Functional Neuro Anatomy (CNS and PNS cont.) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the function of the corpus collosum?

A

It is a white matter tract that shares information between the forebrain cerebral hemispheres. This is a transference of information.

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2
Q

What is lateralisation in the brain? what is an example?

A

This is a term meaning that the two hemispheres are specialised or lateralised to specific tasks.

e.g. The left hemisphere is predominantly stronger in performing language based tasks.

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3
Q

What is it called when the left hemisphere controls the right body, and the right hemisphere controls the left body? where is this prominent?

A

This is called a contralateral arrangement. This is prevalent in the cerebral hemispheres.

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4
Q

What is another example of contralateral arrangement in the brain?

A

Our visual system.

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5
Q

How does our visual system function?

A

When we see visual information we have a point in the middle of our field called a fixation point.

Anything to the left is, left visual field.
Anything to the right, is right visual field.

Both left and right visual fields are processed in BOTH eyes simultaneously.

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6
Q

What is the structure responsible for contralateral arrangement in the visual system? what happens at this point?

A

It is a white matter tract called the optic chiasm.

This is the point where left visual information is passed to the right cerebral hemisphere and where right visual information is passed to the left cerebral hemisphere.

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7
Q

What is the significance of the optic chiasm when conducting visual experiments?

A

Its arrangement is crucial in understanding how the cerebral hemispheres are organised and lateralised.

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8
Q

How does lateralisation work in split brain patients?

A

They process information the exact same way as someone who doesn’t have a split brain, however due to the corpus callosum being severed their right brain cannot provide language (speech) for what they have seen in their left visual field. This confirmed ideas that the left cerebral hemisphere is lateralised for language and speech and the right hemisphere seemed to be better at visuo-spacial tasks.

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9
Q

What are ventricles?

A

They are fluid filled chambers within the brain willed with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), all together they are called the ventricle system.

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10
Q

How is CSF produced?

A

It is produced by a specialised tissue in the cerebral ventricles called the choroid plexus.

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11
Q

What is CSF responsible for?

A

Buoyancy

Producing half a litre of fluid per day.

Works as a mechanical shock absorber circulating over the brain through the sub-arachnoid space.

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12
Q

What are meninges? what are thier layers?

A

Protective sheaths around the brain and the spinal cord that have three layers that exist between the internal surface of the skull and the surface of the cerebral cortex.

  1. Dura Mater (Hard mother)
  2. Arachnoid membrane
  3. Pia Mater (Soft mother)
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13
Q

What is the sub-arachnoid space?

A

It exists between the pia mater and the arachnoid membrane. They are critical as a brain support system.

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14
Q

What are capillaries?

A

Tiny blood vessels in the tissue that have very tight junctions. They make it easier for large molecules to move from the blood into the brain tissue. They also protect the brain by preventing toxins from circulating there.

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15
Q

What are the main arteries in the brain?

A

Carotid artery, that run along our neck into our brain tissue.

Anterior cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery
Posterior cerebral artery

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16
Q

What is the circle of willis, what is its function?

A

It sits between the carotid and basal arteries. Either side of these are communicating arteries that allow blood supply to be diverted if blocked in the basal artery, this is the circle of willis.

17
Q

What are the different regions of the spinal cord?

A
  1. Cervical
  2. Thoracic
  3. Lumbar
  4. Sacral
  5. Coccygeal
18
Q

What are spinal nerves?

A

They carry information away from the spinal cord into the muscles as well as carry sensory information to the spinal cord from the skin, body, PNS.

19
Q

What are the two distinct branches the spinal cord consists of?

A

The fusion of two distinct branches, called roots. The spinal nerves begin at the junction of the dorsal and ventral roots of the spinal cord. They leave the vertebral column and travel to the muscles or sensory receptors they innervate.

20
Q

What are the two branches of spinal nerves? and what are their anatomical names and functions?

A

The dorsal (back) branch also called the afferent spinal nerves. These afferent fibres (axons) carry motor information from the periphery into the spinal cord.

The ventral (belly) branch.also called efferent nerve fibres. They carry motor information from the spinal cord out into the periphery of the body.

Afferent: Arrive.
Efferent: Exit.

21
Q

What is the somatic nervous system?

A

A system in the PNS that conveys sensory information to the central nervous system and sends motor messages to muscles.

22
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system?

A

It serves basic life functions, such as the beating of the heart and responses to stress. It regulates smooth muscles such as skin, blood vessels, muscles, cardiac or heart muscles, the walls of the digestive tract and glands. Essentially the endocrine system.

23
Q

What are the two sub divisions of the autonomic nervous system?

A

There is the sympathetic nervous system.

The parasympathetic nervous system.

24
Q

What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system?

A

Readies the body in response to threat; activates the organism. This is how the hypothalamus controls the fight or flight response.

It is most involved in activities associated with the expenditure of energy from reserves stored in the body.

When active, there is visual acuity, sweat, lung expansion, priming the body for flight or fight response.

25
Q

What is the function of the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

This system calms the body down and maintains energy, It is the rest and digest system and does everything to restore the bodies supply of energy working in balance with the sympathetic nervous system.

26
Q

What are the main nerves in the spinal column?

A
  1. cervical nerves
  2. Thoracic nerves
  3. Lumbar nerves
  4. Sacral nerves
27
Q

What are the main cerebral ventricles of the brain?

A
  1. Third ventricle
  2. Fourth ventricle
  3. Lateral ventricle
28
Q

What are some of the sub-divisions of the lateral ventricle?

A
  1. Frontal horn
  2. Central part
  3. Temporal horn
  4. Occipital horn

Bellow these divisions is the cerebral aqueduct.