the key nuclei found in the midbrain?
A: The key nuclei in the midbrain include the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, periaqueductal gray, raphe nuclei, and locus coeruleus.
Q: What role does the substantia nigra play, and how is it related to Parkinson’s disease?
A: The substantia nigra produces dopamine (DA). Its degeneration is linked to Parkinson’s disease, which is characterized by motor dysfunction due to a lack of dopamine.
Q: What is the function of the ventral tegmental area (VTA)?
A: The VTA is involved in the release of dopamine (DA) and plays a significant role in reward and addiction.
Q: What neurotransmitters are involved in the periaqueductal gray?
A: The periaqueductal gray is involved in opioid and GABA signaling and plays a role in pain modulation.
Q: What is the significance of the raphe nuclei in the brain?
[where is it located? [3]]
[what is it responsible for?]
A: The raphe nuclei, located in the medulla, pons, and midbrain, are responsible for producing serotonin (5-HT), which is targeted by antidepressants.
Q: What does the locus coeruleus do?
[where is it located?]
[what does it do?]
A: The locus coeruleus, located in the pons, produces noradrenaline (NA) and is involved in regulating arousal and the body’s stress response.
Q: What important functions does the midbrain control?
A: The midbrain controls important functions such as the visual and auditory systems and is crucial for hearing and sight. It also plays a role in eye movement.