9. Central Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

Receptors

A

SOMATIC: monitor outside world
VISCERAL: internal conditions

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

Where do receptors feed into?

A

Afferent division of the peripheral nervous system

Brings information to CNS

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

What occurs in the CNS?

A

Information processing and coordination of sensory input and motor commands

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

What are the 2 divisions of the efferent peripheral nervous system?

A

Somatic

Autonomic

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

What are the effector(s) of the somatic nervous system?

A

Skeletal muscle

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

What are the 2 divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Sympathetic

Parasympathetic

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

What are the effector(s) of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Smooth muscle
Cardiac muscle
Glands

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

What does having a highly folded core allow humans to have?

A

More neurones

Thus be smarter animals

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

What is the role of the cerebellum?

A

Coordinates complex somatic motor patterns

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

What are the 2 parts of the diencephalon?

A

Thalamus: Integration centre for somatic and special sensory info and projection to cortex. Involved in emotional status, consciousness, appropriate motor response.
Hypothalamus: integration hub. Regulates temperature, emotion, hunger, thirst, hormone and autonomic function

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

What lies beneath the corpus callosum?

A

Diencephalon

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

What structure connects the right and left hemispheres?

A

Corpus Callosum

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

What is the role of the cerebrum?

A

Conscious thought processes, intellectual functions
Memory storage and processing
Conscious and subconscious regulation of skeletal muscle contraction

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

What is the role of the midbrain?

A

Processing visual and auditory data
Generation of reflexive somatic motor responses
Maintenance of consciousness

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

What is the role of the pons?

A

Relays sensory info to cerebellum and thalamus

Subconscious somatic and visceral motor centres

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

What is the role of the medulla oblongata?

A

Relays sensory info to thalamus and brain stem

Autonomic centres for regulation of visceral function

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

Difference between meaning of “ventral” in body and brain

A

Body: Towards abdomen
Brain: Inferior

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

Difference between meaning of “dorsal” in body and brain

A

Body: Towards back
Brain: Superior

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

What makes the pons recognisable?

A

It bulges anteriorly

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

Describe the spinal cord

A

33 vertebrae

31 pairs of nerves (in cervical segment there are 7 vertebrae and 8 nerves)

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

What are the hole in the vertebral column that spinal nerves pass through called?

A

Intervertebral Foramina

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

Spinal cord and vertebral column relative lengths

A

Spinal cord is shorter than the vertebral column: finishes at L1/L2
Below this is just emergence of nerves.

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

What is the consequence of there being no nervous tissue in lumbar cistern?

A

Provides safe site for lumbar puncture, usually between L3 and L4

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

List the groups of vertebral segments

A
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccygeal
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What does each spinal cord segment innervate?

A

A particular skin area (Dermatome)

A particular muscle area (Myotome)

26
Q

Cauda equina

A

=Bundle of nerve fibres

Diameter varies throughout spinal cord

27
Q

What is in the core of grey matter in the spine?

A

Cell bodies of neurones

28
Q

What are in the bundles of white matter surrounding the grey matter core?

A

Myelinated axons

29
Q

What does the Dorsal horn contain?

A

Cell bodies receiving sensory information

30
Q

What does the Ventral horn contain?

A

Cell bodies of motor neurones

31
Q

List 4 functions of the spinal cord

A
  1. Connects the peripheral nervous system to the brain
  2. Carries sensory signals to the brain
  3. Carries motor signals to the muscles
  4. Coordinates reflexes
32
Q

What is the name of the area inside the vertebral canal beneath the point at which the spinal cord ends?

A

Lumbar Cistern

33
Q

What is the name of the structure in the Lumbar cistern?

A

Cauda Equina

34
Q

What is the difference between the dorsal horns and the ventral horns?

A

Dorsal horns are SENSORY: the impulses come towards the CNS

Ventral horns are MOTOR: the impulses go away from the CNS

35
Q

How did the brain initially develop and what do the 3 parts of this initial brain differentiate into?

A

Initially developed as the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain.
Forebrain became the cerebral hemisphere and diencephalon
Midbrain remained as the midbrain
Hindbrain became the pons, medulla and cerebellum

36
Q

What is the brainstem composed of?

A

Midbrain
Pons
Medulla oblongata

37
Q

What is the cerebrum composed of?

A

Cerebral hemisphere and diencephalon

38
Q

Positioning of the brainstem

A

Continues down to the top of the spinal cord

39
Q

What originates from the brain stem?

A

10 Cranial nerves

Control basic functions e.g. breathing, swallowing

40
Q

What are the cerebral hemispheres comprised of?

A

Cortex

Basal ganglia

41
Q

What are the 2 basal ganglia, what are they comprised of?

A

Corpus Striatum: Caudate + Putamen

Lentiform nucleus: Putamen + Globus Pallidus

42
Q

What is the function of basal ganglia?

A

Control of movement:
Facilitating voluntary movement
Inhibiting unwanted or inappropriate movements
“Fine tuning”

43
Q

Describe the cerebral cortex

A
2-4 mm thick 
~30% exposed
70% within sulci (grooves)
Deeply divided by fissures
Highly folded into gyrus 
Laminar= 6 layers in most of cortex
Somatotopic- “has a map of body”, each part of body is represented on cortex, size dependent on sensitivity
44
Q

What is the limbic system involved in?

A

Motivation
Instinctive behaviour
Emotion
Memory

45
Q

How is the cerebellum attached to the brainstem?

A

Attached to the brainstem posteriorly, by 3 pairs of peduncles

46
Q

Structure of cerebellum

A

Grey cortex on surface (with deep parallel folds, folia)
Deeper white matter, with nuclei.
2 hemispheres divided in lobes, central vermis

47
Q

What is the cerebellum connected to?

A

Vestibular system for balance
Spinal cord and muscles of locomotion, posture; muscle tone
Motor cortex and thalamus for learned movements (e.g. manual skills, trajectory, timing, speed and force)

48
Q

What are Commissural fibres?

A

Connect 2 parts of the brain (1 from each side) e.g. Corpus callosum

49
Q

What are association fibres?

A

Connect different structures on the same side

50
Q

What are projection fibres?

A

are vertical

e.g. Sensory fibres from spinal cord fan out to project to a wide area of the cortex and corona radiata

51
Q

Why does the nervous tissue of the brain need to be protected? How is it protected?

A

Nervous tissue is fragile

Protected by the cranium

52
Q

What is the function of the meninges?

A

Protection

53
Q

What are the 3 layers of the meninges?

A

Dura mater (outer): 2 layers
space between
Arachnoid mater (middle): holds vessels in place
Sub-arachnoid space: filled with CSF, vessels run through here
Pia mater (Inner)

54
Q

Describe the ventricular system of the brain.

A

2 large lateral ventricles (C shaped), 1 for each cerebral hemisphere.
Lateral ventricles narrow and form the 3rd ventricle, which is in the diencephalon
3rd ventricle narrows to form the cerebral aqueduct, which passes down through the midbrain and becomes a tent-shaped structure called the 4th ventricle.
4th ventricle is behind the pons and medulla and in front of the cerebellum.
4th ventricle then narrows to form the central canal, which runs down the spinal cord.

55
Q

Where is cerebrospinal fluid produced?

A
Choroid plexus
(a special type of ependymal cell found in the ventricles)
56
Q

Where does CSF leave the ventricles and enter the subarachnoid space?

A

CSF leaves the ventricles in the 4th ventricle, which has small holes in it

57
Q

How is CSF reabsorbed into the venous system?

A

CSF is reabsorbed into the venous system by arachnoid villi

58
Q

How much CSF is produced per day?

A

~500ml

59
Q

Describe the composition of CSF

A
Similar to plasma (high Na+, low K+) but: 
Lower glucose
Much lower protein
Lower Ca2+, K+
Higher Cl-, Mg
Slightly lower pH (7.33)
60
Q

5 functions of CSF

A
Cushioning
Nutrition
Removing waste
Immune cells
Diagnostic