4C neurobiology Flashcards
What are the three membranes surrounding the brain called?
Meninges
Inflammation of these membranes is known as meningitis.
What fluid fills the four ventricles inside the brain?
Cerebrospinal fluid
This fluid supplies the neurones of the brain with oxygen and nutrients such as glucose.
Name the three main regions of the brain.
- Hindbrain
- Midbrain
- Forebrain
Which part of the brain is involved in controlling heart rate, ventilation, and blood pressure?
Medulla oblongata
What is the primary function of the cerebellum?
Maintenance of posture and coordination of voluntary muscular activity eg writing
What connects the forebrain to the hindbrain?
Nerve fibres in the midbrain
List the components of the forebrain.
- Hypothalamus
- Thalamus
- Cerebrum
What functions does the cerebrum control?
- Voluntary behaviour
- Learning
- Reasoning
- Personality
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
- Regulating body temperature
- Blood solute concentration
- Thirst
- Hunger
- Sleep
What is the main controlling region of the autonomic nervous system?
Hypothalamus
What does the thalamus do?
Acts as an important relay centre, sending and receiving information to and from the cerebral cortex
Which areas of the brain do the hypothalamus and thalamus interconnect with?
Different areas including the hippocampus
What system is formed by the interconnections of the hypothalamus, thalamus, and hippocampus?
Limbic system
What functions are associated with the limbic system?
- Emotion
- Learning
- Memory
What is the role of the hippocampus?
- Learning
- Reasoning
- Personality
- Consolidating memories into a permanent store
What is the autonomic nervous system?
The autonomic nervous system is part of the peripheral nervous system and controls involuntary responses such as heart rate and blood pressure. It is regulated from the hypothalamus.
What are the two opposing systems of the autonomic nervous system?
The two opposing systems are the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.
What does the sympathetic nervous system do?
The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for ‘fight or flight’ using adrenaline, increasing blood pressure, heart and ventilation rates, dilating pupils and bronchi, and inhibiting peristalsis, saliva production, and digestion.
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?
The parasympathetic nervous system prepares the body to ‘rest and digest’, decreasing heart and ventilation rates and using acetylcholine.
What neurotransmitter does the sympathetic nervous system use?
The sympathetic nervous system uses the neurotransmitter adrenaline.
What neurotransmitter does the parasympathetic nervous system use?
The parasympathetic nervous system uses the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
What system controls many processes in the human body through nervous control and hormones?
The autonomic nervous system
The autonomic nervous system is responsible for involuntary bodily functions.
What is the role of hormones in the human body?
Hormones are secreted from endocrine glands directly into the blood to transport to target organs/tissues.
Hormones regulate various physiological processes.
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
The hypothalamus links nervous and endocrine regulation and regulates physical responses to stimuli.
It receives sensory information and influences hormone release from the pituitary gland.
Why is the pituitary gland referred to as the master gland?
It releases hormones that control many functions of the body.
The pituitary gland’s hormones influence growth, metabolism, and reproductive processes.
Fill in the blank: The _______ is the link between nervous and endocrine regulation.
hypothalamus
What are the main endocrine glands?
- Hypothalamus
- Pituitary gland
- Pineal gland
These glands play crucial roles in hormone secretion and regulation.
True or False: The hypothalamus causes the pituitary gland to release hormones in response to sensory information.
True
What does the pituitary gland regulate?
It regulates many functions of the body through hormone release.
This includes functions like stress response and reproductive health.
Fill in the blank: Hormones are secreted from _______ glands.
endocrine
