central nervous system

Question 1

what is the CNS composed of

Answer 1

the brain and spinal cord

Question 2

what is the brain comprised of

Answer 2

forebrain
midbrain
hindbrain

Question 3

what does the forebrain include

Answer 3

cerebral hemispheres and the diencephalon

Question 4

what does the hindbrain include

Answer 4

pons
medulla
cerebellum

Question 5

what are the different lobes of the brain

Answer 5

frontal
parietal
temporal
occipital

Question 6

what does the frontal lobe do

Answer 6

regulating and initiating motor function, language, cognitive functions (executive function - eg planning)
attention and memory

Question 7

what does the parietal lobe do

Answer 7

involved in sensation (touch, pain)
sensory aspects of language
spatial orientation
self perception

Question 8

what does the temporal lobe do

Answer 8

processes auditory info

Question 9

what does the occipital lobe do

Answer 9

processes visual info

Question 10

what does the limbic lobe include

Answer 10

amygdala
hippocampus
mamillary body
cingulate gyrus

Question 11

what does the limbic lobe do

Answer 11

concerned with learning, memory, emotion, motivation and reward

Question 12

where does the insular cortex (lobe) lie

Answer 12

deep within lateral fissure

Question 13

what does the insular cortex do

Answer 13

concerned with visceral sensations, autonomic control
interoception
auditory processing
visual vestibular integration

Question 14

how many layers of meninges are there

Answer 14

3
dura mater
arachnoid mater
pia mater

Question 15

what are the 2 layers the dura mater is composed of

Answer 15

2 thick layers

periosteal (layer of periosteum) and meningeal (durable, dense fibrous membrane)

Question 16

what is the arachnoid mater

Answer 16

thin, transparent, fibrous membrane

Question 17

what is the pia mater

Answer 17

thin, translucent and mesh like

Question 18

where is CSF produced

Answer 18

in the choroid plexus of lateral 3rd and 4th ventricles

Question 19

what does CSF occupy

Answer 19

ventricular system and subarachnoid space

Question 20

how is CSF reabsorbed

Answer 20

via arachnoid villi (granulations) into superior sagittal sinus

Question 21

features of CSF

Answer 21

lower pH

less glucose, protein and potassium than plasma

Question 22

the spinal cord is composed of 5 segments which are

Answer 22

cervical
thoracic
lumbar
sacral
coccygeal

Question 23

how many pairs of mixed spinal nerves in each

Answer 23

cervical - 8 
thoracic - 12
lumbar - 5
sacral - 5
coccygeal - 1

Question 24

where do nerves emerge through

Answer 24

intervertebral foramina

Question 25

where do nerves C1-7 emerge

Answer 25

above vertebrae

Question 26

where do nerves C8-C01 emerge

Answer 26

below vertebrae

Question 27

what do cervical enlargements innervate

Answer 27

upper limbs

Question 28

what do lumbar enlargements innervate

Answer 28

lower limbs

Question 29

what is the major descending pathway for voluntary movement

Answer 29

corticospinal tract

Question 30

what is the corticospinal tract composed of

Answer 30

upper motor neurones in primary motor cortex and lower motor neurones in brainstem and spinal cord

Question 31

what is the major ascending pathway for sensation

Answer 31

dorsal column pathway and spinothalamic tract

Question 32

what is the dorsal column pathway for

Answer 32

fine touch, vibration and proprioception (position) from the skin and joints

Question 33

what is the spinothalamic pathway for

Answer 33

pain

temperature and crude touch from the skin

Question 34

what are the two branches of the spinothalamic tract called

Answer 34

ventral and lateral
lateral (pain and temp)
ventral (crude touch)

Question 35

what are the 4 brainstem motor tracts

Answer 35

vestibulospinal
tectospinal
reticulospinal
rubrospinal

Question 36

what does the vestibulospinal tract do

Answer 36

provides information about head movement and position and mediates postural adjustments

Question 37

what does the tectospinal tract do

Answer 37

orientation of the head and neck during eye movement

Question 38

what dies the reticulospinal tract do

Answer 38

preparatory and movement related activities, postural control

Question 39

what does the rubrospinal tract do

Answer 39

innervate lower motor neurons of the upper limb

Question 40

what are the 2 principal ascending pathways

Answer 40

dorsal (posterior) column pathway
mechanical - fine discriminative touch, pressure, vibration, proprioception
spinothalamic pathway
mechanical, chemical and thermal - crude touch, pain and temp

Question 41

explain the dorsal column pathway

Answer 41

fibres enter via the dorsal horn and enters the ascending dorsal column pathways
info is conveyed from lower limbs and body (below T6) travelling ipsilaterally along the gracile tract
info is conveyed from upper limbs and body (above T6) and travels ipsilaterally along the cuneate tract

Question 42

where is the first synapse of the gracile tract

Answer 42

in the gracile nucleus

Question 43

where is the first synapse of the cuneate tract

Answer 43

in the cuneate nucleus

Question 44

where do 2nd order axons decussate and what do they form

Answer 44

in the caudal medulla

form the contralateral medial lemniscus tract (synapse in the thalamus)

Question 45

where do 3rd order neurons from the thalamus project to

Answer 45

the somatosensory cortex
size of the somatotopic area is proportional to density of sensory receptors in that body region (somatosensory homunculus)

Question 46

where do primary afferent axons terminate

Answer 46

upon entering the spinal cord

Question 47

where do 2nd order neurons terminate

Answer 47

in the thalamus

Question 48

where do 3rd order neurons from the thalamus project to

Answer 48

somatosensory cortex