Central Nervous System (CNS) Flashcards
What is the brain and spinal cord covered by and what is its function?
meninges -to protect delicate tissue
What are the types of meninges?
dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater
What are the segments of the spinal cord?
cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx
What does the grey matter in the spinal cord mostly contain?
neurone cell bodies and some axons
What does the white matter in the spinal cord mostly contain?
axons
How to identify spinal white matter in a black and white photo?
on the outside and stains darker
Describe the dorsal/posterior region of the spinal cord
grey matter. location of 1st order afferent (to CNS) neurone terminals. location of cell bodies of 2nd order sensory neurone
Describe the ventral/anterior region of the spinal cord
contains the axons of motor neurons that extend into the periphery to control somatic and visceral effectors. contains cell bodies of motor neurones
Why does the top of the spinal cord have more white matter?
More nerves join white matter going up therefore in cervical and thoaracic, there is more white matter
What do motor neurones control?
muscles and glands
What is different in the arrangement of matter in the brain?
white matter is on the inside and grey matter surrounds it
What are the regions of the brain?
forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain
What does the forebrain contain?
cerebrum, diencephalon
What does the hindbrain contain?
pons, cerebellum, medulla oblongata
What is the brainstem composed of?
pons, medulla oblongata, midbrain
What does the cerebrum do?
- Conscious thought processes, intellectual functions -language, perceptions
- Memory storage and processing
- Conscious and subconscious regulation of skeletal muscle contractions
What does the diencephalon do?
Thalamus
- Relays and processes sensory information
Hypothalamus
- Controls emotions (stress), homeostasis (thermoregulation), circadian rhythm, motivation and hormone production (pituitary gland)
What does the midbrain do?
- Processes visual and auditory data
- Generates reflex motor responses
- Maintains consciousness
- Pain control
What does the pons do?
- Relays sensory information to cerebellum and thalamus
- Subconscious somatic (respiration) and visceral motor centers
What does the medulla oblongata do?
- Relays sensory information to thalamus and to other portions of the brainstem
- Autonomic centre for regulation of visceral function (cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive system activities
What does the cerebellum do?
- Coordinates complex somatic motor patterns
- Adjusts output of other somatic motor centers in brain and spinal cord
- Controls balance and posture
What is grey matter in the brain called?
cerebral cortex
What is white matter in the brain called?
corpus callosum
Where is the brain stem located?
near the spinal cord
What does the brainstem control?
vital functions such as breathing, consciousness, blood pressure, heart rate, and sleep.
What cranial nerves does the pons house?
nuclei of
trigeminal (5)
abducens (6)
facial (7)
vestibulocochlear (8)
What cranial nerves does the midbrain house?
nuclei of
trigeminal (5)
oculomoter (3)
trochlear (4)
What cranial nerves does the medulla house?
9, 10, 11, 12
