Chapter 14 Flashcards
Cerebrum
Largest brain part, controls higher mental functions.
Cerebellum
Coordinates motor patterns, maintains balance.
Diencephalon
Central brain region, includes thalamus and hypothalamus.
Brainstem
Connects spinal cord to cerebrum and cerebellum.
Gyri
Bulges of brain tissue increasing surface area.
Sulci
Deep fissures separating gyri in the brain.
Thalamus
Relays and processes sensory information.
Hypothalamus
Regulates hormones, body temperature, and hunger.
Pituitary gland
Master endocrine gland controlling other glands.
Midbrain
Processes vision, hearing, and motor movement.
Pons
Connects cerebellum to brainstem, handles unconscious processes.
Medulla oblongata
Regulates autonomic functions like heart rate and digestion.
Cranial meninges
Three protective layers surrounding the brain.
Dura mater
Outer layer of cranial meninges, tough and thick.
Arachnoid mater
Middle layer, spiderweb-like, contains cerebrospinal fluid.
Pia mater
Inner layer of meninges, delicate and thin.
Cerebrospinal fluid
Cushions brain, circulates between meninges.
Blood-brain barrier
Protective barrier preventing harmful substances entry.
Fissures
Deep grooves separating major brain regions.
Cerebellar cortex
Outer layer of cerebellum, composed of gray matter.
Subthalamus
Involved in movement modulation.
Epithalamus
Regulates circadian rhythms.
Dural venous sinuses
Drainage system for blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
Subarachnoid space
Area between arachnoid and pia mater, contains CSF.
Cranial reflexes
Automatic responses to specific stimuli.
Limbic system
Involved in emotions and memory processing.
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Measures brain waves, indicates electrical activity.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
Clear fluid that cushions and supports the brain.
Blood brain barrier (BBB)
Selective barrier protecting CNS from blood circulation.
Cerebrovascular diseases
Disorders affecting blood supply to the brain.
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
Stroke caused by interrupted blood flow to the brain.
Cranial Nerves
Nerves relaying signals between brain and body.
Purkinje cells
Large neurons in cerebellum, receive extensive input.
Arbor vitae
White matter structure in the cerebellum.
Cerebellar peduncles
Tracts linking cerebellum with brainstem and spinal cord.
Ataxia
Muscular coordination disturbance causing unsteady movements.
Astrocytes
Support cells regulating blood-brain barrier function.
Internal carotid arteries
Major arteries supplying blood to the brain.
Vertebral arteries
Arteries delivering blood to the posterior brain.
Cerebral peduncles
Nerve bundles connecting cerebrum to brainstem.
Respiratory rhythmicity centers
Nuclei in medulla controlling breathing patterns.
Vestibulocochlear Nerve
Cranial nerve VIII for hearing and balance.
Glossopharyngeal Nerve
Cranial nerve IX involved in taste and swallowing.
Vagus Nerve
Cranial nerve X regulating autonomic functions.
Accessory Nerve
Cranial nerve XI controlling neck and shoulder muscles.
Hypoglossal Nerve
Cranial nerve XII controlling tongue movements.
ADH
Antidiuretic hormone; reduces urine production.
Body Temperature Regulation
Hypothalamus maintains optimal body temperature.
Autonomic Function Control
Regulates involuntary body functions.
Circadian Rhythms
Regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Feeding Center
Hypothalamus area that triggers hunger.
Thirst Center
Hypothalamus area that triggers thirst.
Limbic System
Emotional brain linking emotions and memory.
Amygdala
Processes emotions and links to memories.
Hippocampus
Involved in memory formation and learning.
Cingulate Gyrus
Regulates emotional response to pain.
Gray Matter
Contains neuronal cell bodies in brain.
White Matter
Composed of myelinated axons in brain.
Central Sulcus
Divides frontal and parietal lobes.
Precentral Gyrus
Primary motor cortex located here.
Postcentral Gyrus
Primary somatosensory cortex located here.
Lateral Sulcus
Separates frontal lobe from temporal lobe.
Basal Nuclei
Gray matter masses controlling subconscious activities.
Motor Areas
Regions controlling voluntary muscle movements.
Sensory Areas
Regions processing sensory information.
Visual Cortex
Processes visual information in occipital lobe.
Auditory Cortex
Processes auditory information in temporal lobe.
Olfactory Cortex
Processes smell information in temporal lobe.
Gustatory Cortex
Processes taste information in insula and frontal lobe.
Association Areas
Integrate sensory and motor information.
Somatosensory Association Cortex
Coordinates learned movements and sensory information.
Integrative centers
Receive information from many association areas and direct extremely complex motor activities.
Wernicke’s area
Language comprehension, primarily associated with left cerebral hemisphere, receives information from sensory association areas, coordinates access to visual and auditory memories.
Broca’s area
Motor speech area primarily associated with left cerebral hemisphere, regulates patterns of breathing and vocalization.
Prefrontal cortex
Coordinates information relayed from all cortical association areas, processes moment-to-moment input from surroundings, compares that input to past experiences, and performs abstract intellectual functions.
Hemispheric lateralization
Functional differences between left and right cerebral hemispheres, each performs certain functions that are not ordinarily performed by the opposite hemisphere.
Left cerebral hemisphere
Responsible for reading, writing, math, speech, language, and decision making.
Right cerebral hemisphere
Analyzes sensory information such as touch, smell, sight, taste, and recognition of faces and voice inflections.
Cranial nerves
Peripheral Nervous System components, 12 pairs connected to the brain, classified by primary functions.
Primarily sensory cranial nerves
Carriers of somatic sensory information including touch, pressure, vibration, temperature, and pain.
Special sensory cranial nerves
Carriers of sensations such as smell, sight, hearing, and balance.
Motor cranial nerves
Axons of somatic motor neurons.
Mixed cranial nerves
Contain both sensory and motor fibers.
Olfactory nerve (I)
Primary function: Special sensory (smell), origin: receptors of olfactory epithelium covering the roof of the nasal cavity.
Optic nerve (II)
Primary function: Special sensory (vision), origin: retina of eye.
Oculomotor nerve (III)
Primary function: Motor (eye movements), controls four of six eye-movement muscles.
Trochlear nerve (IV)
Primary function: Motor (eye movements), controls superior oblique muscle.
Trigeminal nerve (V)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor) of face.
Facial nerve (VII)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor) of face, includes taste receptors on anterior two-thirds of tongue.
Vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII)
Primary function: Special sensory, carries information from the inner ear to the brain.
Glossopharyngeal nerve (IX)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor) of mouth and throat.
Vagus nerve (X)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor), widely distributed in thorax and abdomen.
Accessory nerve (XI)
Primary function: Motor to muscles of neck and upper back.
Hypoglossal nerve (XII)
Primary function: Motor (tongue movements).
Bell’s palsy
Cranial nerve disorder resulting from inflammation of facial nerve, likely due to viral infection.
Trigeminal neuralgia
Pain condition affecting the trigeminal nerve.
Olfactory bulbs
Neural mass that receives information from olfactory receptors and sends it to the brain for processing.
Optic chiasm
Where optic nerves converge, allowing some fibers to cross to the opposite side of the brain.
Olfactory tracts
Axons of postsynaptic neurons that carry information from the olfactory bulbs to the olfactory cortex of the cerebrum.
