Brain Flashcards
Describe the frontal lobe of the brain and its associated functions.
- Primary motor - initiation of voluntary movements
- Premotor area - a “memory bank” of learned movements
- Prefrontal cortex - “higher functions” (ex. Learning, memory, personality, mood, etc.)
Also contains areas that are involved with:
- Articulation of speech
- Recognition of olfactory stimuli (odors)
Describe the parietal lobe of the brain and its associated functions.
- Primary somatosensory area - perception of somatic sensations
- Common integrative area - receives and integrates information from a variety of sensory inputs
Also contains areas that are involved with:
- Object recognition based touch (shape, texture)
Describe the cerebellum of the brain and its associated functions.
- Second largest portion of the brain
- Divided into left/right hemispheres and has a superficial layer of grey matter (cerebellar cortex) surrounding a core of white matter
Major functions:
- Monitors and adjusts voluntary movements
- Assists in the coordination of complex movements
- Regulates muscle tone, posture and balance
Describe the occipital lobe of the brain and its associated functions.
- Primary auditory area - perception of auditory sensations
- Primary olfactory area - perception of olfactory sensations
Also contains areas that are involved with:
- Recognition of auditory stimuli
- Recognition of faces
Describe the temporal lobe of the brain and its associated functions.
- Primary visual area - perception of visual sensations
Also contains areas that are involved with:
- Recognition of visual stimuli
Describe the thalamus of the brain and its associated functions.
- A mass of nuclei (grey matter) and tracts (white matter) located in the walls of diencephalon
Major Functions:
- Relays sensory impulses from the spinal cord, brainstem and cerebellum to cerebral cortex
- Helps maintain consciousness
Describe the midbrain of the brain and its associated functions.
- A mass of nuclei tracts located at the cranial end of the brainstem
Major Functions:
- Generates motor reflex responses to visual and auditory stimuli
- Assists in the control of voluntary movements
Describe the pons of the brain and its associated functions.
- A mass of nuclei and tracts located middle brainstem
Major Functions:
- Relays motor signals from the cerebral cortex to cerebellum
- Helps control breathing
Describe the hypothalamus of the brain and its associated functions.
- A mass of nuclei located in the “floor” of the diencephalon
- Connected to the pituitary gland via a narrow stalk called the infundibulum
Major Functions:
- Regulates release of hormones from the pituitary gland
- Regulates activities of the ANS
- Regulates emotions, behaviour, hunger, thirst and body temperature
Describe the medulla oblongata of the brain and its associated functions.
- Funnel-shaped mass of nuclei and tracts located at the caudal end of the brainstem - continuous with the spinal cord
Major Functions:
- Relays sensory signals for certain somatic sensations from spinal cord to thalamus
- Helps control breathing, heart rate, and blood vessels diameter
- Controls reflexes related to swallowing, sneezing, coughing and vomiting
Describe the blood-barrier and its significance.
It is a special barrier that is present sound the vessels that carry blood to the brain
It consists of the following:
- Tight junctions between endothelial cells of the blood vessels
- Processes extending out from the astrocytes that wrap around the blood vessels
This barrier only allows certain substances to pass into the brain tissue
Describe the ventricles of the brain.
As the secondary brain vesicles develop into their respective structures, the cavity within expands in 4 areas…
These give rise to 4 interconnected chambers called ventricles:
Lateral ventricles (2) - form within the cerebral hemispheres
Third ventricle - forms within the diencephalon
Fourth ventricle - forms between the brainstem and cerebellum
These ventricles are connected by a series of canals and continuous inferiorly with the central canal of the spinal cord
The ependymal cells that line the ventricles produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) which continually circulates between ventricles and canals (and subarachnoid space)
Describe the functions of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- Physically supports the brain in space (it floats within the fluid)
- Acts as a cushion for nervous tissue
- Maintains the ionic environment
- Transports and exchange of nutrients and waste
Describe the meninges of the brain (and spinal cord).
There are three layers of connective tissue that surround the brain and spinal cord:
- Dura mater - tough fibrous outer layer
- Arachnoid mater - trabecular (ie. mesh-like) middle layer
- Pia mater - thin inner layer that is firmly bound to the underlying nervous tissue
These meninges provide physical stability and shock absorption to the brain and spinal cord. Also extend out and are continuous with the epineurium of the emerging spinal and cranial nerves.
