Central Nervous System Flashcards
2 Divisions of Cranial Nervous System:
Brain and Spinal Cord
Major communication link between the brain and the PNS inferior to the brain.
Spinal Cord
How many pairs does a spinal cords have?
31
Upper limb supply
Cervical Enlargement
Lower limbs supply
Lumbosacral enlargement
Cone-like regipns where the SC tapers.
Conus Medullaris
Lumbar and Sacral Nerve roots.
Cauda Equina
Fibrous strand at the end of the conus medularis.
Filum Terminale
(Cross Section of the Spinal Cord)
Contains myelinated axons (which form nerve tracts).
White Matter
(Cross Section of the Spinal Cord)
Contains neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and axons.
Gray Matter
A collection of axons inside the CNS.
Tract
A collection of axons outside the CNS.
Nerve
(Cross Section of the Spinal Cord)
Contains axons of sensory neurons.
Dorsal Roots
Contains sensory neuron cell bodies.
Dorsal Root Ganglion
(Cross Section of the Spinal Cord)
Contains axons of motor neurons; motor cell bodies are located in gray matter.
Ventral Root
(Cross Section of the Spinal Cord)
Deep cleft partially separating posterior half of the cord.
Posterior Median Sulcus
(Cross Section of the Spinal Cord)
Seperates the anterior half of the chord.
Anterior Median Fissure
Gray matter is organized into Horns.
Dorsal, Ventral, and Lateral Horn
Space-filled with cerobrospinal fluid.
Central Canal
3 Divisions of White Matter:
Dorsal Volumn
Ventral Column
Lateral Column
Ascending tracts carrying sensory fluid into the brain.
Dorsal Column
Ascending & Descending tracts carrying sensory input & motor output.
Ventral Column
Descending tracts carrying motor output.
Lateral Column
Damaged to the spinal cord either from trauma (most common), loss of its normal blood supply, or compression from tumor or infection.
Spinal Cord Injury
Largest and most complex mass of nervous tissue in the body.
Brain
Four Major Regions of The Brain:
- Cerebral Hemispheres
- Diencephalon
- Brain Stem
- Cerebellum
Collectively known as “cerebellum”; most superior and largest part of the brain.
Cerebral Hemispheres
Elevated ridges of tissue.
Gyrus/Gyri
Shallow grooves separating the gyri.
Sulcus/Sulci
Deep grooves separating large regions of the brain into lobes.
Fissure/s
Lobes of the Brain:
- Frontal Lobe
- Parietal Lobe
- Occipital Lobe
- Temporal Lobe
Intellectual reasoning and behavior; judgement, problem solving, speech and language comprehension.
Frontal Lobe
Primary sensory and Motor area. (ex: reflexes, general sensation, proprioception, initiation of movement, and language formation).
Parietal Lobe
Primary auditory and olfactory area; process and understand sounds and smells.
Temporal Lobe
Storage of memory; facial recognition.
Hippocampus
Primary Visual area
Occipital Lobe
Interbrain; sits on top of the brain stem and is enclosed by the cerebral hemispheres.
Diencephalon
3 Major structures of Diencephalon:
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Epithalamus
Relay situation for memory impulsespassing upward to the sensory cortex.
Thalamus
Regulating body temperature, water balance, and metabolism.
Hypothalamus
(Hypothalamus)
Center for many drives and emotions.
Limbic System
Contains the pineal gland–produces and regulates some hormones , including the sleep hormone (melatonin).
Epithalamus
A large bundle of myelinated nerve fibers that connect the two brain hemispheres permitting communication between the right and left sides of the brain.
Corpus Callosum
The roots of the cranial nerves 3-12 arises from the____?
Brain Stem
3 Structures of the Brain Stem:
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla Oblongata
Visual and auditory reflex centers; subcortucal motor centers, CN 3-4.
Midbrain
Relay information from cerebrum to cerebellum; CN5-7.
Pons
Controls heart rate, blood vessel diameter, respiratory rate, vomiting, CN 8-12.
Medulla Oblongata
Large, cauliflower-like structure projecting under the occipital lobe of the cerebrum.
Cerebellum
Functions of Cerebellum:
- COORDINATION of muscle movements .
- TONE or contraction force of muscles.
- BALANCE / EQUILIBRIUM
3 connective tissue membranes covering and protecting the CNS structures.
Meninges
(Meninges)
Outermost layer that continuous up to the spinal cord.
Dura Mater
(Meninges)
Middle Layer.
Arachnoid Mater
(Meninges)
Innermost covering of the brain and spinal cord.
Pia Mater
An inflammation of the meninges whisch is a serious threat to the brain due to the bacteria or viral infection.
Meningitis
Clear fluid that sorround the brain and spinal cord.
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Where does the Cerebrospinal fluid stored?
Stored inside the ventricles.
Abnormal buuld up of fluid in the ventricles deep within the brain.
Hydrocephalus
2 Pathways of the Physiology of the brain:
- Ascending (Sensory) Pathways
- Descending (Motor) Pathways
Sensory pathways that transmit sensory information to the brain via action potentials.
Ascending Pathways
(Ascending Pathways)
Pain, temperature, light touch, tickle, itch and pressure (contralateral).
Anterolateral System
(Ascending Pathways)
Proprioception, two-point discrimination, pressure, vibration (contralateral).
Dorsal-column system
(Ascending Pathways)
Proprioception (ipsilateral).
Spinocerebellar tract
Motor Pathways that carry action potentials from regions of the cerebrum or cerebellum to the brainstem or spinal cord.
Descending Pathways
(Descending Pathways)
Conscious, skilled movements (contralateral).
Direct Pathway/ Pyramidal System
(Descending Pathways)
Unconscious movements (contralateral except for posture, ipsilateral).
Indirect Pathway/ Extrapyramidal System
Also knwon as “stroke”; when blood flow to a part of a brain is stop either due to a blockage or rupture of a blood vessel.
Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)
How to spot a STROKE?
Use the BEFAST Method.
BEFAST stands for?
Balance Loss
Eyesight Changes
Face Dropping
Arm weakness
Speech Difficulty
Time to call 911
