CNS - Brain Flashcards

1
Q

What is Wernicke’s area

A

Part of the brain in the left temporal lobe that recognizes spoken words

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2
Q

What is a functional MRI (fMRI)

A

Measures change of blood flow in regions of the brain (as well as use of oxygen and sugar by cells)

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3
Q

What structures protect the brain

A

Skull, hair, meninges, and CSF

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4
Q

What are the 3 meninges

A

Dura mater (tough mother), arachnoid mater (spider mother), and pia mater (soft mother)

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5
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of the dura mater

A

Opaque outer layer that feels like leather, 2 layers of dense irregular CT, blood sinus (dural sinus) between layers to drain blood away from brain, layers fused where there’s no sinus

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6
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of the arachnoid mater

A

Thin/filmy, middle layer over medulla onlongata, reticular CT, spider web like extensions connect it with pia mater

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7
Q

What are the 4 characteristics of the pia mater

A

Inner layer, loose areolar CT, clings to brain surface, very vascular

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8
Q

What are the spaces between meningeal layers

A

Subdural space and subarachnoid space

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9
Q

Describe the subdural space

A

Between dura mater and arachnoid mater that contains a thin film of fluid (subdural hematoma is a brain bleed where blood pools here)

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10
Q

Describe the subarachnoid space

A

Between arachnoid mater and pia mater that has Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

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11
Q

What is CSF

A

A blood filtrate produced in the brain that circulates within and around the brain and spinal cord

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12
Q

What are the functions of CSF

A

Nourishes brain tissue, removes waste products, and cushions brain by allowing it to float (1/2 cup at any given time continually produced and removed)

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13
Q

What is the choroid plexus

A

Capillary network writhing ventricles that produces CSF

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14
Q

What are arachnoid villi

A

Portions of arachnoid mater that push up into dural sinuses where CSF is reabsorbed back into blood after circulation

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15
Q

What are the ventricles of the brain

A

Connected, fluid containing spaces of the brain lined by ependymal cells and filled with CSF

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16
Q

Name the ventricles of the brain

A

Lateral ventricles (2), third ventricle (1), cerebral aqueduct (1), fourth ventricle (1)

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17
Q

In which 2 ventricles is the majority of CSF produced

A

Laterals and third

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18
Q

What is hydrocephaly

A

Overproduction of CSF or improper removal causing an increase in head size/swelling in infants, increased intracranial blood pressure causes brain damage

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19
Q

What is meningitis

A

Inflammation of meninges, usually caused by infection which can spread to nervous tissue of brain and cause swelling and death

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20
Q

What are the 2 types of meningitis

A

Viral (most common and resolves within a few weeks), and bacterial (most dangerous because of quick progression but can be treated with antibiotics)

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21
Q

What is the blood brain barrier

A

Specialized continuous capillaries of the brain have tightly packed endothelial cells lacking in intercellular clefts, many more tight junctions, making it hard for things to get in or out

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22
Q

What is one downside of the blood brain barrier

A

Can make an immune response hard

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23
Q

What makes white matter of the brain look white

A

Oligodendrocytes (fatty, insulatory cells)

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24
Q

What are the characteristics of white matter

A

Composed of myelinated axons that form fiber tracts

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25
Q

What are the characteristics of gray matter

A

Better for processing (all important functions of the brain happen here), composed of dendrites, cell bodies, glial cells, and unmyelinated axons

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26
Q

Where is gray matter in the brain

A

Outer gray matter formed by the cortex in the cerebrum and cerebellum, inner gray matter formed by nuclei in ganglia

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27
Q

What type of tissue does the spinal cord lack

A

Outer gray matter

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28
Q

What structure develops into the brain

A

Dorsal hollow nerve cord

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29
Q

What is the telencephalon

A

Cerebral hemisphere (cortex, white matter, basal nuclei)

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30
Q

What is the diencephalon

A

Thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus

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31
Q

What is the mesencephalon

A

Midbrain

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32
Q

What is the metencephalon

A

Cerebellum and pons

33
Q

What is the myelencephalon

A

Medulla oblongata

34
Q

What is the brain stem

A

Midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata

35
Q

What are the 5 developmental regions of the brain

A

Telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, metencephalon, and myelencephalon

36
Q

Describe the cerebrum

A

2 hemispheres with complete neural networks, make up most of brain mass, responsible for high order thinking, personality, ability to ration, etc.

37
Q

What 5 things is the cortex of the brain responsible for

A

Brain lobes: higher order brain functions including cognition (thinking, reasoning, remembering), personality, interpretation and storage of sensory impulses, initiation of voluntary movements, and communication

38
Q

What are the 3 kinds of fiber tracts

A

Projection fibers, commissural fibers, and association fibers

39
Q

Describe projection fibers

A

Very long, allow communication between the cortex and the rest of the nervous system, have a decussation (fibers crossover)

40
Q

Describe commissural fibers

A

Allow communication between left and right cerebral hemispheres

41
Q

What is the name of the main commissural fiber

A

Corpus Callosum

42
Q

Describe association fibers

A

Allow communication within different parts of the same hemisphere

43
Q

What are the 5 paired lobes of the cerebrum

A

Made of cerebral cortex: frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, insula

44
Q

What are the 3 processing areas of the cortex

A

Sensory (interpret sensory info coming into brain), motor (dictate motor responses), and association (receive and integrate info from multiple areas, store memory, play role in coordinated responses)

45
Q

What 4 things is the frontal lobe in charge of

A

Personality, cognition, impulse control, voluntary motor control

46
Q

What are the 3 structural/functional areas of the frontal lobe

A

Primary motor cortex (strip of gray matter), premotor cortex, and prefrontal cortex

47
Q

What does the primary motor cortex do

A

Conscious control of skeletal muscles (damage to it means loss of voluntary muscle control)

48
Q

What does the premotor cortex do

A

Association area where storage and coordination of repetitive learned motor skills takes place (damage to it means loss of skill/muscle memory, but still able to do it)

49
Q

What does the prefrontal cortex do

A

Most complex association area, processes emotions related to social interactions and responds (personality), working memory for object-recall tasks (cognition), and solved complex multitask problems (intellect)
Damage caused mental and personality disorders

50
Q

What was a frontal lobotomy

A

Sticking a steel rod though the orbital of the eye into the prefrontal cortex and swishing it around

51
Q

Who was Phineas Gage

A

Railroad foreman who had an iron role shot through his skull and suffered personality problems after damaging his frontal lobe

52
Q

What is the parietal lobe responsible for

A

Input and interpretation of sensory info from somatic senses (touch, temp, pain, pressure, etc.)

53
Q

What are the structural and functional areas of the parietal lobe

A

Primary somatosensory cortex (receives input from somatic sensory receptors) and somatosensory association area (interprets info based on prior experience)

54
Q

What would damage to your somatosensory association area cause

A

Wouldn’t be able to identify an object by touch

55
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe

A

Receives and interprets sound sensory info from inner ear and smell from nasal cavity

56
Q

What are the structural and functional areas of the temporal lobe

A

Primary auditory cortex (received sensory info from inner ear), auditory association area (recognition of past sounds) that includes Wernicke’s area, and primary olfactory cortex (input from smell receptors and association area for recognition of smells)

57
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe

A

Receives and interprets stimuli from retina of eye

58
Q

What are the structural/functional areas of the occipital lobe

A

Primary visual cortex (receives info from receptors of retina in eye) and visual association area (memories of images, analysis of color, form, and movement)

59
Q

What is the structural/functional area of the insula

A

Gustatory cortex receives and interprets sensory info from taste buds of the tongue

60
Q

What are 4 characteristics of basal nuclei/ganglia in the brain

A

Inner gray matter clusters of cell bodies deep to white matter of cerebrum, work with cerebral cortex to control and coordinate muscle movements, allow for unconscious control of skeletal muscles, major component is the striatum

61
Q

What does the striatum of the basal ganglia do

A

Starts, stops, and regulates intensity of movement

62
Q

What is the limbic system

A

Structures within cerebrum and diencephalon, emotional brain (prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala) deep to cortex of frontal lobe

63
Q

What does the amygdala do

A

Memory of fears, regulates anger, proper response to social cues, linked to anxiety, autism, and depression

64
Q

What are the 6 characteristics of the thalamus

A

Largest of diencephalon, info going to cerebral cortex must pass through it, processing, organizing, and relay center primarily for sensory info, core that cerebrum grows around

65
Q

What are the characteristics of the epithalamus

A

Pineal gland, secretes melatonin (hormone signaling to sleep)

66
Q

What does the hypothalamus do

A

Visceral control center for inner functionings

67
Q

What 4 things do the nuclei within the hypothalamus regulate

A

Hunger/thirst (monitors salt and nutrient concentration in blood/blood sugar levels), body temp (sweating and shivering), controls smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, and glands (blood pressure, digestion, respiration), and limbic system control center

68
Q

What other function does the hypothalamus have

A

Endocrine - regulates release of hormones from pituitary gland

69
Q

What is a structure of the midbrain

A

Nuclei contained in corpora quadrigemina

70
Q

What does the corpora quadrigemina do

A

Controls reflexes: visual and ability to follow movements through superior colliculi, auditory and ability to react to sound through inferior colliculi

71
Q

What does the pons do

A

Controls respiration (regulated speed of inhalation/exhalation), and bridge between cerebrum and cerebellum (all info going out must go through here)

72
Q

What are the structures of the cerebellum

A

Cerebellar cortex (gray matter that processes info) and arbor vitae (white matter that carries info)

73
Q

What does the cerebellum do

A

Smooths and coordinates muscle movements using current movements (proprioceptors in skeletal muscle send info for where body parts are), planned movements (info from cerebral cortex), and equilibrium (info from inner ear if you’re laying down, standing, etc, so you know how much force to use)

74
Q

What does the medulla oblongata do

A

Basic life support functions (heart rate and force of contractions, regulates blood pressure, breathing rate), and relay station for sensory info entering brain

75
Q

What is a stroke

A

Interruption of blood flow to region of the brain resulting in neuronal cell death (blood clot/aneurysm)

76
Q

How is a stroke treated

A

For large vessels: thrombectomy removes blood clot and puts in catheters, for smaller vessels: medication

77
Q

Who was Anton Raderscheidt

A

Artist who suffered stroke to right parietal and occipital cortex, left sided visual neglect and loss of left side spatial skills

78
Q

What is plasticity

A

Ability to reorganize neural pathways

79
Q

What is Parkinson’s

A

A degeneration of neural pathways to basal ganglia that results in difficulty starting and controlling movements