Brain and Cranial Nerves Flashcards
4 ventricles of the brain
paired lateral ventricles
third ventricle
fourth ventricle
4 areas of the brain stem
medulla oblongata
pons
midbrain
reticular formation
major functions of medulla oblongata
- relays info to and from brain
- cardiovascular center (heart rate, BP)
- signal cross at pyramidal decussation (signals criss-cross)
major functions of pons
- relay between cerebellar hemispheres
- pneumonic and apneustic area (alter our breathing and protect from altering breathing in ways that can be damaging)
major functions or midbrain
-superior colliculi: visual coordination and attention
-inferior colliculi: inner ear relay
(both coordinating sensory signals)
major functions of reticular formation
- reticular activating system (RAS)
- system that regulates normal sleeping cycles
- connected pathways that regulate consciousness (sleep/wake cycles), coordinate motor function, cardiovascular control, and others
structures of diencephalon (3)
- thalamus
- hypothalamus
- epithalamus
major functions of thalamus
- relay for sensory info (info comes from brain stem and needs to be rerouted to appropriate area
- nuclei for movement control
major functions of hypothalamus
- controls ANS and pituitary gland (controls a lot of endocrine system and involuntary functions like hear rate, blood pressure, breathing rate)
- homeostasis, hormone production, body rhythms, and behavioral patterns
- normal balance and involuntary functioning
major functions of epithalamus
- pineal gland (association with sleep and producing melatonin)
- generates emotional response to smells
function of the cerebellum
- coordination of movement and posture and balance
- if movement is incorrect (getting up and stumbling) relays back and would not strengthen pathway, but if movement was correct, it would strengthen pathway for later use
define the following regarding the cerebrum:
cerebral cortex: cerebral hemispheres and corpus callosum
- cerebral cortex = outer grey matter
- corpus callosum connects left and right
describe protective covering of the brain- cranium and cranial meninges
dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater
describe brain blood flow and the blood brain barrier
transition from blood to nervous system- blood directly into nervous tissue itself (into neurons) —> those cells are gateway from blood directly to nervous tissue (role of astrocyte - need to pass through to get from one side to other
*straight to neurons
describe CSF including: formation composition major functions general pattern of circulation and resorption blood CSF barrier
- comes from choroid plexuses (blood vessels); ependymal cells extract CSF from blood / CSF barrier, blocking things we don’t want
- composition similar to blood plasma; glucose, proteins, lactic acid, urea, ions, some WBCs
- protects from mechanical and chemical damage
- circulates through ventricles: lateral ventricles -> through interventricular foramen -> 3rd ventricle -> cerebral aqueduct -> 4th ventricle -> down through spinal cord -> at arachnoid vili CSF is reabsorbed into blood
lobes of cerebrum (5)
- frontal
- parietal
- temporal
- occipital
- insula
frontal lobe
- primary motor area
- brocha’s area
- prefrontal cortex (mood, problem solving, basic personality, intellect, logic)
parietal lobe
- primary somatosensory area (ex. receptors in skin)
- gustation (sense of taste)
temporal lobe
- primary auditory area
- olfaction (smell)
occipital lobe
- primary visual area
- visuals when remembering something
insula
- drives and appetites (food, sex drive, normal desires for things and not addictions to things)
- proper emotions to things
cerebral white matter: association tracts
-connect points within same hemispheres
cerebral white matter: commissural tracts
- go back and forth between hemispheres (between part on right and left sides)
- corpus callosum goes from right left sides
cerebral white matter: projection tracts
- go from superior to inferior points or vice versa
- between cerebrum and lower parts of CNS
basal ganglia
- grey matter that exists within the brain
- regulates initiation and termination of movements (ex. reaching to grab a glass)
- input from cortex, output to motor area (important to relay signals properly)
limbic system
- multiple parts connected to produce function
- emotion and learning/ memory (how brain processes what we experience as emotion)
- cortex around corpus callosum and thalamus
- amygdala, hippocampus, and cingulate gyrus (and other parts)
- all interconnected to help with appropriate emotional responses (ex. angry about specific memory)
describe hemisphere lateralization that occurs in the cerebrum
-right and left side control the same or opposite sides
identify 4 types of brain waves
- alpha: awake but resting (not mentally concentrating)
- beta: receiving sensory stimuli/ engaged in concentrated mental activity
- theta: drowsy or sleepy state in adults, common in children
- delta: deep sleep
olfactory nerve (I)
- smell
- sensory - detect and relay stimulus to brain
optic nerve (II)
- vision
- main visual stimuli
oculomotor nerve (III)
- proprioception, eye movements
- focus on visual target
trochlear nerve (IV)
- proprioception
- detecting balance / equilibrium (limbs)
trigeminal nerve (V)
-chewing
-sensation for touch
-pain
-temp
(skin / somatic senses)
abducens nerve (VI)
-proprioception
facial nerve (VII)
-facial expression, taste, saliva, tears
vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
- auditory nerve
- equilibrium, hearing
glassopharyngeal nerve (IX)
-swallowing, monitoring O2, CO2, and posterior tongue
vagus nerve (X)
- similar to IX
- slows HR, smooth muscle in GI tract
accessory nerve (XI)
-proprioception, swallowing, head and shoulder movement
hypoglossal nerve (XII)
-proprioception, tongue movement
