Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Brain behaviour and cognition > brain structure and function > Flashcards

brain structure and function Flashcards

1
Q

whats in the central nervous system

A

brain and spinal cord

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

whats in the peripheral ns

A

somatic system and autonomic system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is the somatic system

A

links spinal cord with body and sense organs, controls voluntary behavior Allows for sensory input and movement control

Responsible for carrying sensory information and motor responses both to and from the CNS

Nerves that connect to the skin, sensory organs, and all skeletal muscles.

Processes sensory information from external stimuli

Involved in voluntary movements and reflexes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is the autonomic system

A

serves internal organs and glands; controls automatic/involuntary functions such as heart and blood pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

what branches come from the efferent nerves in the autonomic nervous system?

A

sympathetic ns and parasymapatheric ns

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

what’s the difference between afferent and efferent nerves

A

Afferent neurons carry information from sensory receptors of the skin and other organs to the central nervous system (i.e., brain and spinal cord), whereas efferent neurons carry motor information away from the central nervous system to the muscles and glands of the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

whats the role of the syampathetic ns

A

fight or flight stress response
Arouses body

Emergency system

Stimulate, organize and mobilize energy resources

Spends energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

whats the role of the parasympathetic ns

A

rest and digest
Relaxes body

Most active after an emotional event

Conserves energy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

what are the steps involved in the symapthetic ns

A

1- response starts with the release of a neurotransmitter called acetylcholine within the autonomic nervous system

2- acetylcholine activates the sympathetic adrenal-medullary system by stimulating the adrenal medulla to release:

Epinephrine (adrenaline): glucose metabolism, gives energy to muscles

Norepinephrine (noradrenaline): both increases heart rate and blood pressure

3- importantly the AMS works in synchrony with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), which constitutes the hormonal component of the stress response.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

whats the mo

A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

process of somatic system: reflexes

A

the sensory receptors sense a stimulus

sensory neuron transmits signals to the PNS via afferent nerve fibers

the integration center in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord decides the signal

the signal travels via the ventral horn to the efferent nerve fibers to the effectors (muscles

effector muscle cells respond by contracting

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

autonomic ns is —- vs somtic ns —-

A

auto= involuntary
somatoic= voluntary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

three major functions of spinal cord

A

conduit for motor information- info travels down the spinal cord towards effector organs

conduit for sensory information from receptor cells and fields in the opposite direction

a Centre for coordinating certain reflexes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

anatomy of spinal cord

A

grey matter (inner layer) and white matter (outer layer)

Dorsal horn: a site where afferent (both somatic and autonomic) nerve fibers synapse

Ventral horn: a site where efferent nerve fibers synapse

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

more indepth functions of spinal cord

A

Neurons in the motor cortex (the regio of the brain that controls voluntary movement) send their axons through the corticospinal tract to connect with motor neurons in the spinal cord. The spinal motor neurons project out of the cord to the correct muscles. These connections control conscious movements, such as writing and running

Information also flows in the opposites directions, resulting in involuntary movement. Some of this sensory information is conveyed directly to lower motor neurons before it reaches the brain, resulting in reflex movements. The remaining sensory information travels back to the cortex.

An injury higher on the spinal cord can cause paralysis in most of the body and affect all limbs (called tetraplegia or quadriplegia). A lower injury to the spinal cord may cause paralysis affecting the legs and lower bods (called paraplegia)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

NS referening location
lateral
medial
ipsilateral
contralateral

A

Lateral –> towards the side, away from the middle

Medial –> toward the middle, away from the side

Ipsilateral –> on the same side

Contralateral –> on the opposite side

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

brain disections (look on notes)

A

coronal sagittal horizontal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

brain functions/facts

A

Brain development from birth to adulthood

Brain is ‘greedy’

Only 2% of body weight, but gets 16% of blood supply

10x as much blood as muscle tissue

Intricate web of blood vessels serving the brain

Supplied with oxygen and nutrients

19
Q

brain structure

A

Left and tight hemispheres

Build up from grey matter (neuronal cell bodies) and white matter (neuronal axons)

Gross division

Cerebellum

Brain stem

Cerebral cortes

20
Q

medulla oblongate
structure and where its found

A

The medulla oblongata (‘elongated marrow’) forms the lower part of the brain stem

It is also the origin of some cranial nerves

Transition between the spinal corn and the brain

Damage is fatal

21
Q

medulla oblongata function

A

controls vital functions such as heart rate, breathing,, blood pressure and vomiting

22
Q

pons structure and function

A

structure
The pons (‘bridge’) form the upper part of the brain stem (just below the midbrain)

Connect the rest of the brain to cerebellum

Bridges the spinal corn and the brain

Function
Controls muscle movement and carries sensory-motor information from the PNS

Arousal and automatic functions

Also involved with in sleep wake cycle

23
Q

what are the two parts of the midbrain

A

tectum and tegmentum

24
Q

parts of the tectum and their function

A

Superior colliculi (‘little boys’)

Forms a part of the visual system

Controls eye movements: fixation, saccades, smooth pursuit

Inferior colliculi

Forms a part of the auditory pathway

Controls pitch perception, startle response

25
parts of the tegmentum and their functions
Periaqueductal gray ('around the aqueduct') Specific movement sequences, pain regulation, reproductive and maternal behaviors Reticular ('network') formation Sleep, arousal, attention, muscle tone Red nuclei Gait, crawling, fine hand movement Substantia nigra ('black matter') Controls dopamine release, relays to the basal ganglia Motor planning, eye movement, reward seeking, learning, addiction All have a role in motor control
26
the cerebellum structure and function
structure 'small brain' located at the back of the brain Stem attached to the pons by cerebellar peduncles ('stalks') Contains more neurons than the cortex (approx. 50 billion) Function Controls motor movement coordination, balance and equilibrium, automated movement sequences, fine movement, muscle tone Also involved in automatic language processing (e.g. talking, taking notes)
27
thalamus structure anf function
structure Translates as 'room' and lies on the top of the brain stem Consists of many thalamic nuclei Serves as a central relay center of the brain Function Takes part in the sensory pathways (except olfaction), motor pathways and cortico-cortical loops It has a fundamental role in attention Among other functions, it is involved in the consciousness/sleep and alertness
28
hypothalamus s+f
structure Sits below the thalamus Smallest structure, but anatomically very complex Contains the mamillary bodies and projects to the pituitary gland Function Controls the autonomic nervous system Tole in homeostasis- keeping balance Central for regulation of hormones via commanding to the pituitary gland (master gland of the body) Regulates basic behaviors (e.g. survival- fight r flight, hunger, thirst, sexual behavior, thermoregulation, pain responses, aggression an d anger, pleasure)
29
what is involved in the limbic system
The hippocampus, amygdala, fornix, cingulum, mamillary bodies, olfactory bulb The thalamus ad hypothalamus have a lot of input
30
function of amygdala
Central for emotional responses Involved in fear conditioning Responds to emotionally salient stimuli and attaches emotional content to memories which reinforce their storage
31
function of hippocampus
Learning and long term memory storage Can produce new brain cells- neurogenesis which s one type off neuroplasticity Episodic memories
32
three main structures of the basal ganglia
Globus palidus ('pale ball') Caudate nucleus ('a bunch of neurons with a tail') Putamen ('shell/husk')
33
overall structure and function of the balas ganglia
structure Interconnected with the brainstem and thalamus as well as with the cortex Function- control of voluntary higher-order motor movement, procedural learning, habit learning, eye movements
34
structure of the cerebral cortex
The outer layer of neural tissue of the cerebrum of the brain Folden, providing greater surface area in the confined volume of the cranium (skull)
35
major landmarks half of the brain= major grooves in surface= secondry groove= convolution separated by sulci and/or fissures=
half of the brain= hemisphere major grooves in surface= fissure secondary groove= sulcus/sulci convolution separated by sulci and/or fissures= gyrus/gyri
36
name the main lobes and label brain
frontal, central sulcus, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, posterior sulci, temporal lobe, lateral fissure
37
function of occipital lobe
Controls the processing of visual information The calcarine fissure is the center point of the primary visual cortex Higher- order vision sis further processes in the visual association cortices
38
function of parietal lobes
Contain the somatosensory cortex- process sensory information from all over the body, touch sensations, allow to identify the location and different sensations
39
function of temporal lobes
The superior temporal cortex (Heschel's gyrus) is the seat of the primary auditory cortex (auditory perception and higher-order hearing) The temporals lobes (Wernicke's area) also control language and speech comprehension The inferior proportions organize and integrate visual sensory input Crucial role in semantic memory/cognition (especially the anterior ventrolateral regions)
40
function of frontal lobes
The last region to evolve The posterior proportion contains the pre-motor and motor cortices that control motor function Anteriorly the prefrontal cortex is involved in many cognitive functions: Executive function (e.g. planning, reasoning, decisions0 making, response inhibition, working memory, problem-solving, initiation) Attention Social cognition and emotion regulation Language production (Broca's area) and semantic control And many more... research is ongoing
41
cortical service?
stretched to the medial surface of the brain.
42
what are the two notable structures medially and there function
The anterior cingulate ('belt') cortex: involved in emotion processing and self- referential processes The corpus collosum ('tough body'): white matter bundle which joins the hemispheres and allows communication between them
43
meninges of the brain, names and fucntion of the layers
a protective sheet wrapping around the whole CNS 3 layers Dura matter ('tough mother'); holds it together Arachnoid ('spider-web') cushions it Subarachnoid space filled with CSF Pia matter ('tender mother'): allows for nourishment
43
ventricles of the brain structure, names and function
Four interconnected cavities filled with cerebrospinal fluid Lateral, third, fourth and cerebral aqueduct Function- Serve as protection of the brain Supports the brain against gravity and protects it from jolts and knocks on the head Enables chemical stability and provision of nurtrients

Brain behaviour and cognition (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions