chapter 3: nervous system organization

Question 1

directional terms:
__________ refers to closer to the front of the body, __________ to the rear
__________ refers to the back of the body vs __________ to the front
__________ refers to toward the middle, __________ toward the sides/outward

Answer 1

rostral-caudal (anterior-posterior)
dorsal-ventral (superior-inferior)
medial-lateral (proximal-distal)

Question 2

define the terms ipsilateral, contralateral, proximal, distal, afferent, efferent, superior, inferior

Answer 2

ipsilateral: same-side structures
contralateral: opposite structures
proximal: close structures
distal: far apart structures
afferent: movement toward cns
efferent: movement away from cns
superior: higher structure
inferior: lower structure

Question 3

precentral gyrus is an example of a (structural/functional) name, primary motor cortex, or M1, is the corresponding (structural/functional) name

Answer 3

structural, functional

Question 4

what are the two branches of the pns and their respective branches?

Answer 4

somatic nervous system
autonomic nervous system:
- sympathetic branch
- parasympathetic branch

Question 5

what are the three layers of the meninges?

Answer 5

dura mater: tough thicker outer layer
arachnoid mater: weblike structure between layers
pia mater: tough thinner inner layer

Question 6

which cells regulate the blood-brain barrier by holding blood vessels tightly together?

Answer 6

astroglia

Question 7

what are the three cerebral arteries and which areas do they circulate

Answer 7

anterior cerebral artery: blood to front part of brain, innervates from central sulcus
middle cerebral artery: wraps around temporal lobes up from middle
posterior cerebral artery: wraps around occipital/parietal lobes from back

Question 8

what are progenitor cells?

Answer 8

specialized stem cells that either become neuroblasts (and then neurons) or glioblasts (later glial cells)

Question 9

describe the function of ependymal cells, astrocytes, microglia, oligodendoglial cells, schwann cells

Answer 9

ependymal cell: secrete csf
astrocyte: nutritive, support function
microglial cell: defensive function within CNS (macrophage cannot fit)
oligodendroglial cell: form insulating myelin in CNS
schwann cell: form insulating myelin sheath in PNS, also build hollow pathway to allow neurons to heal

Question 10

describe the developmental parts of the embryonic spinal cord (and what they develop into)

Answer 10

Prosencephalon (becomes telencephalon and diencephalon) in mammals
mesencephalon (remains, becomes midbrain)
rhombencephalon (forms metencephalon (pons,cerebellum) and myelencephalon (medulla oblongata))

Question 11

Describe location of the 4 cerebral ventricles

Answer 11

lateral ventricles: contained in telencephalon
third ventricle: at midline of the brain
fourth ventricle: between cerebellum and brainstem

Question 12

Bell and Magendie’s law dictates that afferent information is received by the (posterior/anterior) root of the spinal cord, efferent by the (posterior/anterior).

Answer 12

posterior, anterior

Question 13

what are dermatomes?

Answer 13

region of the body innervated by each nerve

e.g. four spinal segments have multiple nerves, dermatome segments innervated accordingly

Question 14

What are the 12 cranial nerves?

Answer 14

1) Olfactory
2) Optic
3) Oculomotor
4) Trochlear
5) Trigeminal
6) Abducens
7) Facial
8) Auditory Vestibular
9) Glossopharyngeal
10) Vagus
11) Spinal Accessory
12) Hypoglossal

Question 15

describe the components of the hindbrain

Answer 15

cerebellum: motor control, sensory integration
pons: bridges cerebellum to rest of brain
medulla (oblongata): regulates autonomic function; breathing, heart rate
reticular formation: pons and medulla, projects to cortex; alertness and arousal

Question 16

describe the components of the midbrain

Answer 16

tectum (roof): posterior aspect, superior colliculi relay visual info, inferior colliculi relay auditory

tegmentum (floor): anterior aspect of midbrain, nuclei involved in motor control (substantia nigra, red nucleus)

Question 17

describe the components of the diencephalon

Answer 17

hypothalamus: many nuclei influence wide range of behaviours, produce hormones

thalamus: relay centre for info due towards cortex

epithalamus: nuclei found posterior to thalamus

Question 18

describe the components of the telencephalon

Answer 18

neocortex: 6 layered wrinkly shit

subcortical areas:
- basal ganglia (role in motor control,
learning)
- limbic system (amygdala, hippocampus, cingulate cortex)

Question 19

describe the function of the limbic system

Answer 19

amygdala: important in emotion, understanding emotion
hippocampus: important in personal memories, navigation
cingulate cortex: decision making and executive function

Question 20

describe the components and overall function of the basal ganglia

Answer 20

putamen, caudate nucelus, globus pallidus
integrates sensory information and motor function to produce fluid, skilled movements, important in motor learning

Question 21

describe the function of the 6 layers of the neocortex

Answer 21

outer layers (I, II, III) receive input from other cortical areas
later IV receives input from sensory systems
layers V and VI sent output to other brain areas or spinal cord (if motor)