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OCB > Brain and Spinal Cord > Flashcards

Brain and Spinal Cord Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between a CNS neuron and a PNS neuron?

A

CNS neuron is entirely contained within the brain/spinal cord.
PNS neuron - part of it projects out of the brain/spinal cord.

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2
Q

What causes grey matter to be grey?

A

Presence of cell bodies.

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3
Q

What causes white matter to be white?

A

Presence of myelin sheath and glial cells.

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4
Q

What is the purpose of grey matter?

A

Processing and cognition.

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5
Q

Where is the grey and white matter found in the brain and spinal cord?

A

Brain:

  • inside = white matter.
  • outside = grey matter.

Spinal Cord:

  • inside = grey matter.
  • outside = white matter.
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6
Q

What is the forebrain made up of?

A

Cortex and deep nuclei.

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7
Q

What is the roof of the midbrain called and what is it responsible for?

A

Tectum.

Responsible for auditory and visual reflexes

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8
Q

What is the hindbrain made up of?

A

Pons, cerebellum, medulla oblongata.

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9
Q

What is the oldest part of the brain?

A

Medulla oblongata.

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10
Q

What does ventral/dorsal mean?

A 
Ventral = bottom
Dorsal = top
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11
Q

How many spinal nerves are there? What are they divided into?

A

31 pairs.

  • 8 cervical
  • 12 thoracic
  • 5 lumbar
  • 5 sacral
  • 1 coccygeal
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12
Q

Where does the spinal cord end at?

A

L1/L2.

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13
Q

Where do the rest of the nerves travel through after the spinal cord ends?

A

Through the lumbar cistern

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14
Q

What is the lumbar cistern?

A

Subarachnoid space in the lower lumbar spinal cord.

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15
Q

What is the part of the spinal cord after L1/L2 called?

A

Cauda equina.

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16
Q

Where is the best place for CSF to be obtained during a lumbar puncture? Why?

A

Subarachnoid space between L2/L3.

- Less likely to cause paralysis as spinal cord ends before this.

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17
Q

What is the grey matter of the spinal cord divided into?

A

Dorsal horn, Intermediate column, Lateral horn and Ventral horn.

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18
Q

Where are cell bodies of the sensory neutrons located?

A

In the dorsal root ganglion.

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19
Q

What does the dorsal horn contain?

A

Neurons that receive somatosensory information from the body that is transmitted to the brain via ascending pathways.

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20
Q

What does the ventral horn contain?

A

Effector motor neurons that innervate skeletal muscle.

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21
Q

What do the Intermediate column and Lateral horn contain?

A

Neurons that innervate visceral and pelvic organs.

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22
Q

What is the outer part of the cerebrum known as?

A

Cerebral cortex.

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23
Q

What are gyri?

A

Ridges

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24
Q

What are sulci?

A

Grooves

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25
Q

What are the purpose of the gyri and sulci?

A

Increase surface area of the brain to approximately 2500cm (squared) to allow more neural material to be contained within the skull.

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26
Q

What are the main sulci?

A

Central, lateral and lunate sulcus.

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27
Q

What are the main gyri?

A

Precentral, postcentral and superior temporal gyrus

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28
Q

What are the names of the 4 cerebral lobes?

A

Frontal, parietal, Temporal, Occipital

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29
Q

What fissure separates the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe?

A

Lateral fissure (sulcus)

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30
Q

What fissure separates the frontal lobe and parietal lobe?

A

Central fissure (sulcus).

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31
Q

What fissure divides the cerebral hemispheres?

A

Longitudinal fissure

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32
Q

What fissure divides the cerebral and cerebellar hemispheres?

A

Transverse/horizontal fissure.

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33
Q

What lobe is responsible for motor functions?

A

Frontal lobe

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34
Q

What lobe is responsible for somatosensory functions?

A

Parietal lobe

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35
Q

What lobe is responsible for vision?

A

Occipital lobe

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36
Q

What lobe is responsible for memory?

A

Temporal lobe (hippocampus) - limbic system.

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37
Q

What lobe is responsible for language?

A

Temporal lobe

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38
Q

What is the purpose of the ventricular system?

A

Production, transport and removal of CSF which bathes the CNS.

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39
Q

Where does the central canal run?

A

Runs the length of the spinal cord and is continuous with the ventricular system of the brain.

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40
Q

What does the 4th ventricle continue with?

A

Continues inferiorly with the central canal of the spinal cord.

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41
Q

What lines the ventricles?

A

Ependymal cells.

42
Q

What do the ependymal cells form?

A

Choroid plexus.

43
Q

What is the choroid plexus made of?

A

Ependymal cells.

44
Q

Where is CSF produced?

A

Choroid plexus.

45
Q

Embryologically, where is the ventricular system derived from?

A

Lumen of the neural tube.

46
Q

How many ventricles are there?

A

4

47
Q

Name the ventricles of the brain

A

Left lateral ventricle
Right lateral ventricle
3rd ventricle
4th ventricle

48
Q

What is CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid)?

A

Ultrafiltrate of plasma that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.

49
Q

How much CSF is made per day?

A

500ml per day

50
Q

Where is the choroid plexus located?

A

In the lining of the ventricles.

51
Q

How is CSF produced?

A

Choroid plexus consists of capillaries and loose connective tissue surrounded by cuboidal epithelial cells.
Plasma is filtered by these epithelial cells to produce CSF.

52
Q

Where is CSF drained?

A

Subarachnoid cisterns.

CSF –> subarachnoid space –> superior sagittal sinus –> venous circulation via arachnoid granulations

53
Q

Why are arachnoid granulations one way?

A

CSF pressure is greater than venous pressure, allowing reabsorption.

54
Q

What are arachnoid granulations?

A

Small projections into the dura mater/dural venous sinuses to allow fluid drainage.

55
Q

What can happen if CSF isn’t reabsorbed into the venous bloodstream?

A

Hydrocephalus.

56
Q

What is Hydrocephalus?

A

Accumulation of CSF, causing an increase in intracranial pressure.

57
Q

Why is hydrocephalus more dangerous in adults than children?

A

Children’s sutures are not fully formed so the skull can expand.

58
Q

What are the functions of CSF?

A
  • Protects the brain.
  • Buoyancy to the brain so prevents excess pressure to the base of the brain.
  • Provides chemical stability to the brain to allow proper functioning.
  • Removal of waste products.
59
Q

What are the meninges?

A

Membranous outer covering of the brain/spinal cord.

60
Q

What are the 3 layers of the meninges?

A

Pia mater
Arachnoid mater
Dura mater

61
Q

What are the functions of the meninges?

A
  • Protects CNS.

- Provides supportive framework for cerebral and cranial vasculature.

62
Q

Which layer of the meninges is avascular?

A

Arachnoid mater

63
Q

What is the purpose of the vasculature of the pia mater?

A
  • Vascular so allows entry of blood vessels into the CNS.

- Provides an impermeable layer for containing CSF.

64
Q

What are the 2 layers of the dura mater?

A

Endosteal layer - lines inner surface of bone.

Meningeal layer - lines endosteal layer inside cranial cavity.

65
Q

Why do the 2 dura mater layers separate in places?

A

To form dural venous sinuses that carry venous blood and drain into internal jugular veins.

66
Q

Where is the dura mater attached to surrounding the brain and spinal cord?

A

Brain - Periosteum of the cranium.

Spinal cord - hangs loosely except is attached at foramen magnum.

67
Q

What blood vessels supply the dura mater?

A

Middle meningeal artery and vein.

68
Q

What nerve innervates the dura mater?

A

CN V - trigeminal.

69
Q

What is the space called between the pia mater and arachnoid mater?

A

Subarachnoid space.

70
Q

Why can you not see the dura mater on brains outside of the body?

A

It is adhered to the cranium.

71
Q

Why is the spinal cord enlarged in cervical and lumbar regions?

A

They supply the upper and lower limbs.

72
Q

What is a nucleus?

A

Group of cell bodies of the same or similar function in the CNS.

73
Q

What is a ganglia?

A

Group of cell bodies outside the CNS (except basal ganglia - group of cells responsible for motor control).

74
Q

What are tracts?

A

Axonal pathways within the CNS.

75
Q

What are ascending tracts?

A

Sensory (information in)

76
Q

What are descending tracts?

A

Motor (information out)

77
Q

What is a pathway?

A

More than one tract put together.

78
Q

What is the brainstem?

A

Midbrain + Hindbrain.

Posterior region of the brain that is continuous with the spinal cord.

79
Q

What does the brainstem contain?

A
  • Medulla oblongata
  • Pons
  • Cerebellum
  • Midbrain
    (- Sometimes parts of diencephalon included)
80
Q

What are cerebellar peduncles?

A

Attachment sites of the cerebellum to the brainstem containing axon bundles.

81
Q

What is the tegmentum?

A

Forms the floor of the midbrain.

82
Q

What is the tectum?

A

Forms roof of the midbrain.

83
Q

What reflexes are associated with the brainstem?

A 
Swallowing
Salivation
Mastication
Coughing
Vomiting
Suckling
84
Q

What is the purpose of the reticular formation?

A

Regulates sleep/wake cycle

85
Q

What is the purpose of the raphe nucleus?

A

Releases serotonin to the rest of the brain (good for sleep)

86
Q

What is the purpose of the Locus Coeruleus nuclei?

A

Origin of the adrenergic pathways (pain/stress response)

87
Q

What is the purpose of the Substantia Nigra (in midbrain)?

A

Movement control

88
Q

Which areas of the cranial nerve nuclei are motor and sensory?

A 
Left = sensory
Right = motor
89
Q

True or false: - Right hand side of the brain controls the left side of the body

A

True

90
Q

Why is there crossover of pathways and where does it crossover?

A

RHS of brain controls LHS of body.
LHS of brain controls RHS of body.

Medulla.

91
Q

Where do most motor neurone decussate (cross midline)?

A

In inferior aspect of medulla.

92
Q

True or false: Sensory decussation occurs more superior to motor decussation.

A

True

93
Q

Where does the basilar artery run in the pons?

A

Along ventral surface of the pons.

94
Q

What causes cot death?

A

Defective raphe nuclei in the brainstem and don’t produce enough serotonin.

We usually wake up if there is a fall in heart rate/BP/ breathing (serotonin regulates this) but this doesn’t happen in cot death babies.

95
Q

Why does the substantia nigra appear pigmented?

A

It contains high levels of neuromelanin.

96
Q

What can occur if the substantia nigra is not pigmented/not present?

A

Loss of dopaminergic neurons

Parkinson’s disease.

97
Q

Are the corticospinal tract fibres ascending or descending?

A

Both

98
Q

What would the consequences of a blockage in the cerebral aqueduct be?

A

Hydrocephalus.

99
Q

Which meningeal layer cannot be seen without a microscope?

A

Pia mater

100
Q

What happens to the skull in the event of hydrocephalus?

A

Bulging fontanelles

OCB (8 decks)

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