Central Nervous System ( Brain/ Spinal Cord Pathways) Flashcards
What is the function of the somatosensory tract (ascending)?
-Carries general sensory information
What is the function of the corticospinal tract (descending)?
-carries motor info from the brain to the spinal cord
Where is the location of the primary somatosensory area of the cerebral cortex?
-postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe
Where is the location of the corticospinal tract(primary motor area)?
-precentral gyrus
The brain stem is divided into what structures (3)?
- midbrain
- pons
- medulla
Describe the structures and functions (white vs grey matter) of the Medulla
- transition from the spinal cord into the brains proper
- White Matter:includes somatosensory and corticospinal tracts(90% of Corticospinal tracts cross the midline to the opposite side of the body in the pyramids of the medulla)
- Olive:sensory relay station
- Gray matter: cardiovascular center, respiratory center
What is the functions of the pons?
- relay station for info transfer between the cerebellum and cerebrum
- contains sensory tract to thalamus
- respiratory center
What is the function of the midbrain (mesencephalon)
- controls eye movement
- integrates auditory info
- contains sensory and motor tracts
Where is the location of the diencephalon?
-lies between the brain stem and the cerebrum
What are the structures that make up the diencephalon(2)?
-Thalamus and hypothalamus
What is the function of the thalamus?
- sensory relay station (processes and relays sensory info to appropriate cortices
- Regulates the level of awareness
- composed of nuclei
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
- center of homeostasis
- activates sympathetic nervous system
- maintains body temp
- controls body osmolarity
- controls reproductive functions
- controls food intake
- interacts with limbic system to influence behavior and emotions
- influences cardiovascular control center in medulla oblongata
- circadium rhythm
What is the function of the cerebellum?
-processes sensory info and coordinate the execution of precise movement
(Voluntary;skeletal muscles)
The cerebrum is the site of what major function?
-higher brain function
What connects the two hemispheres of the cerebrum?
- corpus callosum (axons passing one side of the brain to the other)
- ensures that the two hemispheres communicate and cooperate
What are the structures of the gray matter of the cerebrum?
- cerebral cortex (outer later of the cerebrum)
- cerebral nuclei/ basal ganglia
What is the function of the cerebral cortex?
-higher brain functions arise here
What is the function of the cerebral nuclei/basal ganglia?
-subconscious control of the skeletal muscle movement