Exam I: Neurons & Structure Flashcards
Binding Site
“key hole”
location on a receptor protein to which a ligand binds
Ligand
“Key”
chemical that binds with the binding site of a receptor
• How many neurons?
- 100 Billion neurons in human nervous system, most common estimate (book)
- 100-1000 Billion neurons estimated (according to lecture notes)
• Multipolar neuron
*Focus studies on this one, know what it looks like
o A neuron with one axon and many dendrites attached to its soma
o Building block
o Most abundant in CNS, diversity of presentations
o what they are,
o what they do
o Motor Neuron
• Located within CNS
• Controls contraction of muscle or secretion of gland, efferent response)
• Efferent: moving outward, moving potentials outward from the CNS
Meninges
Three membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord, consisting of the Dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid mater
What are the three membranes that cover brain and spinal cord?
Meninges
Dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid mater
1) Dura Mater
Thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord
3) pia mater
The third layer of the meninges, located nearest to the brain and spinal cord
2) arachnoid mater
Which resembles a spider web, is the second layer of the meninges and is located between the Dura mater and the pia mater
Subarachnoid Space
A space in the meninges beneath the arachnoid membrane and above the pia mater that contains the cerebrospinal fluid
Cerebrospinal Fluid
A clear fluid the circulates around through the brain and spinal cord that helps to physically support the brain and act as a shock absorber, and that also exchanges nutrients and wastes with the brain and spinal cord
Major Division of the Nervous System
CNS: Brain and Spinal Chord PNS: Nerves and Peripheral Ganglia
Ventricle
One of the hollow spaces within the brain, filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
Lateral Ventricle
One of the two ventricles located in the center of the telencephalon.
Third Ventricle
The ventricle located in the center of the diencephalon
Cerebral Aqueduct
A narrow tube interconnecting the third and fourth ventricles of the brain, located in the center of the mesencephalon
Fourth Ventricle
The ventricle located between the cerebellum and the dorsal pons, in the center of the metencephalon.
Choroid Plexus
The highly vascular tissue that protrudes into the ventricles and produces cerebrospinal fluid.
Arachnoid Granulation
Small projections of the arachnoid membrane through the Dura mater into the superior sagittal sinus; CSF flows through them to be reabsorbed into the blood supply
Superior Sagittal Sinus
A venous sinus located in the midline just dorsal to the corpus callosum, between the two cerebral hemisphere.
The CSF route
Choroid plexuses of the lateral ventricles produce cerebrospinal fluid and it flows into the third ventricle. More CSF is produced in this ventricle which then flows through the cerebral aqueduct to the fourth ventricle where still more CSF is produced. The CSF leaves the fourth ventricle through small openings that connect the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain where it is reabsorbed into the blood supply.
forebrain
The most rostral of the three major divisions of the brain; includes the telencephalon and diencephalon.
cerebral hemisphere
One of two major portions of the forebrain, covered by the cerebral cortex
subcortical region
The region located within the brain, beneath the cortical surface.
neocortex
The phylogenetically newest cortex, including the primary sensory cortex, primary motor cortex, and association cortex
fissure
A major groove in the surface of the brain, larger than a sulcus.
sulcus
A groove in the surface of the cerebral hemisphere, smaller than a fissure.
gyrus
A convolution of the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres, separated by sulci or fissures.
frontal lobe
The anterior portion of the cerebral cortex, rostral to the parietal lobe and dorsal to the temporal lobe.
parietal lobe
The region of the cerebral cortex caudal to the frontal lobe and dorsal to the temporal lobe.
temporal lobe
The region of the cerebral cortex rostral to the occipital lobe and ventral to the parietal and frontal lobes.
occipital lobe
The region of the cerebral cortex caudal to the parietal and temporal lobes.
limbic system
A group of brain regions including the anterior thalamic nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus, limbic cortex, and parts of the hypothalamus, as well as their interconnecting fiber bundles.
What makes up the limbic system?
anterior thalamic nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus, limbic cortex, and parts of the hypothalamus, as well as their interconnecting fiber bundles.
limbic cortex
Phylogenetically old cortex, located at the medial edge (“limbus”) of the cerebral hemispheres; part of the limbic system.
cingulate gyrus
A strip of limbic cortex lying along the lateral walls of the groove separating the cerebral hemispheres, just above the corpus callosum
hippocampus
A forebrain structure of the temporal lobe, constituting an important part of the limbic system; includes the hippocampus proper (Ammon’s horn), dentate gyrus, and subiculum.
amygdala
A structure in the interior of the rostral temporal lobe, containing a set of nuclei; part of the limbic system.
emotion, survival, memory
fornix
A fiber bundle that connects the hippocampus with other parts of the brain; including the mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus; part of the limbic system.
memory
mammillary bodies
A protrusion of the bottom of the brain at the posterior end of the hypothalamus, containing some hypothalamic nuclei; part of the limbic system
Basal ganglia
collection of subcortical nuclei that lie just under the anterior aspect of the lateral ventricles
makes sustantia negra, thus dopamine, important to parkinsons
afferent neurons
(AKA sensory neurons)
they bring the stimuli from the sensors (e.g., skin, eyes, ears) TOWARD the CNS. The efferent neurons are also known as motor neurons: they bring the responses from the brain to the muscles and the glands.
thalamus
both process and relay sensory information selectively to various parts of the cerebral cortex, as one thalamic point may reach one or several regions in the cortex. The hypothalamus regulates certain metabolic processes and other activities of the Autonomic Nervous System
sensory, motor system relay
consciousness and sleep
Neurogenesis
(birth of neurons) is the process by which neurons are generated from neural stem cells and progenitor cells. It plays a central role in neural development. Neurogenesis is most active during pre-natal development and is responsible for populating the growing brain with neurons
efferent neurons
(AKA motor neurons, motoneuron, motor nerve fiber, motor neuron)
they bring the responses from the brain to the muscles and the glands.
a neuron conducting impulses outwards and AWAY from the brain or spinal cord
a nerve that conveys impulses toward or to muscles or glands
Broca’s Area
Broca’s (expressive or motor) Aphasia. Damage to a discrete part of a the brain in the left frontal lobe (Broca’s area) of the language-dominant hemisphere has been shown to significantly affect use of spontaneous speech and motor speech control.
Broca’s Aphasia
Trouble speaking fluently but comprehension relatively preserved
Non-fluent or expressive aphasia.
Difficulty producing grammatical sentences, speech is limited, laborious process
May understand speech relatively well when simple
Wernicke’s Aphasia
Fluent Aphasia
Ability to grasp the meaning of spoken words is impaired, while producing connected speech is not much affected.
speech is not normal, don’t necessarily make sense,
Reading and writing are often severely impaired.
What are brain ventricles?
The ventricles of the brain are a communicating network of interconnected cavities filled with (CSF), also produced there via region of choroid plexus
2 lateral ventricles, the third ventricle, the cerebral aqueduct, and the fourth ventricle
The ventricular system is a set of four interconnected cavities (ventricles) in the brain, where the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced.
Lateral Ventricles
The right and left lateral ventricles are structures within the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid. Along with the structures known as the third ventricle and the fourth ventricle, they are part of the body’s ventricular system.
3rd Ventricle
forebrain, diencephalon
CSF from lateral ventricles via foramen
cerebral aqueduct
mesencephalon
CSF from 3rd to 4th ventricle
fourth ventricle
metencephalon
CSF from aqueduct, through medial foramen into subarachnoid space, diffuses to brain, spinal cord
Choroid plexus
Within each ventricle is a region of choroid plexus, a network of ependymal cells involved in the production of CSF.
Medulla Oblongata
the continuation of the spinal cord within the skull, forming the lowest part of the brainstem and containing control centers for the heart and lungs.
Pons
the part of the brainstem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus.
The pons contains nuclei that relay signals from the forebrain to the cerebellum, along with nuclei that deal primarily with sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture.
Cerebellum
the part of the brain at the back of the skull in vertebrates. Its function is to coordinate and regulate muscular activity.
The cerebellum receives information from the sensory systems, the spinal cord, and other parts of the brain and then regulates motor movements. The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movements such as posture, balance, coordination, and speech, resulting in smooth and balanced muscular activity.
Tegmentum
The midbrain tegmentum is the part of the midbrain extending from the substantia nigra to the cerebral aqueduct in a horizontal section of the midbrain. It forms the floor of the midbrain that surrounds the cerebral aqueduct.
The VTA is the origin of the dopaminergic cell bodies of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system and is widely implicated in the drug and natural reward circuitry of the brain. It is important in cognition, motivation, orgasm,[2] drug addiction, intense emotions relating to love, and several psychiatric disorders.
tectum
The tectum is located in the dorsal region of the mesencephalon (mid brain). It consists of the superior colliculi (visual receptors) and inferior colliculi (auditory receptors).
Thalamus
send signals all around the structures
sensory and motor signal relay
regulation of consciousness and sleep.
smell, all other sensory processes
thalamic nucleus receiving signal, direct it
controlling the motor systems (voluntary bodily movement and coordination)
The cingulate gyrus
The cingulate gyrus is the part of the cerebrum that lies closest to the limbic system, just above the corpus callosum. It provides a pathway from the thalamus to the hippocampus, seems to be responsible for focusing attention on emotionally significant events, and for associating memories to smells and to pain.is the part of the cerebrum that lies closest to the limbic system, just above the corpus callosum. It provides a pathway from the thalamus to the hippocampus, seems to be responsible for focusing attention on emotionally significant events, and for associating memories to smells and to pain.
The ventral tegmental area
The ventral tegmental area of the brain stem (just below the thalamus) consists of dopamine pathways that seem to be responsible for pleasure. People with damage here tend to have difficulty getting pleasure in life, and often turn to alcohol, drugs, sweets, and gambling.
The basal ganglia
The basal ganglia (including the caudate nucleus, the putamen, the globus pallidus, and the substantia nigra) lie over and to the sides of the limbic system, and are tightly connected with the cortex above them. They are responsible for repetitive behaviors, reward experiences, and focusing attention.
The prefrontal cortex,
The prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the frontal lobe which lies in front of the motor area, is also closely linked to the limbic system. Besides apparently being involved in thinking about the future, making plans, and taking action, it also appears to be involved in the same dopamine pathways as the ventral tegmental area, and plays a part in pleasure and addiction.
Function of Limbic system
a complex system of nerves and networks in the brain, involving several areas near the edge of the cortex concerned with instinct and mood. It controls the basic emotions (fear, pleasure, anger) and drives (hunger, sex, dominance, care of offspring).
Structures of the Limbic System
The primary structures within the limbic system include the amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and cingulate gyrus. The amygdala is the emotion center of the brain, while the hippocampus plays an essential role in the formation of new memories about past experiences.
Anatomical Subdivisions of the Brain: Forebrain
Lateral & 3rd Ventricles
Telencephalon & Diencephalon
Cerebral Cortex, Basal Ganglia, Limbic System
Thalamus, Hypothalamus
Anatomical Subdivisions of the Brain: Midbrain
Cerebral Aqueduct
Mesencephalon
Tectum
Tegmentum
Anatomical Subdivisions of the Brain: Hindbran
4th Ventricle
Metencephalon & Myelencephalon
Cerebellum, Pons, Medulla Oblongata