Anatomy and Evolution of the nervous system Flashcards
A directional term meaning toward the head of a four-legged animal.
rostral / anterior
A directional term meaning toward the tail of a four-legged animal.
caudal / posterior
A directional term meaning toward the belly of a four-legged animal.
inferior / ventral
A directional term meaning toward the back of a four legged animal.
superior / dorsal
An imaginary line that runs the length of the spinal cord to the front of the brain.
neuraxis
An imaginary line dividing the body into two equal halves.
midline
A directional term that means closer to center; usually applied to limbs; opposite of distal.
proximal
A directional term meaning farther away from another structure, usually in reference to limbs.
distal
The layers of membranes that cover the central nervous system and the peripheral nerves.
meninges
3 layers of meninges
- dura mater
- arachnoid layer
- pia mater
The outermost of the three layers of meninges, found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
dura mater
The middle layer of the meninges covering the central nervous system.
arachnoid layer
The innermost of the layers of meninges, found in both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
pia mater
is secreted within hollow spaces in the brain known as ventricles.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
One of the two major blood vessels that travel up the sides of the neck to supply the brain.
Carotid artery
One of the important blood vessels that enter the brain from the back of the skull.
Vertebral artery
A long cylinder of nervous tissue extending from the medulla to the first lumbar vertebra.
spinal cord
The bones of the spinal column that protect and enclose the spinal cord.
vertebral column
it is made up of nerve fibers known as axons, the parts of neurons that carry signals to other neurons. The tissue looks white due to a fatty material known as myelin, which covers most human axons.
White matter
it consists of areas primarily made up of cell bodies . The tissue appears gray because the cell bodies absorb some of the chemicals used to preserve the tissue, which stains them gray.
Gray matter
that your doctor checks by tapping your knee, is an example of one type of spinal reflex.
knee jerk, or patellar reflex,
If you touch something hot or step on something sharp, your spinal cord produces a ______.
withdrawal reflex
The most caudal division of the brain, including the medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
hindbrain
The most caudal part of the hindbrain.
Myelencephalon (Medulla)
It means “bridge” in Latin, and one of its roles of the is to form connections between the medulla and higher brain centers as well as with the cerebellum.
Pons
it actually means “little brain” in Latin.
Contains more nerve cells (neurons) than the rest of the brain combined.
Cerebellum
Gray matter surrounding the cerebral aqueduct of the midbrain that is believed to play a role in the sensation of pain.
periaqueductal gray
The small channel running along the midline of the midbrain that connects the third and fourth ventricles.
cerebral aqueduct
motor control
Ref nucleus and substantia nigra
motor control
Ref nucleus and substantia nigra
Vision
Superior colliculi
Audition
Inferior colliculi
- thalamus and hypothalamus
Diencephalon
- bulk of the symmetrical left and right cerebral hemispheres
Telencephalon
A structure in the diencephalon that processes sensory information, contributes to states of arousal, and participates in learning and memory.
thalamus (THAL-uh-mus)
A structure found in the diencephalon that participates in the regulation of hunger, thirst, sexual behavior, and aggression.
hypothalamus (hie-po-THALuh- mus)
A gland located just above the roof of the mouth that is connected to the hypothalamus and serves as a major source of hormones.
pituitary gland
A collection of nuclei within the cerebral hemispheres that participate in the control of movement
basal ganglia
• The outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres is known as the cortex, from the Latin word for “bark.”
• Like the bark of a tree, the cerebral cortex is a thin layer of gray matter that varies from 1.5 mm to 4 mm in thickness in different parts of the brain.
The Cortex
hills of the cortex
Gyrus / Gyri (JIE-rus/JIE-ree)
valleys of the cortex
Sulcus/Sulci (SULL-kuss/SULL-sie)
Twelve pairs of nerves that exit the
brain as part of the peripheral nervous system.
Cranial Nerves
Each____ is also known as a mixed nerve, because it contains a sensory, or afferent, nerve (a means toward the CNS in this case, as in access) and a motor, or efferent, nerve (e means away from the CNS, as in exit).
spinal nerve
A set of techniques that enable people to control typically unconscious or involuntary functions such as blood pressure.
biofeedback
- The division of the autonomic nervous system that coordinates arousal. Fight-or-flight
Sympathetic
The division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for rest and energy storage. The job of the parasympathetic nervous system is to provide rest, repair, and energy storage.
Parasympathetic
The brain structure that plays the greatest role in managing the autonomic nervous system is the _____.
hypothalamus
The process by which favorable traits would become more common and unfavorable traits would become less common in subsequent generations due to differences among organisms in their ability to reproduce successfully.
Natural selection
Animals with spinal columns and real brains are referred to as ______.
vertebrates, or chordates.
