1. STRUCTURE OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM Flashcards
What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?
- Central Nervous System (CNS)
2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
What are the two main divisions of the peripheral nervous system?
- Autonomic Nervous System - involuntary control such as heart rate, breathing & digestion
- Somatic Nervous System - voluntary control of locomotion, skin, joints, skeletal muscle
What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?
- Parasympathetic - rest & digest
2. Sympathetic - fight or flight
What are the functions of the brain?
- The brain is the most complex organ and has both basic & complex functions
- Basic = breathing, organ functions & movement
- Complex - thought, emotion & behaviour
What are the three regions of the brain?
- FOREBRAIN
- Telencephalon
- Diencephalon - BRAIN STEM
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla Oblongata - CEREBELLUM
What comprises the forebrain?
- Telencephalon (cerebrum)
- Diencephalon
What comprises the brain stem?
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla Oblongata
What are the 4 axes of the brain?
- ANTERIOR-POSTERIOR - front (anterior) & back (posterior)
- DORSAL-VENTRAL - dorsal (top) & ventral (bottom)
- ROSTRAL-CAUDAL - rostral (nose) & caudal (tail)
- INFERIOR-SUPERIOR - inferior (below) & superior (above)
What are the three planes of the brain?
- CORONAL - divides brain into anterior (front) & posterior (back), also known as a frontal section
- HORIZONTAL - divides brain into superior (above) & inferior (below)
- SAGGITAL - divides the brain into left & right hemispheres
*What is the hippocampus & it’s functions?
- Hippocampus is a region of the cerebral cortex found in the temporal lobe. It’s functions are:
1. Learning
2. Memory formation & retrieval
3. Regulation of HPA
Give an example of a clinical case that involved hippocampal dysfunction?
- Clive Wearing contracted a virus which affected his hippocampus
- He suffered anterograde & retrograde amnesia
What are the cranial nerves?
- The cranial nerves are 12 pairs of nerves that arise from the brain stem & carry out various functions
What is cranial nerve 1 & what does it do?
- Cranial nerve 1 is the OLFACTORY NERVE
- It is a SPECIAL SENSORY nerve involved in the sensation of olfaction (smell)
What is cranial nerve 2 & what does it do?
- Cranial nerve 2 is the OPTIC NERVE
- It is a SPECIAL SENSORY nerve involved in the sensation of vision
What is cranial nerve 3 & what 2 functions does it have?
- Cranial nerve 3 is the OCULOMOTOR NERVE
- It has MOTOR functions
1. Movement of the eye & eyelid
2. Parasympathetic control of pupil size