Chapter 12 Part 2) CNS

Question 1

Limbic System

Answer 1

• Located on medial aspect of cerebral hemispheres and diencephalon (Inside brain between hemispheres)
• Involved in emotional response
  
  • Makes us aware of emotional richness.
  • React emotionally to stimulu
• Major Structures In Limbic System
  
  • Amydaloid Body) Reconizes anger or fear and creates response
  • Hypothalamus) Relays output of limbic system (as well as visceral sensation)
• Limbic system also involved in memory (Hippocampus and Amygdaloid body)

Question 2

Reticular Formation

Answer 2

• Extends through the central core of the brain stem. Composed of three broad columts that run the length of the brain stem.
  
  • Has connrctions with hypothalamus, thalamus, cerebreal cortex, cerebellum, and spinal chord.
  • These connections allow reticular formation to control brain arousal.
• Reticular Activating System (RAS) Continuoius stream of impulses to Cortex which keep it stimulated and exicted.
  
  • Impulses from ascending Sensory Tracts synapse with RAS nuerons keeping them active (helps some people think better in a busy environment)
  • Filters out repative stimuli (if we didn’t have this sensory info would be too much)
• Inhibited by sleep centers, drugs, and alcohol.
• Severe injury can result in coma.

Question 3

RAS and Motor Function

Answer 3

• RAS helps control some motor functions
• RAS autonomic centers regulate visceral motor functions
  
  • Vasomotor Centers
  • Cardiac Center
  • Respritory Center

Question 4

Language (Higher Menta Function)

Answer 4

• Two main Areas
  
  • Brocas Area) Involved in Speach production
    
    • people with injuries here can understand words but cannot speak
  • Wernicke’s Area) Involved in understanding spoken and written words
    
    • People with injuries here can speak but words are nonsensible.
• This is a function of the Left Hemisphere, On the right side same areas are involved with nonverbal communication (Body Language)

Question 5

Memory (Higher Menta Function)

Answer 5

• Storage and Retrival of Information
• Diffrent Kinds
  
  • Declarative memory) memory of facts (names words faces)
  • Procedural memory) Of advanced skills (paino)
  • Motor memory) of motor skills (riding bike, running)
  • Emotional Memory) Expirence linked to an emotion (
• Stages of Declaritive Memory
  
  • Short-Term Memory (STM or Working Memory) Temporary holding of info. Limited to seven or eight peices of info.
  • Long-Term Memory (LTM) Limitless capicity
    
    • Info can be frogotten and lost froever.

Question 6

Transfer from STM to LTM

Answer 6

• Factors that affect trasfer of Info from STM to LTM
  
  • Emotional State) Better tranfer if alert, moticated, and aroused
  • Rehersal) repitition
  • Association) tying with old information
  • Automatic memory) Subconcious info stored into LTM
• Memory Consolidation) Involves fitting new facts into a memory category in cerebral cortex.
  
  • Hippocampus, Thalamus, Prefrontal cortex, and temporal cortical areas are involved in memory consilidation

Question 7

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 7

• Records electical activities that accompy brain funtion
• Used for
  
  • Tumor reconization
  • Eplipasy diagnois
    *

Question 8

Brain Waves

Answer 8

• Patterns of nueronal electrical activity
  
  • Each person’s brain waves are unique
  • They can change with age, stimuli, brain desiese, and chemical state
• Measured in Hertz (HZ) which is peks per second
• Classifications
  
  • Alpha Waves) Calm, Relaxed but awake
    
    • Regular and Rythmic
  • Beta Waves) Concentrating on problem of stimlus
    
    • Rythmic but less regular when concentrating
  • Theta Waves) Commen in children but uncommon in adults
  • Delta Waves) Indicated brain damage in awake adult
    
    • Normally found during deep sleep.

Question 9

Consciousness (define)

Answer 9

• Perception of Sensation
  
  • Voluntary Movment control
  • We are capabile of higher mental processing
• Clinically defined as how we behave in response to stimuli
  
  • EX) alert, Drowsiness, stupor or coma
• Current Suppositions on Consciouness
  
  • Simultanios activity of large cortical areas
  • Superimposed on other types of nueral activites
  • Holistic and interconnected