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Neuroscience and Mental health > 9. Central Nervous System > Flashcards

9. Central Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

Receptors

A

SOMATIC: monitor outside world
VISCERAL: internal conditions

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2
Q

Where do receptors feed into?

A

Afferent division of the peripheral nervous system

Brings information to CNS

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3
Q

What occurs in the CNS?

A

Information processing and coordination of sensory input and motor commands

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4
Q

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

A

Somatic

Autonomic

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5
Q

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

A

Skeletal muscle

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6
Q

What are the 2 divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Sympathetic

Parasympathetic

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7
Q

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

A

Smooth muscle
Cardiac muscle
Glands

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8
Q

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

A

More neurones

Thus be smarter animals

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9
Q

What is the role of the cerebellum?

A

Coordinates complex somatic motor patterns

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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

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11
Q

What lies beneath the corpus callosum?

A

Diencephalon

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12
Q

What structure connects the right and left hemispheres?

A

Corpus Callosum

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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

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14
Q

What is the role of the midbrain?

A

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

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15
Q

What is the role of the pons?

A

Relays sensory info to cerebellum and thalamus

Subconscious somatic and visceral motor centres

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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

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17
Q

Difference between meaning of “ventral” in body and brain

A

Body: Towards abdomen
Brain: Inferior

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18
Q

Difference between meaning of “dorsal” in body and brain

A

Body: Towards back
Brain: Superior

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19
Q

What makes the pons recognisable?

A

It bulges anteriorly

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20
Q

Describe the spinal cord

A

33 vertebrae

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

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21
Q

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

A

Intervertebral Foramina

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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.

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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

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24
Q

List the groups of vertebral segments

A 
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccygeal
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25
What does each spinal cord segment innervate?
A particular skin area (Dermatome) | A particular muscle area (Myotome)
26
Cauda equina
=Bundle of nerve fibres | Diameter varies throughout spinal cord
27
What is in the core of grey matter in the spine?
Cell bodies of neurones
28
What are in the bundles of white matter surrounding the grey matter core?
Myelinated axons
29
What does the Dorsal horn contain?
Cell bodies receiving sensory information
30
What does the Ventral horn contain?
Cell bodies of motor neurones
31
List 4 functions of the spinal cord
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
What is the name of the area inside the vertebral canal beneath the point at which the spinal cord ends?
Lumbar Cistern
33
What is the name of the structure in the Lumbar cistern?
Cauda Equina
34
What is the difference between the dorsal horns and the ventral horns?
Dorsal horns are SENSORY: the impulses come towards the CNS | Ventral horns are MOTOR: the impulses go away from the CNS
35
How did the brain initially develop and what do the 3 parts of this initial brain differentiate into?
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
What is the brainstem composed of?
Midbrain Pons Medulla oblongata
37
What is the cerebrum composed of?
Cerebral hemisphere and diencephalon
38
Positioning of the brainstem
Continues down to the top of the spinal cord
39
What originates from the brain stem?
10 Cranial nerves | Control basic functions e.g. breathing, swallowing
40
What are the cerebral hemispheres comprised of?
Cortex | Basal ganglia
41
What are the 2 basal ganglia, what are they comprised of?
Corpus Striatum: Caudate + Putamen | Lentiform nucleus: Putamen + Globus Pallidus
42
What is the function of basal ganglia?
Control of movement: Facilitating voluntary movement Inhibiting unwanted or inappropriate movements “Fine tuning”
43
Describe the cerebral cortex
``` 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
What is the limbic system involved in?
Motivation Instinctive behaviour Emotion Memory
45
How is the cerebellum attached to the brainstem?
Attached to the brainstem posteriorly, by 3 pairs of peduncles
46
Structure of cerebellum
Grey cortex on surface (with deep parallel folds, folia) Deeper white matter, with nuclei. 2 hemispheres divided in lobes, central vermis
47
What is the cerebellum connected to?
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
What are Commissural fibres?
Connect 2 parts of the brain (1 from each side) e.g. Corpus callosum
49
What are association fibres?
Connect different structures on the same side
50
What are projection fibres?
are vertical | e.g. Sensory fibres from spinal cord fan out to project to a wide area of the cortex and corona radiata
51
Why does the nervous tissue of the brain need to be protected? How is it protected?
Nervous tissue is fragile | Protected by the cranium
52
What is the function of the meninges?
Protection
53
What are the 3 layers of the meninges?
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
Describe the ventricular system of the brain.
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
Where is cerebrospinal fluid produced?
``` Choroid plexus (a special type of ependymal cell found in the ventricles) ```
56
Where does CSF leave the ventricles and enter the subarachnoid space?
CSF leaves the ventricles in the 4th ventricle, which has small holes in it
57
How is CSF reabsorbed into the venous system?
CSF is reabsorbed into the venous system by arachnoid villi
58
How much CSF is produced per day?
~500ml
59
Describe the composition of CSF
``` 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
5 functions of CSF
``` Cushioning Nutrition Removing waste Immune cells Diagnostic ```

Neuroscience and Mental health (11 decks)

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