A&P 1: Block 3 Flashcards
What are the major parts of the brain?
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Diencephalon
Cerebrum
What are the 3 parts of the brain stem
Medulla oblongata
Pons
Midbrain
Cerebellum aka?
little brain
Diencephalon comprised of what 2 things?
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
What is the largest part of the brain?
How is it supported?
Cerebrum
Supported on diencephalon and brain stem
What are the 3 layers of the meninges
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
Cranial dura mater has _ layers
Spinal dura mater has _layers
Cranial: 2
Spinal: 1
What are the two layers of the cranial dura mater?
Which one is continuous w/ spinal meninges?
External periosteal layer
Internal miningeal layer- continuous w/ spinal dura mater
The 2 layers of cranial dura mater are fused together except for where?
Separate to enclose dural venous sinuses that drain blood from brain->internal jugular vein
What are the 3 extensions of the dura mater?
Falx cerebri: separates hemispheres of CEREBRUM
Falx cerebeli: separates hemispheres of CEREBELLUM
Tentorium cerebelli: separates cerebrum from cerebellum
Neurons synthesize ATP almost exclusively from ____
glucose
How is the BBB disrupted?
Trauma
Toxins
Inflammation
What parts of the brain lack the BBB
Pineal gland
Pituitary gland
Hypothalamus (median eminence of hypothalamus)
What area senses toxins in the blood?
Where is it located?
Area postrema
4th ventricle in medulla
What area of the brain controls vomiting
Area postrema
4th ventricle in medulla
What two structures form the BBB
Tight junctions of endothelial cells in capillaries
Astrocyte foot processes
What substances cross the BBB by active transport?
Water soluble (glucose)
What substances cross BBB very slowly?
Creatine
Urea
Most ions
What substances can not cross the BBB at all?
Proteins
Antibiotic drugs
What substances cross the BBB easily?
O2
CO2
Alcohol
Most anesthetic agents
Major functions of CSF
Protection- chemical/physical
Carries O2, glucose and chemicals to neurons and neuroglia
CSF circulates between what layers of mater?
Between Arachnoid and Pia
How many ventricles does the brain have?
4 Lateral Septum pellucidum 3rd- narrow cavity surrounded by R/L halves of thalamus 4th- between brain stem and cerebellum
CSF contributes to brain homeostasis in what 3 ways?
Mechanical protection- jolting and floats
Chemical- optimal ionic composition
Medium for nutrient/waste exchange
Where is CSF produced?
Choroid plexuses in walls of each lateral ventricles
Capillary network covered w/ ependymal cells
How does CSF flow into 3rd brain ventricle?
two openings called
Interventricular foramina
How does CSF flow into 4th ventricle?
Through cerebral aqueduct
How does CSF enter the subarachnoid space?
3 openings in roof of 4th ventricle
Median aperture
Two lateral apertures
How is CSF reabsorbed into the blood?
Arachnoid villi
Reabsorbed as fast as it’s secreted
Define hydrocephalus
Excess CSF in brain
How does hydrocephalus occur in adults?
Head injury
Meningitis
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
How is hydrocephalus often treated?
Shunt placement
How are PTs with obstructive hydrocephalus treated?
Third ventriculostomy
Hole is made in floor of 3rd ventricle so CSF can bypass obstruction
What formation extend throughout the brain stem?
Reticular formation composed of gray and white matter
What functions does the medulla oblongata control?
Breathing
HR
BP
Reflexes of cough, swallow, vomit
Where does the medulla oblongata begin?
Foramen magnum
Define ascending/descending tracts of the medulla oblongata
Ascending- sensory
Descending- motor
What type of matter make up the ascending and descending tracts of the medulla oblongata?
White
Define pyramids of the medulla oblongata
Bulges of white matter on anterior
Largest motor tracts pass from cerebrum to spinal cord
Pyramids represent the corticospinal tracts
Define decussation of pyramids
Axons of L pyramid cross to R side, vice versa
Define medullary nuceli
What are the 6 medullary nuclei
Masses of gray matter where neurons from synapses w/ one another to control vital body functions
Cardiovascular center- HR rate/force, vessel diameter
Medullary rhythmicity- basic rhythm of breathing
Deglutition center- swallowing bolus
Gustatory nucleus- input from taste buds to brain
Cochlear nuclei- auditory input
Vestibular nuclei- equilibrium pathway
Define Olive and their function
Lateral to each pyramid
Inferior olivary nucleus relays impulses to cerebellum from cerebral cortex, red nucleus and spinal proprioceptors
Define Posterior nuclei and its function
R/L gracile nucleus and cuneate nucleus make posterior medulla
Associated w/ sensations of touch, conscious proprioception and vibration
Where do first-order sensory neurons have their cell bodies?
Dorsal roots of spinal cord
Where are second-order neurons located?
Posterior nucleus of medulla
Define medial lemniscus
Band of white matter in thalamus of second order neurons
Where does the medial lemniscus run through?
Medulla
Pons
Midbrain
What do the tracts and columns of the posterior medial lemniscus form?
Posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway
S/Sx of injury to medulla site?
Paralysis/loss of sensation on opposite side of body
Irregular breathing/HR rhythm
Pons consists of which nuclei?
Both, sensory and motor
What type of relay signals does the pontine nuclei relay?
Voluntary movements from cerebral cortex origin to cerebellum
How does the Pons help the medulla w/ breathing?
Pons contains pneumotaxic and apneustic area which work in conjunction w/ medullary rhythmic area
What comprises the respiratory center
bilateral clusters in medulla and pons
Comprised of rhythmic, pneumotaxic and apneustic areas
Medullary rhythmic area control which specific parts of respiration?
Inspiration area
Expiratory area
Pneumotaxic and apneustic areas control what specific parts of respiration?
transition between inhalation and exhalation
Pneumotaxic turns off inspiratory area before lungs become full
Apneustic prolongs inhalation by stimulating inspiratory area
Vestibulocochlear nerve has nuclei in which two parts of the brain stem?
Pons and medulla
Vestibular branch: sensory axons ending in vestibular nuclei in pons (some enter cerebellum via inferior cerebellar peduncle
Cochlear: sensory axons end in nuclei in medulla oblongata
Axons of motor neurons in both branches project from pons to hair cell sin semicircular and spiral organ
Midbrain is also termed what?
Mesenchephalon
Function of the midbrain?
What kind of tracts are here?
Connects pons to diencephalon Both types (like medulla and pons)
Function of cerebral peduncles
Corticospinal
Corticobulbar
Corticopontine
Define tectum
roof
two pairs of elevations called corpora quadrigemina
Define corpora quadrigemina
Superior/inferior colliculi (little hills)
Superior: reflex centers for visual reflexes and visual tracking of moving objects
Inferior: auditory reflex centers
What are the two visual reflexes in the Superior Colliculi
What do these two reflexes account for in one action?
Pupillary reflex: adjusts size of pupil
Accommodation reflex: shape of lens for close/distant vision
Involuntary turning of head when an object is seen out of the corner of an eye
Function of inferior colliculi
Relay auditory impulse from ear to thalamus
What reflex is located in the inferior colliculi
Startle reflex, involuntary head turning in response to a loud/unexpected noise
What are the two nuclei of the midbrain and what are their functions?
Substantia nigra: releases dopamine, subconscious muscle movements
Red nuclei: rich blood and iron containing pigment. Cerebellum and cerebral cortex synapses merge here to coordinate muscular movements
Loss of what midbrain nuclei is associated with Parkinson’s disease?
Substantia nigra
What muscle movements does the Red Nuclei control?
Babies crawling
Arm movement during walking (large muscles of shoulders and arms)
What spinal tract originates in the red nucleus?
Where does this tract end?
Rubrospinal tract
Superior thoracic region which is why this tract doesn’t have impact in lower limb movement
Define reticular formation
Small clusters of neuronal cell bodies along with bundles of myelinated axons
Reticular formation comprises of what kinds of neurons?
Sensory
Motor
Main function of descending neurons from reticular formation?
Regulate muscle tone
What is the function of the reticular activating system?
Maintain consciousness and participate in awakening from sleep
What is the central constricted area of the cerebellum
Vermis
What are the lateral lobes of the cerebellum called?
Hemispheres
What are the ridges/convolutions of the cerebellum called?
Folia
The cerebellar cortex is what color matter?
Gray
The white matter of the cerebral cortex forms what structure?
arbor vitae (tree of life)
Function of the cerebellar peduncles
White matter axons that conduct impulses between cerebellum and rest of the brain
Difference between Cerebral Peduncles and Cerebellar Peduncles
Cerebral: anterior, cerebrum->spine
Cerebellar: posterior, cerebellum->brain
What part of the brain regulates posture and balance?
Cerebellum
What is the main function of the cerebellum?
Evaluate how well movements are carried out and sending feedback to motor areas
Function of the Anterior and Posterior lobes of the cerebellum
Unconscious refinements of skeletal muscle movements
What is the function of the floculonodular lobe of the cerebellum
Equilibrium and balance
Define ataxia
What causes this?
Inability to coordinate muscle movements Infection Injury Disease Degenerative changes
Diencephalon comprises what 4 structures
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Epithalamus
Subthalamus
Diencephalon surrounds what ventricle?
How far does it extend?
Third
Stem to cerebrum
How are the two halves of the thalamus connected?
Across the third ventricle by bridge of gray matter- intermediate mass
Function of the thalamus
Main relay station for most sensory impulses reaching the cerebral cortex from the spine, stem and midbrain
Regulation of autonomic activities and maintenance of consciousness
What is the Internal Capsule
Thick band of white matter
Separates thalamus and caudate nucleus from lentiform nucleus
Function of the hypothalamus
Regulator of homeostasis
Regulates the pituitary
“Bosses boss”
Control of autonomic NS Hormone production Emotion/behavior Eating/drinking regulation Body temp Cardiac rhythms States of consciousness
Function of the mammillary bodies
Relay stations for reflexes related to sense of smell
What are some of the important parameters interpreted by the hypothalamus?
Glucose
Osmotic pressure
Blood temp
Hormones
What comprises f the epithalamus?
What do those structures do?
Habenular nuclei and pineal gland
Habenular: olfaction, emotional responses to odors
Pineal: secretes melatonin
Function of the subthalamus
Works with other structures to control body movement
Define gyrus
folds within the brain
Define sulcus
Shallow grooves in between gyri
Define fissure
Which ones are more prominent?
Deeper grooves in between gyri
Longitudinal- separates brain into R/L hemisphere
When/how are gyri and fissures formed?
During embryonic development when gray matter of cortex enlarges faster than the deeper white matter
How do the R and L hemisphere communicate?
Commissure called Corpus Callosum, the largest fiber bundle in the brain
What are the 4 lobes of the brain?
Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital
What separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe?
Central sulcus
What separates the frontal and temporal lobes?
Lateral cerebral sulcus
What separates the parietal lobe from the occipital lobe?
Pariteo-occipital sulcus
What are the 3 tracts in the cerebral white matter?
Association tract: myelinated fibers for impulses between gyri in same hemisphere
Commissural tract: myelinated fibers for impulses from gyri to gyri in opposite hemispheres(corpus callosum)
Projection tract: myelinated fibers for impulses from cerebrum to lower CNS (thalamus, stem, cord) OR from them up to CNS(internal capsule)
What are the 3 important commissural tracts?
Corpus callosum
Anterior commissure
Posterior commissure
What are the 3 nuclei within each cerebral hemisphere?
Globus pallidus
Putamen
Caudate nucleus
What comprises the lentiform nucleus?
Globus pallidus
Putamen
What comprises the Corpus striatum?
Globus pallidus
Putamen
Caudate nucleus
What does the internal capsule separate?
Where is it located?
Caudate nucleus of basal ganglia and the thalamus separated from lentiform nucleus of the basal ganglia
Lateral to the thalamus
What does the lentiform nucleus consist of?
Putamen and globus pallidus
What does the basal ganglia help regulate?
Initiation and termination of movement
Controls inconscient (unconcious) contractions
Muscle tone
Action selection- decision when several possible behaviors to execute at a given time
What are the two movement disorders the basal ganglia is involved with?
Parkinsons- melanin-pigment dopamine producing neurons degenerate
Huntingtons- damage to corpus striatum
Damage to basal ganglia causes what three signs?
Damage to the basal ganglia has also been associated to what two conditions?
tremors
stiffness
involuntary movements
OCD and ADHD
Define limbic system
Emotional brain
Emotions, pain, pleasure, docility, affection and anger
The cerebral structures of the limbic system encircle what part of the brain?
Upper part of brain stem
What are the main components of the limbic system?
Hippocampus Anygdala Limbic lobe Dentate gyrus Cingulate gyrus Hypothalamus mammillary bodies Anterior/medial nuclei of thalamus Olfactory bulbs Fornix
Function of the hippocampus
Converting new info to long-term memories
Function of the amygdala
Behavior patterns- docile, rage, presence/absence of fear/aggression and restlessness
Function and location of Cingulate gyrus
Superior to corpus callosum
Limbic system- emotion formation, learning and memory
Coordinates sensory input with emotions, regulates aggression and mediates emotional response to pain
Function and location of Fornix
Band of nerve fibers extending from hippocampus to mamillary body of hypothalamus, forming arch over thalamus
Carries signals from hippocampus to hypothalamus, transfer of info from mammillary body of limbic system to hippocampus
Hippocampus is critical for the formation of what two types of memories?
Autobiographical
Fact
What happens when the hippocampus is damages?
Anterograde amnesia- loss/inability to form new memories while preserving old memories
What part of the brain is termed the “executive suite” of the NS?
Cerebral cortex
What is the function of the cerebral cortex?
Allows us to communicate, perceive, remember, understand, appreciate, and initiate voluntary movements.
Seat of consiousness
What kind of matter comprises the cerebral cortex?
Gray matter only
Neuron cell bodies, dendrites, unmyelinated axons plus glia and blood vessels
NO fiber tracts
What are the 3 generalizations of the cerebral cortex?
Contralateral concerning
Symmetrical hemispheres in size, not function
No functional area of the cortex acts alone
What are the 3 general areas of the cerebral cortex?
Sensory- receive/interpret sensory impulses
Motor- initiate movement
Association- communicate w/ motor cortex and other association areas (analyze, recognize and act on sensory inputs)
Define Primary sensory areas
receive nerve impulses from sensory neurons without prior filtering/analysis
Define Primary motor areas
originators of voluntary muscular contractions
Define Association area
includes cortical areas that do not have word “primary” in their name. Receive input from primary areas, integrate sensory experiences to generate meaningful recognition/awareness
Where does speech originate from in the brain?
Broca’s area
Planning and production takes place, impulses sent to premotor regions that control muscles of larynx, pharynx and mouth
Function of Wernicke’s Area
Interprets meaning of speech by recognizing words
Define Aphasia
Inability to use or comprehend words
Where are Broca and Wernicke’s area located?
L cerebral hemisphere, regardless if R or L handed
What causes Non-Fluent Aphasia
Damage to Broca’s area
Know what they want to say but can not speak it
What causes Fluent Aphasia?
Damage to Wernicke’s area
Faulty understanding of spoken or written words
Words put together but no combined meaning (word salad)
Word deafness (inability to understand spoken words) Word blindness(inability to understand written words)
L hemisphere has greater control of what functions?
Language
Math
Logic
R hemisphere has greater control of what functions?
Visual-spacial
Intuition
Emotion
Ar/music appreciation
Define hemispheric lateralization
functional asymmetry of R/L hemisphere control
Sequence of events in Alzheimers
Difficulty remembering recent events Confusion/forgetful- repeating questions or getting lost in familiar areas Disorientation and loss of memories Loss ability to read, walk, eat, talk Death attributed to complications
What 3 findings in autopsy of Alzheimers
Loss of neurons that secrete Ach
Destruction of neurons in nucleus basalis (hallmark)
Beta-amyloid plaques- protein deposits outside of neurons
Neurofibrillary tangles- abnormal bundles of protein filaments inside neurons
Define concussion
brain injury characteried by abrupt/temporary loss of consciousness, vision disturbances, equilibrium problems
MOST COMMON brain injury
Define contusion
Bruising of the brain from trauma
Define free radical
charged molecule w/ unpaired valence e-
Define hematoma
localized pool of blood, clotted
Define hypoxia
O2 deprivation
Define Ischemia
localized reduction of blood flow
Define laceration
Tear of the brain, bleeding follows
Define necrosis/necrotic
Pathologic death of living tissue
Define cerebrovascular accident
Loss of brain function characterized by abrupt onset of neurological symptoms due to destruction of brain tissue
Common cause: intracerebral hemorrhage, emboli and atherosclerosis of cerebral arteries
AKA stroke
Define Transient Ischemic Attack
temporary cerebral dysfunction caused by impaired blood to brain
Define brain tumor
Abnormal growth of tissue in brain
Define ADHD
Learning disorder characterized by poor or short attention span
Hyperactivity
Age inappropriate impulsiveness
Define agnosia
inability to recognize significance of sensory stimuli
Define apraxia
inability to carry out purposeful movements in absence of paralysis
Define lethargy
Functional sluggishness
Define Reyes Syndrome
Potentially fatal
Brain and liver involvement after viral infection (chicken pox or influenza) usually in teens/kids who have taken aspirin
Define stupor
unresponsiveness from PT w/ only brief arousal after vigorous and repeated stimulation
What are the two cranial nerves that only contain sensory neurons?
1 and 2
What cranial nerve is predominantly sensory?
7 vestibulocochlear
What are the 3 sensory nerves?
1 2 7
What are the cranial nerves that are called motor nerves?
3 4 6 12
Since cranial nerves can be exclusively motor, so the general principle is that the sensory functions of the motor nerves is ?
Proprioception of muscles
What are the mixed nerves?
5 7 9 10
What 2 cranial nerves innervate a single muscle only?
4- superior oblique
6- lateral rectus
All motor cranial nerves have neurons that innervate _____ muscles
somatic (skeletal)
What motor cranial nerves also have autonomic motor axons?? What part of the NS do these axons belong to and what is their function?
3 7 9 10
PNS, innervate glands, smooth and cardiac muscles
What does in-situ mean?
as they are “in place”
How do olfactory axon receptors reach into the brain?
Through the cribiform plate of the ethmoid bone