brainstem--intensive

Question 1

brainstem

Answer 1

• one of oldest components of brain
• vital to immediate survival as its nuclei control many basic homeostatic functions
• fxn: such as heart rate and breathing rhythms
• controls many reflexes (programmed automatic responses to stimuli); movement, sensation, maintaining alertness

Question 2

brainstem parts (4)

Answer 2

• midbrain
• pons
• medulla oblongata
• reticular formation

Question 3

midbrain

Answer 3

• -shortest part of brainstem
• contains substantia nigra: darkly pigmented region whose neurons work with basal nuclei to control movement
• fxn: processes and routes visual and auditory stimuli to the thalamus; carries motor fibers from the cerebral cortex; monitors movement with the basal nuclei
• midbrain is the middleman for the thug thalamus for audiovisual stimuli. midbrain knows how to move. midbrain, middleman, movement–men in black=substantia nigra

Question 4

pons

Answer 4

-inferior to midbrain

• fxn: regulates breathing, reflexes, sleep/wake cycle
• breathe, sleep, reflex

Question 5

medulla oblongata

Answer 5

• most inferior
• continuous with spinal cord at foramen magnum
• sensory and motor tracts decussate in medulla–they cross. left brain controls right body and vice versa

fxn: movement and sensation; regulates many homeostatic functions

Question 6

reticular formation

Answer 6

• collection of over 100 nuclei
• receives input from cerebral cortex, limbic system, and sensory stimuli
• output sent throughout entire brain and spinal cord.
• fxns: sleep and arousal; pain transmission; mood regulation; homeostatic functions
• Beyoncé’s Formation–> she sleeps with jay Z, gets aroused by jayZ, he caused her pain, made her moody, and now they have found homeostasis.