CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM Flashcards
CNS
• BRAIN and SPINE
Its ‘neighbourhoods’ are collections of neuronal cell bodies called nuclei (the plural of nucleus).
• The ‘freeways’ of the CNS are made up of axons that travel together in bundles called fibre tracts or pathways.
• BRAIN and SPINE
Its ‘neighbourhoods’ are collections of neuronal cell bodies called nuclei (the plural of nucleus).
• The ‘freeways’ of the CNS are made up of axons that travel together in bundles called fibre tracts or pathways.
CNS
SPINAL CORD
- the part of the CNS within the spinal column that relays signals from peripheral senses to the brain and
- conveys messages from the brain to the rest of the body
- Neurons in the spinal cord also carry signals downwards, from the brain to the muscles
- the part of the CNS within the spinal column that relays signals from peripheral senses to the brain and
- conveys messages from the brain to the rest of the body
- Neurons in the spinal cord also carry signals downwards, from the brain to the muscles
SPINAL CORD
REFLEXES
- simple, involuntary, unlearned behaviours directed by the spinal cord without instructions from the brain
- they do send action potentials along fibre tracts going to the brain, however (you know you’ve been burned)
- sensory neurons = afferent neurons (towards)
- motor neurons = efferent (away)
- simple, involuntary, unlearned behaviours directed by the spinal cord without instructions from the brain
- they do send action potentials along fibre tracts going to the brain, however (you know you’ve been burned)
- sensory neurons = afferent neurons (towards)
- motor neurons = efferent (away)
REFLEXES
BRAIN
most complex part of CNS
most complex part of CNS
BRAIN
HINDBRAIN
- an extension of the spinal cord contained inside the skull where nuclei control blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and other vital functions
- signals coming from the spinal cord reach the hindbrain first
- malfunction = faint upon standing
- an extension of the spinal cord contained inside the skull where nuclei control blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and other vital functions
- signals coming from the spinal cord reach the hindbrain first
- malfunction = faint upon standing
HINDBRAIN
MEDULLA OBLONGATA
• an area in the hindbrain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and other vital (autonomic) functions
• an area in the hindbrain that controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing and other vital (autonomic) functions
MEDULLA OBLONGATA
RETICULAR FORMATION
- a collection of cells and fibres in the hindbrain and midbrain that are involved in arousal and attention
- alters activity in rest of brain – arousal and attention
- malfunction = coma
- a collection of cells and fibres in the hindbrain and midbrain that are involved in arousal and attention
- alters activity in rest of brain – arousal and attention
- malfunction = coma
RETICULAR FORMATION
- ‘blue spot’
- a small nucleus in the reticular formation that is involved in directing attention particularly towards important stimuli in the environment
- malfunction = depression, ADHD, sleep disorder and PTSD
LOCUS COERULEUS
LOCUS COERULEUS
- ‘blue spot’
- a small nucleus in the reticular formation that is involved in directing attention particularly towards important stimuli in the environment
- malfunction = depression, ADHD, sleep disorder and PTSD
CEREBELLUM
- the part of the hindbrain whose main functions include controlling finely coordinated movements and storing memories about movement, but also
- activities not related to movement: memory, impulse control, pain, emotion and language etc.
- important in timing – timing speech and not stuttering
- disfunction = being mute, loss of balance & coordination when walking
- the part of the hindbrain whose main functions include controlling finely coordinated movements and storing memories about movement, but also
- activities not related to movement: memory, impulse control, pain, emotion and language etc.
- important in timing – timing speech and not stuttering
- disfunction = being mute, loss of balance & coordination when walking
CEREBELLUM
MIDBRAIN
- a small structure between the hindbrain and forebrain that relays information from the eyes, ears and skin and that controls certain types of automatic behaviour
- jumping rope, moving head without vision blurring
- important nucleus present there: substantia nigra, connected to striatum
- a small structure between the hindbrain and forebrain that relays information from the eyes, ears and skin and that controls certain types of automatic behaviour
- jumping rope, moving head without vision blurring
- important nucleus present there: substantia nigra, connected to striatum
MIDBRAIN
SUBSTANTIA NIGRA
• an area of the midbrain involved in initiating smooth movements
• an area of the midbrain involved in initiating smooth movements
SUBSTANTIA NIGRA
STRIATUM
• a structure within the forebrain that is involved in the smooth beginning of movement
• a structure within the forebrain that is involved in the smooth beginning of movement
STRIATUM
FOREBRAIN
- covers rest of brain
- the most highly developed part of the brain;
- it is responsible for the most complex aspects of behaviour and mental life
- hypothalamus; corpus collosum; cerebral cortex; striatum. Thalamus; septum; amygdala; hippocampus
- covers rest of brain
- the most highly developed part of the brain;
- it is responsible for the most complex aspects of behaviour and mental life
- hypothalamus; corpus collosum; cerebral cortex; striatum. Thalamus; septum; amygdala; hippocampus
FOREBRAIN
THALAMUS
- a forebrain structure that relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain; and
- plays an important role in processing and making sense out of this information
- (interprets and relays sensory information)
- a forebrain structure that relays signals from most sense organs to higher levels in the brain; and
- plays an important role in processing and making sense out of this information
- (interprets and relays sensory information)
THALAMUS
HYPOTHALAMUS
- a structure in the forebrain that regulates hunger, thirst and sex drive
- connected to autonomic NS
- disfunction = urge to eat / sexual disfunction
- a structure in the forebrain that regulates hunger, thirst and sex drive
- connected to autonomic NS
- disfunction = urge to eat / sexual disfunction
HYPOTHALAMUS
SUPRACHAIASMATIC NUCLEI
- nuclei in the hypothalamus (24 hr clock) that generate biological rhythms – waking, sleeping, cycles of body temperature
- different energy levels at different times of day
- nuclei in the hypothalamus (24 hr clock) that generate biological rhythms – waking, sleeping, cycles of body temperature
- different energy levels at different times of day
SUPRACHAIASMATIC NUCLEI
AMYGDALA
- part of the LIMBIC SYSTEM
- a structure in the forebrain
- fear and reward learning
- associates features of stimuli from 2 different senses (connects sensation and emotion)
- Disfunction associated with PTSD
- Influences strength of reaction to facial expressions and ability to discriminate
- part of the LIMBIC SYSTEM
- a structure in the forebrain
- fear and reward learning
- associates features of stimuli from 2 different senses (connects sensation and emotion)
- Disfunction associated with PTSD
- Influences strength of reaction to facial expressions and ability to discriminate
AMYGDALA
HIPPOCAMPUS
- a structure in the forebrain
- the formation of new memories,
- but not solely responsible for storing them
- damage = anterograde amnesia (inability to build new memories)
- its size and neuron activity determines memory efficiency
- trauma = loss of neurons = reduces volume of hippo.
- Assoc. btw. Depression/PTSD and damage
- a structure in the forebrain
- the formation of new memories,
- but not solely responsible for storing them
- damage = anterograde amnesia (inability to build new memories)
- its size and neuron activity determines memory efficiency
- trauma = loss of neurons = reduces volume of hippo.
- Assoc. btw. Depression/PTSD and damage
HIPPOCAMPUS
LIMBIC SYSTEM
- hippocampus & amygdala
* a set of brain structures that play important roles in regulating emotion and memory
- hippocampus & amygdala
* a set of brain structures that play important roles in regulating emotion and memory
LIMBIC SYSTEM