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NEURO > Brain basics > Flashcards

Brain basics Flashcards

1
Q

What does white matter contain?

A

Myelinated axons

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2
Q

What does grey matter contain?

A

Cell bodies and no myelin sheaths

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3
Q

Define nuclei

A

Collection of nerve cell bodies within the CNS

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4
Q

Define ganglia

A

Collection of nerve cell bodies within the PNS

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5
Q

What is the transverse plane?

A

Horizontal plane (ventral to dorsal)

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6
Q

What is the sagittal plane?

A

Vertical plane (right and left sides of head)

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7
Q

What is the coronal plane?

A

Ear to ear (front and back of head)

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8
Q

What does rostral mean?

A

Towards the nose/ beak

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9
Q

What does caudal mean?

A

Towards the tail

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10
Q

Define ipsilateral

A

On the SAME side

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11
Q

Define contralateral

A

On the OPPOSITE side

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12
Q

What are sulci?

A

Grooves in the cortex

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13
Q

What are gyri?

A

Ridges of the cortex

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14
Q

In the brainstem & spinal cord, dorsal means?

A

Posterior

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15
Q

In the brainstem & spinal cord, ventral means?

A

Anterior

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16
Q

In the cerebrum, dorsal means?

A

Superior

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17
Q

In the cerebrum, ventral means?

A

Inferior

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18
Q

What are commissural fibres?

A

White matter tracts connecting the two hemispheres of the brain

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19
Q

What are association fibres?

A

White matter tracts connecting cortical regions within the same hemisphere

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20
Q

What are projection fibres?

A

White matter tracts connecting cortical and subcortical regions

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21
Q

What fissure separeates the right and left hemisphere?

A

Longitudinal fissure

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22
Q

What is the central sulcus?

A

Fissure separating the frontal and parietal lobes

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23
Q

What is the Sylvian fissure?

A

Lateral sulcus

Separates frontal, parietal and temporal lobes

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24
Q

What fissure separates the parietal and occipital lobe?

A

Parieto-occipital sulcus

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25
Q

Where is the Calcarine sulcus located?

A

In the occipital lobe (splits it horizontally)

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26
Q

Significance of the Calcarine sulcus?

A

Primary visual cortex is located here

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27
Q

What are the main 5 lobes of the brain?

A 
Frontal
Parietal
Occipital
Temporal
Insular cortex
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28
Q

Functions of the frontal lobe? (4)

A

Primary motor cortex
Personality
Superior decision making (problem-solving, reasoning)
Memory

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29
Q

Where is Broca’s area located?

A

In frontal lobe [Broadmann 44]

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30
Q

Why is Broca’s area important?

A

Responsible for speech production

31
Q

What is Broca’s (expressive) aphasia?

A

Patient can understand but cannot reply/ write

32
Q

Which hemisphere is usually dominant in people ie where are Broca and Wernicke’s areas found?

A

In 95% of R-handed people, left hemisphere is dominant (Broca and Wernicke’s found here).
In 60% of L-handed people, left hemisphere is still dominant.

33
Q

Functions of the parietal lobe? (2)

A

Primary somatosensory cortex

Baum’s loop passes through here

34
Q

Functions of temporal lobe? (5)

A 
Primary auditory cortex
Olfactory cortex
Memory
Emotion
Meyer's loop passes through here
35
Q

Where is Wernicke’s area located?

A

Temporal lobe [Broadmann 22]

36
Q

Why is Wernicke’s area important?

A

Responsible for understanding written & spoken language

37
Q

What is Wernicke’s (receptive) aphasia?

A

Patient cannot understand written/ spoken language (like hearing a different language)

38
Q

Function of the occipital cortex?

A

Primary visual cortex

39
Q

Functions of the insular cortex? (2)

A

Consciousness

Emotion

40
Q

Where is the primary motor cortex located?

A

Precentral gyrus

Sits anterior to central sulcus, in frontal lobe

41
Q

Where is the primary somatosensory cortex located?

A

Postcentral gyrus

Sits posterior to central sulcus, in parietal lobe

42
Q

Where is the auditory cortex located?

A

Superior temporal gyrus

Sits inferior to lateral sulcus

43
Q

Function of the cerebellum?

A

Coordinates: voluntary movement, balance, speech and muscle tone

44
Q

What do cerebellar injuries result in?

A 
DANISH
Dysdiadochokinesia
Ataxia
Nystagmus
Intention tremor
Staccato/ slurred speech
Hypotonia
45
Q

What does the superior cerebellar peduncle do?

A

Attaches cerebellum to midbrain

46
Q

What does the middle cerebellar peduncle do?

A

Attaches cerebellum to pons

47
Q

What does the inferior cerebellar peduncle do?

A

Attaches cerebellum to medulla

48
Q

What structures make up the brainstem?

A

Midbrain
Pons
Medulla

49
Q

What forms the midbrain?

A 
Tectum (superior & inferior colliculi)
Cerebral peduncle (tegmentum [red nucleus], substantia nigra & crus cerebri)
50
Q

Which cranial nerves come from the midbrain?

A

CN III - oculomotor nerve (interpeduncular fossa)

CN IV - trochlear nerve (from behind)

51
Q

Which cranial nerves come from the pons?

A

CN V - trigeminal nerve
CN VI - abducens nerve
CN VII - facial nerve
CN VIII - vestibulocochlear nerve

52
Q

Function of the medulla?

A

Regulates ANS: cardio-respiratory systems, swallowing, coughing

53
Q

Which cranial nerves come from the medulla?

A

CN IX - glossopharyngeal nerve
CN X - vagus nerve
CN XI - accessory nerve
CN XII - hypoglossal nerve

54
Q

Name the regions of the corpus callosum

A

Rostrum
Genu (“knee”)
Body
Splenium

55
Q

Functions of the limbic system? (5)

A

Fear, emotion, learning, memory and motivation (coordinating behavioural response to emotion)

56
Q

Structures of the Papez circuit (8)

A 
Uncus
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Fornix
Mammillary body
Thalamus
Cingulate gyrus
Parahippocampal gyrus
57
Q

Function of the amydgala?

A

Fear and emotional memory

58
Q

Function of the hippocampus?

A

Long-term memory and encoding new memories

59
Q

Function of mamillary bodies?

A

Recollective memory

60
Q

Function of cingulate gyrus?

A

Links motivation with behaviour

61
Q

Describe the pathway from outside –> in from the insular cortex (10)

A
  1. Insular cortex
  2. Extreme capsule
  3. Clasutrum
  4. External capsule
  5. Putamen
  6. Globuc pallidus
  7. Internal capsule
  8. Caudate nuscleus
  9. Hypothalamus
  10. Amygdala
62
Q

What forms the lentiform nucleus?

A

Putamen

Globus pallidus

63
Q

What forms the corpus striatum?

A

Caudate

Putamen

64
Q

What structures does the basal ganglia include? (6)

A
  1. Caudate nucleus
  2. Putamen
  3. Globus pallidus
  4. Substantia nigra
  5. Subthalamic nucleus
  6. Amygdala
65
Q

What does the basal ganglia do?

A

Facilitates purposeful behaviour and movement

66
Q

Outputs from the basal ganglia are…

A

Inhibitory and tonically active (slow + continuous)

67
Q

What does the direct pathway of the basal ganglia do?

A

Activates thalamus, initiates movement

68
Q

What does the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia do?

A

Inhibits thalamus, suppresses movement

69
Q

What neurotransmitter does the striatum release?

A

GABA (inhibitory)

70
Q

What neurotransmitter does the substantia nigra release?

A

Dopamine (excitatory)

71
Q

What happens with Parkinson’s disease?

A
  • Increased muscle tone
  • Decreased movements
  • Due to not enough dopamine
72
Q

Clinical presentation of Parkinson’s disease

A
  • Brady/ akinesia
  • Resting tremor
  • Rigidity
73
Q

What happens with Huntington’s disease?

A
  • Decreased muscle tone
  • Overshooting movements
  • Due to too much dopamine (as its antagonists have decreased)
74
Q

Clinical presentation of Huntington’s disease

A
  • Chorea
  • Dementia/ personality illness
  • Personality change

NEURO (7 decks)

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