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CNS Physiology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the types of cells in the nervous system?

A

Neurons
Glial cells

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2
Q

What forms white matter?

A

Myelinated axons

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3
Q

What forms gray matter?

A

Unmyelinated nerve cell bodies, dendrites and axons

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4
Q

What is a ganglion?

A

Collection of neuronal cell bodies in the spinal cord

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5
Q

What is a nucleus?

A

Collection of neuronal cell bodies in the brain

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6
Q

What are the types of glial cells?

A

Astrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal cell
Oligodendrocytes
Schwann cells
Satellite cells

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7
Q

What are ventricles?

A

Spaces within the brain

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8
Q

What are the names of the ventricles?

A

Lateral ventricles
III ventricle
IV ventricle
Cerebral aqueduct

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9
Q

What are the meninges?

A

3 coverings of CNS
- Dura
- Arachnoid
- Pia

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10
Q

What forms the CSF?

A

Chroid plexus in each ventricle

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11
Q

Where is CSF stored?

A

Subarachnoid space

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12
Q

What is the purpose of CSF?

A

Physical and chemical protection

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13
Q

What is the function of the blood brain barrier?

A

Highly selective permeability of brain capillaries shelters brain from toxins and fluctuations in hormones, ions and neurotransmitters in the blood.

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14
Q

What are the features of brain capillaries?

A

Endothelial cells form tight junctions

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15
Q

What are the 2 branches of a spinal nerve?

A

Dorsal root
Ventral root

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16
Q

What does the dorsal root carry?

A

Sensory information

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17
Q

What does the ventral root carry?

A

Motor information

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18
Q

What are the divisions of the gray matter?

A

Dorsal horn
Ventral horn
Lateral horn

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19
Q

What are the divisions of the white matter?

A

Ascending tracts- sensory info to brain
Descending tracts- efferent signals from brain

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20
Q

What are the components of the brainstem?

A

Medulla oblongata
Pons
Midbrain

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21
Q

What are the surface features of the medulla?

A
  • Pyramids and their decussation (crossing over)
  • Olives laterally
  • Connected to cerebellum by inferior cerebellar peduncle
  • Cranial nerves IX, X, XI, XII from its surface
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22
Q

Where is the pons located?

A

Ventral side of brain stem above the medulla and below the midbrain

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23
Q

What are the surface features of the pons?

A
  • Middle cerebellar peduncle
  • Cranial nerve V, VI, VII, VIII originate from its surface
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24
Q

What does the midbrain develop from?

A

Mesencephalon

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25
What are the surface features of the midbrain?
- Cerebral peduncle - Superior cerebellar peduncle - Corpora quadrigemina - Origin of oculomotor (CNIII) and trochlear (CNIV)
26
What is the function of the cerebellum?
Process sensory information and coordinate movement
27
Where is the diencephalon?
In between the brainstem and cerebrum
28
What are the components of the diencephalon?
Thalamus Hypothalamus Pituitary glands Pineal glands
29
What is the function of the thalamus?
Relay station- receives all sensory information from lower part of CNS
30
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Centre for homeostasis Output influences many functions of ANS
31
What are the exact functions of the hypothalamus?
1. Activates sympathetic nervous system 2. Maintains body temp. 3. Controls body osmolarity 4. Controls reproductive functions 5. Controls food intake 6. Interacts with limbic system 7. Influences cardiovascular control centre 8. Secretes hormones that control pituitary gland
32
What is the cerebrum?
Site of higher brain functions
33
What is the cerebrum composed of?
2 hemispheres Connected by corpus callosum
34
What is the purpose of the corpus callosum?
Ensures the 2 hemispheres communcate and cooperate with each other
35
What are sulci and gyri?
Sulci- grooves Gyri- elevations
36
What sulci are present in the cerebrum?
Lateral sulcus Central sulcus Cingulate sulcus Parieto-occipital sulcus
37
What gyri are present in the cerebrum?
Precentral and Postcentral gyrus Superior, Middle and Inferior frontal gyrus Superior, Middle and Inferior temporal gyrus
38
What are the divisions of the cerebral gray matter?
Cerebral cortex Basal ganglia Limbic system
39
What is the cerebral cortex?
Outer layer of the cerebrum, only a few mm thick
40
What is the basal ganglia?
Collection of neuronal cell bodies buried within white matter
41
What is the limbic system?
Surrounds the brainstem Involved in memory and emotional aspects of behaviour Major areas: - Amygdala - Cingulate gyrus - Para hippocampal gyrus - Hippocampus
42
What are the 3 functional divisions of the cerebral cortex?
1. Sensory areas- perception 2. Motor areas- movement 3. Association areas- integrate information
43
What are the functional areas of the frontal lobe?
1. Primary motor cortex- skeletal muscle movement 2. Motor association area (premotor cortex)- skeletal muscle movement 3. Prefrontal association area All 3-coordinate information from other association areas
44
What are the functional areas of the parietal lobe?
1. Primary somatic sensory cortex (somatosensory cortex) 2. Sensory association area Both receive information from skin, musculoskeletal system, viscera and taste buds
45
What are the functional areas of the temporal lobe?
1. Olfactory cortex- smell 2. Auditory cortex- hearing 3. Auditory association area- hearing
46
What are the functional areas of the occipital lobe?
1. Visual association area- vision 2. Visual cortex- vision
47
What is Brodmann area 1,2,3?
Primary somatosensory cortex (postcentral gyrus) (Parietal lobe)
48
What is Brodmann area 4?
Primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus) (Frontal lobe)
49
What is Brodmann area 5?
Somatosensory association cortex (Parietal lobe)
50
What is Brodmann area 6?
Premotor and supplementary motor cortex (Frontal lobe)
51
What is Brodmann area 17?
Primary visual cortex (Occipital lobe)
52
What is Brodmann area 18 and 19?
Visual association cortex (Occipital lobe)
53
What is Brodmann area 22?
Primary auditory cortex
54
What is Brodmann area 22, 39 and 40?
Wernicke's area- language comprehension (Temporal lobe)
55
What is Brodmann area 44 and 45?
Broca's area- motor speech programming (Frontal lobe)
56
What are the consequences of a parietal lobe lesion?
Hemisensory neglect Right-left agnosia- unable to identify objects Acalculia- unable to count Agraphia- unable to write
57
What is aphasia?
Problem with speech due to damage to speech areas in brain
58
What is Broca's aphasia?
- Damage to frontal lobe - Weakness/paralysis of one side of body - Understands speech - Misses small words - Aware of difficulties in speech
59
What is Wernicke's aphasia?
- Damage to temporal lobe - No paralysis - Fluent speech but meaningless words - Can’t understand speech - Doesn’t know of mistakes
60
Where is white matter in the cerebrum found?
In the interior in bundles of fibres which form tracts
61
What are the 3 types of myelinated axons bundled into tracts?
1. Commisural fibres 2. Association fibres 3. Projection fibres
62
What are commissural fibres?
Connect corresponding areas of two hemispheres e.g.corpus callosum
63
What are association fibres?
Connect one part of the cortex with the other
64
What are projection fibres?
Run between cerebral cortex and various subcortical centres. Pass through the corona radiata and internal capsule
65
What is the internal capsule?
A deep subcortical structure that contains a concentration of white matter projection fibres passing to and from cerebral cortex
66
Where is the internal capsule located?
Between caudate nucleus medially and lentiform nucleus laterally
67
What are the individual basal ganglia?
Caudate nucleus Putamen Globus pallidus Lentiform nucleus= putamen + globus pallidus Substantia nigra
68
What are the input basal ganglia?
Caudate nucleus Putamen
69
What are the output basal ganglia?
Globus pallidus Substantia nigra
70
What is sleep?
State of unconsciousness from which an individual can be aroused by normal stimuli
71
What is coma?
State of unconsciousness from which an individual cannot be aroused and does not respond to stimuli
72
What is neuronal plasticity?
Capacity of the nervous system to modify itself, functionally and structurally, in response to experience and injury.
73
What does level of consciousness depend on?
Balance in activity of the arousal centres and sleep centres in the reticular formation of the brain stem.
74
What molecules contribute to sleep?
Delta sleep inducing peptide (DSIP) Melatonin Adenosine Serotonin
75
How is melatonin released?
From the pineal gland Release controlled by Suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) of the hypothalamus Circadian rhythm of release
76
How does melatonin induce sleep?
Melatonin inhibits orexin
77
What is orexin?
An excitatory neurotransmitter released from the hypothalamus that is required for wakefulness
78
What is narcolepsy caused by?
Defective orexin signalling
79
How does serotonin induce sleep?
Precursor to melatonin
80
What are SSRI's?
Serotonin Selective Reuptake Inhibitors Common treatment for depression Act to increased serotonin levels in synapse to induce sleep
81
What is alpha wave pattern on EEG?
Relaxed awake state. High freq, Medium amp.
82
What is Beta wave pattern on EEG?
Alert awake state. Very high freq, Low amp.
83
What is Theta wave pattern on EEG?
Early sleep. Low freq, Varying amp.
84
What is Delta wave pattern on EEG?
Deep sleep Low freq, High amp/
85
What is stage 1 of the sleep cycle?
Slow wave, non-REM sleep. Slow eye movements. High amp, low frequency theta waves
86
What is stage 2 of the sleep cycle?
Eye movements stop Frequency slows further but EEG shows bursts of rapid waves called sleep spindles
87
What is stage 3 of the sleep cycle?
High amplitude, very low frequency delta waves
88
What is stage 4 of the sleep cycle?
Exclusively delta waves Deep sleep
89
What is stage 5 of the sleep cycle?
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) High frequency, Low amplitude
90
What is the trend from stage 1-4?
Increasing amplitude Decreasing frequency
91
How long is each sleep cycle?
90-110 mins 4-5 times per night
92
What are the physiological characteristics of deep sleep?
Most restful type Decreased vascular tone Decreased respiratory rate Decreased basal metabolic rate Active hippocampus
93
What are the physiological characteristics of REM sleep?
Dreams occur Eye muscles show bursts of rapid activity Profound inhibition of all other skeletal muscle due to inhibitory projections from pons to spinal cord Depends on cholinergic pathways within reticular formation EEG mimics B wave of alert awake
94
What is the impact of anticholinesterases on REM sleep?
Prevent breakdown of acetylcholine in synaptic cleft Increases time spent in REM sleep
95
Why do babies sleep more than adults?
Total time asleep is greatest during development when brain maturation and synaptic formation is occurring rapidly
96
What are some common sleep disorders?
Insomnia Nightmares Night terrors Somnambulism (sleep walking) Narcolepsy
97
What is insomnia?
Chronic inability to obtain a necessary amount or quality of sleep to maintain adequate daytime behaviour
98
What are nightmares?
Strong visual component Seen in REM sleep
99
What are night terrors?
Occur in deep, delta sleep 3-8 years of age common Child doesn’t remember episode
100
What is somnambulism?
Occurs in stage 4 deep sleep More common in children and young adults due to decline in stage 4 sleep with age
101
What is narcolepsy?
Enter directly into REM sleep with little warning Linked to dysfunction of orexin release from hypothalamus
102
What are the 3 components for learning and memory?
Hippocampus- formation of memories Cortex- storage of memories Thalamus- accesses memories
103
What is the limbic system?
The limbic system is the part of the brain involved in our behavioural and emotional responses
104
What are the areas of the limbic system?
Hypothalamus- ANS responses Hippocampus- memory Cingulate gyrus- emotion Amygdala- emotion
105
What are the 4 memory divisions?
Sensory memory- few seconds Short term memory- seconds to hours Working memory- hours to weeks Long term memory- lifelong
106
What is involved in short term memory?
Depends on maintained excitation from reverberating circuits Each synapse in a reverberating circuit is excitatory
107
What happens if reverberation is disrupted?
Amnesia
108
What is anterograde amnesia?
Cannot form new memories
109
What is retrograde amnesia?
Cannot access old memories
110
What is involved in intermediate long term/Working memory?
Chemical changes in presynaptic neurons
111
What is involved in long term memory?
Structural changes at synapses: 1. Increase in neurotransmitter release 2. Increase in vesicles 3. Increase in no. of presynaptic terminals 4. Also increased amplitude in EPSP in post synaptic cells
112
What is memory consolidation?
Converts short term memory into long term memory Involves selective strengthening of synaptic connections through repetition
113
What is memory coding?
New memories are ‘coded’ then stored in sensory and association areas of the cortex Results in new memories being stored alongside other existing memories the brain deems similar
113
What is memory coding?
New memories are ‘coded’ then stored in sensory and association areas of the cortex Results in new memories being stored alongside other existing memories the brain deems similar

Nervous System (18 decks)

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