Brain Regions (Nervous System) Flashcards
What are the 4 regions of the brain?
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Brain Stem
- Diencephalon
What is the largest region of the brain?
Cerebrum
Right cerebral hemisphere caters to what abilities? Left cerebral hemisphere caters to what abilities?
Right cerebral hemisphere: Artistic abilities
Left cerebral hemisphere: Logical/reasoning abilities
What links the two cerebral hemispheres?
Corpus callosum
What kind of tract is corpus callosum?
Commissural tract
What are the 3 fissures that divide the cerebrum?
- longitudinal fissure
- lateral fissure
- transverse fissure
Is the cerebrum contoured?
Yes it is, with sulcus (deep) and gyrus (superficial) layers
What is the central sulcus?
One sulcus that’s constant in all brains
What are the two gyri?
Precentral and postcentral gyrus that’s anterior and posterior the central sulcus
What are the 5 lobes of the cerebral hemisphere?
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Insular lobe
- Occipital lobe
What are the 4 processing centers of the CNS?
- Sensory
- Thinking
- Memory
- Motor
What does the frontal lobe do? What are its 4 areas?
- Localizes movement
- primary motor cortex
- premotor area
- prefrontal area
- Broca’s area (motor speech area)
What is the function of the primary motor cortex?
Controls skeletal muscles
What is the function of the premotor area?
learns muscular skills
What is the function of the prefrontal area?
processes psychological movement
Examples:
- motivation
- aggression
- use of knowledge
- initiates decisions and personality
What is the function of the Broca’s/motor speech area?
Performing speech skills
- use of grammar
- coordinate muscles to create speech
Which lobes focus on sensory interpretation?
- parietal lobe
- occipital lobe
- temporal lobe (3)
What are the 2 areas of the parietal lobe?
- primary somatic sensory cortex
- somatic sensory/ association area
What does the primary somatic sensory cortex function in?
Interprets body surface/skin/skin feelings
What does the somatic sensory/association area function in?
Interprets sensation/tastes based off memory
What are the 2 areas of the occipital lobe?
- Visual cortex
- Visual association cortex
What does the visual cortex function in?
makes you be able to see
What does the visual association cortex function in?
Makes you be able to recognize what you are seeing
What are the 2 areas of the temporal lobe?
- Auditory cortex
- Auditory Association Area
What does the auditory cortex function in?
Make you be able to hear
What does the auditory association area function in?
Stores memory of sounds
What does the insula/ar lobe function in?
Visceral center of internal/unconscious understanding
What area is in the interlobar part?
Wernicke’s area
What does the Wernicke’s area function in?
Understands and formulate coherent speech; Sensory speech found only in the left hemisphere
What are the two areas of the cerebellum?
- Cerebellar cortex
- Arbor vitae
What does the cerebellum function in?
Has to do with balance, equilibrium, and coordination
What kind of matter is cerebellar cortex and arbor vitae?
Cerebellar cortex –> Grey matter
Arbor vitae –> White matter
What are the 3 parts of the brainstem?
- Medulla oblongata
- Pons
- Midbrain
What are the 2 areas of the medulla oblongata?
- Pyramids
- Olives
What is the function of the pyramid area?
motor pathways to body
What is the function of the olive area?
Auditory center
What area is in the pons lobe?
Cerebellar peduncle
What function does the cerebellar peduncle have?
It acts as a bridge that connects the traffic from brain stem to cerebellum
What does the pons and medulla oblongata have in common?
Has mechanical autonomic control
What are the 4 areas of the midbrain?
- cerebral peduncles
- corpora quadrigemina
- superior colliculi
- inferior colliculi
What is the function of the cerebral peduncles?
Routes traffic to right and left hemisphere
What is the function of the corpora quadrigemina?
posterior midbrain; reflex area
What is the function of the superior colliculi?
twins that has to do with visual pathways and reflexes
What is the function of the inferior colliculi?
twins that has to do with auditory pathways
What is the function of th midbrain?
Routes traffic to right and left hemisphere
Where is the diencephalon located?
Located deep within the cerebrum
What are the 3 parts of the diencephalon?
- Thalamus (largest part)
- Hypothalamus
- Epithalamus (posterior roof of thalamus)
What is the area of the thalamus?
Intermediate mass
What is the function of the intermediate mass?
Commissural tract that connects two thalami
What does the thalamus have a role in?
Relay station for all sensory information except for smell
What is the 4 areas of the hypothalamus?
- infundibulum
- pituitary gland
- Mammillary body
- Optic chiasm
What is the function of the infundibulum?
Stalk of nerve tissues that holds the pituitary
What is the function of the pituitary gland?
Master gland
What is the function of the mammillary body?
Olfactory reflexes
What is the function of the optic chiasm?
Routes optic data to both hemispheres
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Manages chemical autonomic functions
Example:
- temperature
- thirst
- growth
- menstrual cycle
What area is found in the epithalamus?
Pineal gland
What is the function of the pineal gland?
produces melatonin
What are the 2 language centers located in the left cerebral hemisphere?
- Broca’s Area
- Wernicke’s Area
What is the tract that connects these two language centers?
Arcuate fasciculus
What falls under the corpora quadrigemina?
- superior colliculi
- inferior colliculi
Where is the Broca’s area found?
Where is the Wernicke’s area found?
- Frontal lobe
- Interlobar lobe
What is RAS?
Reticular activating system that is the consciousness and sensory filter
What 3 brain regions carry RAS fibers?
- brainstem
- thalamus
- Cerebrum
Is the smell carrying tract included in the RAS?
No it is not
What brain structure could be linked to left side hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of body)?
Primary somatic motor cortex
What brain structure could be linked to phantom limb syndrome?
primary somatic sensory cortex
What brain structure could be linked to mechanical speech impairment?
motor speech area/ Broca’s Area (only left side)
What brain structure could be linked to word salad?
Wernicke’s Area (sensory speech area)
What brain structure could be linked to personality disorder (involve decision making and motivation)?
prefrontal area
What brain structure could be linked to blindness?
visual cortex
What brain structure could be linked to deafness?
auditory cortex
What brain structure could be linked to sleep apnea?
brain stem
What brain structure could be linked to excessive hunger?
hypothalamus
What brain structure could be linked to circadian cycle disorder?
epithalamus
What brain structure could be linked to coma?
reticular activating system (RAS)
What brain structure could be linked to ataxia (loss of muscle coordination)?
cerebellum
Compare between the sizes of the spinal cord in fetus vs adults
Fetus: Extended only to the sacrum (s5)
Adult: Extends b/w L1-L2. Doesnt touch the sacrum
In adult, at what level of vertebra does most common epidural anesthesia take place?
Does the injection penetrate the meninges?
- Epidural takes place in the subarachnoid space of the CSF
- Doesn’t penetrate the meninges
What is the most inferior layer of the spinal cord?
- conus medularis
Is the cauda equina, PNS or CNS?
PNS
Where does descending nerve tracts go?
From the brain (motor) to the spinal cord
Where does the ascending nerve tracts go?
From spinal cord (sensory) to the brain
What is cauda equina?
Spinal nerves that is at the tail end; part of PNS
What is filum terminale?
Nerve roots/band that connects to the spinal cord to the coccyx.
