Central Nervous System (CNS)

Question 1

What is the brain and spinal cord covered by and what is its function?

Answer 1

meninges -to protect delicate tissue

Question 2

What are the types of meninges?

Answer 2

dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater

Question 3

What are the segments of the spinal cord?

Answer 3

cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx

Question 4

What does the grey matter in the spinal cord mostly contain?

Answer 4

neurone cell bodies and some axons

Question 5

What does the white matter in the spinal cord mostly contain?

Answer 5

axons

Question 6

How to identify spinal white matter in a black and white photo?

Answer 6

on the outside and stains darker

Question 7

Describe the dorsal/posterior region of the spinal cord

Answer 7

grey matter. location of 1st order afferent (to CNS) neurone terminals. location of cell bodies of 2nd order sensory neurone

Question 8

Describe the ventral/anterior region of the spinal cord

Answer 8

contains the axons of motor neurons that extend into the periphery to control somatic and visceral effectors. contains cell bodies of motor neurones

Question 9

Why does the top of the spinal cord have more white matter?

Answer 9

More nerves join white matter going up therefore in cervical and thoaracic, there is more white matter

Question 10

What do motor neurones control?

Answer 10

muscles and glands

Question 11

What is different in the arrangement of matter in the brain?

Answer 11

white matter is on the inside and grey matter surrounds it

Question 12

What are the regions of the brain?

Answer 12

forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain

Question 13

What does the forebrain contain?

Answer 13

cerebrum, diencephalon

Question 14

What does the hindbrain contain?

Answer 14

pons, cerebellum, medulla oblongata

Question 15

What is the brainstem composed of?

Answer 15

pons, medulla oblongata, midbrain

Question 16

What does the cerebrum do?

Answer 16

• Conscious thought processes, intellectual functions -language, perceptions
• Memory storage and processing
• Conscious and subconscious regulation of skeletal muscle contractions

Question 17

What does the diencephalon do?

Answer 17

Thalamus

• Relays and processes sensory information

Hypothalamus

• Controls emotions (stress), homeostasis (thermoregulation), circadian rhythm, motivation and hormone production (pituitary gland)

Question 18

What does the midbrain do?

Answer 18

• Processes visual and auditory data
• Generates reflex motor responses
• Maintains consciousness
• Pain control

Question 19

What does the pons do?

Answer 19

• Relays sensory information to cerebellum and thalamus
• Subconscious somatic (respiration) and visceral motor centers

Question 20

What does the medulla oblongata do?

Answer 20

• 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

Question 21

What does the cerebellum do?

Answer 21

• Coordinates complex somatic motor patterns
• Adjusts output of other somatic motor centers in brain and spinal cord
• Controls balance and posture

Question 22

What is grey matter in the brain called?

Answer 22

cerebral cortex

Question 23

What is white matter in the brain called?

Answer 23

corpus callosum

Question 24

Where is the brain stem located?

Answer 24

near the spinal cord

Question 25

What does the brainstem control?

Answer 25

vital functions such as breathing, consciousness, blood pressure, heart rate, and sleep.

Question 26

What cranial nerves does the pons house?

Answer 26

nuclei of
trigeminal (5)
abducens (6)
facial (7)
vestibulocochlear (8)

Question 27

What cranial nerves does the midbrain house?

Answer 27

nuclei of
trigeminal (5)
oculomoter (3)
trochlear (4)

Question 28

What cranial nerves does the medulla house?

Answer 28

9, 10, 11, 12