Anatomy of Nervous System Flashcards
Contains info of slide 1 from Neuro unit
What is the role of the brain
Receives, processes and evaluates many kinds of input, decides on the response needed, and acts on that
What is involuntary activity in the brain controlled by?
Autonomic Nervous System
What is voluntary activity in the brain controlled by
Somatic Nervous System
What is the brain protected by?
The skull, meninges and cerebrospinal fluid
What are the meninges
Continuous connective tissue membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord
What does CSF do?
Provides a cushion for spinal cord
What does CSF look like?
Clear, almost colourless
How much CSF is produced and reabsorbed each day?
Approx. 500mls
Where is CSF formed, where does it go?
Formed in brain ventricles, flows to subarachnoid space, circulates around brain and spinal cord, returns to venous blood
What are the two brain hemispheres separated by
Fissure
What are the four main lobes of the brain
frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
Where does each hemisphere control voluntary movement
On the OPPOSITE side of the body
What is the dominant hemisphere in the body
The one that controls language, most often left hemisphere
What is the Broca’s area
Motor or expressive speech area. Controls the output of verbal and written words, and ensures they are coordinated
Where is Broca’s area located
Left frontal area
What is the Wernicke’s Area
Integration centre that comprehends language received, both written and spoken. Has connective fibres to visual and auditory areas
Where is Wernicke’s area located
Posterior temporal lobe
What is the Limbic system responsible for
Emotional reactions and feelings. Linked to the hypothalamus which is responsible for autonomic responses associated with emotions
What does the Diencephalon contain
Thalamus and they hypothalamus
What is the thalamus
Main nerve bodies that serve a sorting and relay station for incoming sensory impulses
What does the Hypothalamus do
Key role in maintaining homeostasis in the body. Regulates body temp, intake of food and fluid and regulation of sleep
What does the brain stem contain
Pons, medulla oblongata, Reticular activating system
What does the medulla Oblongata do?
Regulates respiratory, and cardiovascular function
RAS- Reticular Activating System
Determines the degree or arousal or awareness of the cerebral cortex.
Function of the cerebellum
Coordinates movement and maintain posture and equilibrium.
What is the pathway of deoxygenated blood in the brain
It collects in the dural sinuses, then drains into the jugular veins and returns to the heart
How is blood supplied to the brain
Carotid arteries that branch into smaller arteries
What is the circle of Willis
Structure in the brain that supplies blood to the brain. Ensures flow remains unimpeded in case any principal supplies are damaged
What are cranial nerves
Pairs of nerves that originate in the brain stem and pass into them skull to serve structures in the head and neck. May consist of motor fibre, sensory fibres, or both
What are Olfactory responsible for (1)
Sensory and smell
Optic nerve (2)
Sensory, vision
Oculomotor nerve (3)
Motor, eye/ eyelid movements
Trochlear nerve (4)
Motor, eye movements
Trigeminal (5)
Sensory, motor, eye, nose, face, oral cavity, teeth, speech muscles
Abducens nerves(6)
Motor, eye movements
Facial nerves(7)
Sensory/motor, taste, facial expressions, scalp muscles
Vestibulocochlear nerves (8)
Sensory, hearing and balance
Glossopharyngeal (9)
Sensory/Motor, taste, gag reflex
Vagus nerve (10)
Sensory/Motor, external ear, parts of taste, heart, lungs, smooth muscle, GI muscle glands, diaphragm
Spinal accessory (11)
Motor, voluntary muscles of pharynx, head movements
Hypoglossal (12)
Motor, tongue muscles
What is the bundle of nerve roots at the end of the spinal cord called
Cauda Equina (horse tail)
Where does the spinal cord run
Starts at the medulla oblongata and ends at 1st Lumbar
What does the ascending tract of spinal cord do
Relays information from skeletal muscles to brain
What does the descending tract of the spinal cord do?
Descends from brain to muscles of movement
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there
31 pairs
What do spinal nerves do
Carry motor and sensory fibres to and from the organs and tissues
What is a reflex
Automatic, rapid, involuntary response to stimulus
What makes up a Neuron
Dendrite, cell body, axon, myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier
What is a dendrite
Receptor site, conducts the impulse toward cell body
What does a cell body contain
Nucleas
What does an axon do
Conducts impulses away from the cell body towards the effector site or connecting neuron
What does the myelin sheath do
Insulates the neutron fibre and speeds up the rate of conduction
What is the node of Ranvier
Space between the myelin sheath
How are impulses transmitted
Through chemical neurotransmitters
What is Acetylcholine
Chief neurotransmitter in PNS
What is dopamine associated with
Released when body expecting a reward, cycle of motivation, reward, and reinforcement
Is Norepinephrine/epinephrine a neurotransmitter?
Yes, in the SNS. It stimulates alpha and beta receptors
What does serotonin affect
Mood, sexual desire and function, appetite, sleep, memory and learning, temp regulation, and some social behaviour
What does the somatic Nervous System contain
Sensory and motor nerves
What does the autonomic nervous system consist of
Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
What is the SNS
Sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight. increase level of activity in cardio, neuro and resp functions. Involves release of ach epi and norepi
What is the PNS
Responsible for slowing HR, RR, and constriction of pupils. Dominates the digestive system and aids in recovery after sympathetic stimulation. Largely innervated by the vagus nerve
What happens if the intercranial pressure is increased
Less blood will flow to the “high pressure” brain, becomes deoxygenated, and compressed
What does the pneumonic PADCPS stand for
The layers surrounding the brain; pia mater, arachnoid mater, duramater, cranium (skull), periosteum, skin
What is the Dura Mater
Outer layer of the meninges. Tough fibrous double layered. Forms Dural sinus
Where is the sub Dural space
The space between the Dura mater and arachnoid matter
What is arachnoid mater
Middle layer of meninges. Loose webbing cover
Where is the Sub arachnoid space
Between pia mater and arachnoid mater. Contains CSF, cerebral arteries and veins
What is the pia mater
Inner layer of meninges. Delicate connective tissue, that adheres closely to all convulsions on the surface of the brain. Contains many small blood vessels
