Brain Flashcards
oligodendrocytes
myelination in CNS
Schwann Cells
myelination in PNS
microglia
phagocytosis, scar tissue formation
astrocytes
help form the blood brain barrier, surround synapses, K+ buffering
satellite cells
surround neuronal cell bodies
what type of neurone are sensory?
psuedounipolar
grey matter
cells bodies
white matter
myelin sheath - axons
blood brain barrier
tight junction epithelium, thick basal lamina, foot processes of astrocytes
dura mater
tough, fibrous and has dural folds
pia mater
vascularised and dips into the folds of the brain
subarachnoid space
contains cerebrospinal fluid
choroid plexus
in ventricles, produce CSF
Exit of CSF from ventricles
foramen of Luschka, median apeture of magendie
Myelopathy
injury to the spinal cord due to severe compression that may result from trauma, congenital stenosis, degenerative disease or disc herniation
Radiculopathy
pinched nerve, refers to a set of conditions in which one or more nerves are affected and do not work properly (a neuropathy).
Stage 1 sleep
Slow wave, non-REM, S-sleep. Slow eye movements. Light sleep. Easily roused. High amplitude, low frequency theta waves.
Stage 2 Sleep
Eye movements stop. Frequency slows further but EEG shows bursts of rapid waves called “sleep spindles” (clusters of rhythmic waves, ~12-14Hz)
Stage 3 Sleep
High amplitude, very slow (2Hz) delta waves interspersed with short episodes of faster waves, spindle activity declines. deep sleep.
Stage 4 Sleep
exclusively delta waves. deep sleep.
REM sleep
during which there are rapid eye movements. Aka paradoxical sleep. Dreams occur during REM sleep. 25% of sleep is REM.
awake
alpha waves
suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus
SCN demonstrates ~24hr circadian rhythm.
Electrical stimulation of the SCN can promote sleep and damage to the SCN disrupts the sleep-wake cycle. Activity in the SCN stimulates release of melatonin from the pineal gland – corresponds with feelings of sleepiness in humans
orexin (aka hypocretin)
excitatory neurotransmitter released by the hypothalamus. Orexin neurons are active during the waking state and stop firing during sleep. Defective orexin signalling causes narcolepsy
FFA
Fundus fluorescein angiography
OCT
Optical coherence tomography
ERG & VEP
Electroretinography & Visual evoked potential
EOG
Electrooculography
thalamus
sensory relay centre. searches and accesses memories
primary motor cortex
precentral gyrus, area 4 - somatotopic representation of contralateral half of body (motor homunculus)
prefrontal cortex
cognitive functions of higher order- intellect, judgement, prediction, planning
area 6 - motor association area
composed of the premotor cortex and, medially, the supplementary motor area, or SMA. planning of complex, coordinated movements.
Inferior frontal gyrus: Broca’s area of motor speech (area 44,45)
That part of the brain is putting it into pattern of words (and what needs to happen to make sense)
Post-central gyrus: Areas 3,1,2 – Primary sensory area
Receives general sensations from contralateral half of body. Somatotopic representation (sensory homunculus).
Superior parietal lobule
Interpretation of general sensory information (sensory association area) and conscious awareness of contralateral half of body.
Inferior parietal lobule
Interface between somatosensory cortex and visual and auditory association areas. In dominant hemisphere, contributes to language functions.
Superior Temporal gyrus – Primary auditory cortex – Areas 41,42 (Heschl’s convolutions)
Hearing/audition
Auditory association areas
posterior to 41,42. In dominant hemisphere – Wernicke’s area. Crucial for understanding of spoken word. Has connections with other language areas.
inferior surface of temporal lobe
receives fibres from olfactory tract – conscious appreciation of smell
area 18/19
The rest of the occipital lobe is the visual association cortex, (areas 18,19) concerned with interpretation of visual images.
area 17
On the medial surface of the occipital lobe, on either side of the calcarine sulcus is the primary visual cortex
