Central nervous system (CNS)

Question 1

CNS

Answer 1

Brain and spinal cord. 7 basic parts
Spinal cord
Medulla -                  
Pons -                       
Midbrain -                
Diencephalon         
Cerebrum                
Cerebellum

Question 2

Spinal cord

Answer 2

Divided into regions, top-down: Cervical spine, Thoracic spine, Sacrum, coccyx.
Each gives rise to peripheral nerves. Signal enters the spine via the dorsal horn with afferent signals towards the spine and away from the spine via the ventral horn: efferent signals

Question 2

Brainstem

Answer 2

Highly complex, most important for maintenance of life. Consisting of Thalamus, Midbrain, Pons, Medulla and spinal cord.

Question 3

Medulla (Oblongata)

Answer 3

Responsible for autonomic functions like heart rate, sneezing, blood pressure etc.
just under Pons

Question 4

Pons

Answer 4

Contains nuclei that connect the forebrain to the cerebellum. Also deals with sleep, swallowing, sleep paralysis and facial expressions etc. Just under midbrain

Question 5

Midbrain

Answer 5

Has the tectrum: Auditory and visual reflexes
and Tegmentum: homeostatic and reflexes, largest dopamine-producing site
Just under the thalamus

Question 6

Reticular formation

Answer 6

Located throughout the brainstem (inside). Involved in arousal and attention. Damage effects the state of consciousness.

Question 7

Cerebellum (little brain)

Answer 7

Spinocerebellum (medial part) is for polysensoric integration and precise and flexible control of moving limbs
Neocerebellum (lateral parts) for planning movement, higher mental functions and time perception
Vestibulocerebellum (lowest in unrolled) for maintaining balance, coordinating eye movement while moving.

Question 8

Forebrain

Answer 8

Diencephalon and cerebrum.

Question 9

Diencephalon

Answer 9

‘Part of the forebrain. Major component is thalamus. Switch board of the brain. Receives input from all sensory areas except smell.

Question 10

Cerebrum

Answer 10

Consisting of:

• Limbic system with the hippocampus (critical for memory, spatial processing) and the amygdala (emotional processing).
• Basal ganglia, involved in cognitive functions with the nuclei putamen, caudate nucleus and globus pallidus
• Olfactory bulbs: processing of olfactory information (smell)
• Cerebral cortex: 2 hemispheres connected by corpus callosum, 4 lobes