Functional Organisation of the Nervous System Flashcards
What are the 4 main features of cortical organisation
Regional specialization
Distributed networks
Functional asymmetry
Maps over the cortical surface
Describe the regional specialization in the cortex
What regional function is associated with
- frontal
- prefrontal
- parietal
- occipital
- temporal
Principle processing of different functions
Areas feed into each other and interact
Frontal, motor cortex Prefrontal, cognition Parietal, sensory cortex Occipital, visual cortex Temporal, hearing
Describe how the specialized regions of the brain contribute to vision
What are these regions associated with
Visual activity activates the occipital region
Activates dorsal and ventral regions
Dorsal
-Spatial processing
Ventral
-Object processing
Describe how the specialized regions of the brain contribute to decision making
What regions of the brain are activated
What happens if you can’t use one of these regions
Decision making => activates frontal and parietal regions
Without it
- Impatient
- Impulsive
- Difficulty making decisions
Describe the functional asymmetry found in the brain in relation to language
What lobes are involved
Describe the pathway for processing
What happens if the corpus callosum is cut
Language => temporal lobe
Reading in left visual field => processed in R side of the brain
Signal passes through corpus callous => L brain in word form area
If corpus callosum cut, can see words, can’t read them
Descibe the cortical maps found in the motor and sensory regions of the frontal and parietal lobes
Describe the distribution of each body part to each section of the cortical map
Alongside central sulcus
As you move down the central sulcus laterally, the brain receives impulses from body parts from the bottom up
The most important motor/sensory functions get larger proportions of the cortex
L brain controls muscles on R side and vice versa
What is the main function of the cortex
Takes info about
- metabolism
- physiology
- behaviour
Takes this data and makes decisions based on this
Describe the 2 properties about local motor circuit functions
What are the 3 types and what do they do
How do these local motor circuits relate to the cortex
Control behaviour
Can act autonomously
Spinal cord and hindbrain
-Sensory input => motor output
Midbrain
-Integrated startle response and eye movement
Monitored and modified via long connections to and from the cortex
Describe the organisation of the spinal cord and the structures that allow for localized motor circuit function
Sensory info integrated => motor input
Enlargement of lumbar and cervical spinal cord
-Larger ventral horn => motor info transmitted
Sensory
-pressure, touch, pain info
Central pattern generator
-gives integrated limb movement
Motor
-coordinated flexion and extension
Where is the hindbrain
What cranial nerves are associated with this region
What functions are associated with this region
Medulla + pons
Cranial V- XII
Local circuits used in muscle control and sensation
Hearing
What cranial nerves are associated with the midbrain
What functions are associated with this region
Cranial nerves III-IV
Motor eye movements driven by both visual and auditory cues (startle reflex in sup and inf colliculus)
How is metabolic regulation controlled in the brain
ANS and endocrine inputs integrated by the hypothalamus
What are the 6 main functions of the hypothalamus
Circadian rhythms Energy metabolism Reproductive behavior Body temp Aggression/defensive behavior Blood pressure/electrolytes
Basically integrates what your body and brain does
Where is the hypothalamus in the brain
In ventral diencephalon
What is the importance of the thalamus and how does it relate to the cortex
Reciprocal connections with every part of the cortex
