Anatomy of the brain + spinal cord

Question 1

What does the nervous system consist of?

Answer 1

central nervous system (CNS)

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Question 2

What is the basic functional unit of the nervous system?

Answer 2

neurone

Question 3

What is the basic structural unit of the nervous system?

Answer 3

neuroglia

Question 4

What does grey matter consist of?

Answer 4

collection of cell bodies

Question 5

What does white matter consist of?

Answer 5

myelinated axons

Question 6

Cell bodies with similar functions form groups. What are these called in the CNS and PNS?

Answer 6

CNS = nucleus
PNS = ganglion

Question 7

What do processes (axons) of nerves with similar functions group together in?

Answer 7

tracts

Question 8

Name some components of the CNS

Answer 8

cerebral hemispheres
diencephalon
cerebellum
brainstem
spinal cord

Question 9

Name the ventricles of the brain

Answer 9

2 lateral ventricles
3rd ventricle
aqueduct
4th ventricle

Question 10

Where is CSF produced and where does it flow?

Answer 10

produced in the ventricles (choroid plexus)
flows out of 4th ventricle into the subarachnoid space

Question 11

Functions of the CSF

Answer 11

brain and spinal cord float in CSF:
- supports and cushions structures
- provides nutrition
- removes waste products

Question 12

What are the 4 main arteries that deliver blood to the brain?

Answer 12

2 internal carotid arteries
2 vertebral arteries

form the circle of Willis

Question 13

What divides the 2 cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 13

great longitudinal fissure

Question 14

What joins the 2 cerebral hemispheres in the midline?

Answer 14

corpus callosum

Question 15

What is the cortex?

Answer 15

superficial layer of grey matter

Question 16

What is beneath the grey matter cortex?

Answer 16

white matter - axons running to and from the cells of the cortex

sub-cortical nuclei

brainstem + spinal cord

Question 17

What are the 3 types of axon nerve fibres in the white matter?

Answer 17

association fibres (in 1 hemisphere only)
commissural fibres (between hemispheres)
projection fibres (project to different areas, eg. brainstem)

Question 18

What are the 3 main sulci of the cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 18

central
lateral
parieto-occipital

Question 19

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

Answer 19

movement + higher order functions

primary motor area - execution of movement

pre-motor area - receives sensory input, stores patterns of movement gained from prior experience

Motor speech (Broca’s area)

prefrontal area - personality, behaviour regulation, planning and reasoning

Question 20

Parietal lobe functions

Answer 20

integrates sensory info
associated with movement orientation, recognition + perception of stimuli
language, reading + taste

Question 21

Temporal lobe functions

Answer 21

primary auditory area - auditory perception
secondary auditory area - interpreting sounds
balance + coordination
Wernicke’s area

Question 22

Occipital lobe functions

Answer 22

primary visual area
secondary visual area - relates info from primary area and links it to past experience

Question 23

Limbic system functions

Answer 23

generation of certain emotional and visceral responses

homeostatic control

coordinates instinctive behaviours with higher cortical functioning

hippocampus + amygdala convert recent memories to long-term memories and learning

Question 24

Diencephalon components

Answer 24

Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Subthalamus

Question 25

Components of the basal ganglia

Answer 25

caudate nucleus lentiform nucleus amygdaloid body substantia nigra stabilising + coordinating slow and fine movements

Question 26

Thalamus functions

Answer 26

receives, integrates + transmits sensory info to cerebral cortex + areas controlling movement every sensory system (apart from olfactory) includes a thalamic nucleus that receives sensory signals and sends them to associated primary cortical area

Question 27

Where is the hypothalamus?

Answer 27

below the thalamus, linked to the pituitary gland

Question 28

What functions is the hypothalamus involved with?

Answer 28

regulation of body temperature emotional behaviour hunger and thirst sexual activity and procreation autonomic and endocrine activities and biorhythms

Question 29

How is the cerebellum connected to the brainstem?

Answer 29

3 cerebellar peduncles - superior, middle and inferior

Question 30

Cerebellum functions

Answer 30

responsible for coordination and fine adjustment of: movement, balance, posture

Question 31

What does the brainstem consist of?

Answer 31

midbrain pons medulla oblongata

Question 32

What type of neurons do dorsal horns contain?

Answer 32

sensory neurons

Question 33

What type of neurons do ventral horns contain?

Answer 33

motor neurons

Question 34

Anterior lobe of cerebellum functions

Answer 34

muscle tone

Question 35

Flocculonodular lobe of cerebellum functions

Answer 35

posture (proprioceptors), balance (inner ear)Ps

Question 36

Posterior lobe of cerebellum functions

Answer 36

coordination of movement

Question 37

How many of each spinal nerve do we have?

Answer 37

8 cervical 12 thoracic 5 lumbar 5 sacral 1 coccygeal