HLTH 2501: nervous system review Flashcards
meningitis
is an inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, and is caused by a virus, bacteria, or sometimes a parasite or fungus
complications of meningitis
hearing loss, memory difficulty, learning disabilities, brain damage, gait problems, seizures, kidney failure, shock, and death
why might the head enlarge in an infant?
if the sutures separate before they fuse, causing the head to enlarge
another name for cavities
fossae
name for openings in the skull
foramina
where do nerves and blood vessels pass in the skull
via canals
what meningeal layer can fill with blood after an injury?
the subdural space
where is CSF produced?
the choroid plexuses
what maintains a constant intracranial pressure?
CSF being produced and reabsorbed at the same rate
blood-brain barrier
is a protective mechanism provided primarily by relatively impermeable capillaries in the brain; the capillaries have endothelial cells that are joined by tight functions, limiting the passage of potentially damaging materials into the brain
blood-CSF barrier
similar to the blood-brain barrier and is located at the choroid plexus to control the constituents of CSF
what can pass the blood-brain barrier?
lipid-soluble substances, ex. alcohol
UMNs
the cells of the motor cortex of the frontal lobe that initiate specific voluntary movements; their axons form corticospinal tracts in the spinal cord
what does an association area do?
it recognizes and interprets the stimulus; ex. the primary visual cortex is in the occipital lobe and interprets vision
dominant hemisphere
is the side of the brain that controls language, for most it is the left side
two special areas involved in speech
Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area
Broca’s area
the motor or expressive speech area; the output of words is coordinated in an appropriate and understandable way
Wernicke’s area
is the integration center that comprehends language received
what is the left hemisphere of the brain responsible for?
math, problem-solving, logic, and language
right hemisphere of the brain
artistic abilities, creativity, spatial relationships, and emotional and behavioral characteristics
prefrontal cortex
functions in coordinating complex cognitive behaviour, as well as providing components for expression of personality
basal nuclei
clusters of cell bodies that are involved in coordination and control of body movement
epithalamus
acts as the connection between the limbic system and other areas of the brain
what supplies blood to the brain?
the internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries
what signal changes in blood pressure and where are they located?
presso/baroreceptors located in the carotid sinus
what does each internal carotid artery branch into?
an anterior and middle cerebral artery
what do the vertebral arteries join to form?
the basilar artery
what does the basilar artery divide into?
the right and left posterior cerebral arteries
where do the cranial nerves originate from?
the brainstem
what cranial nerve supplies the viscera?
vagua (X)
what 4 cranial nerves include parasympathetic fibres
III, VII, IX, and X
3 things the spinal cord is protected by?
the bony vertebral column, the meninges, and the CSF
where does the spinal cord end?
L1
what is below the spinal cord?
the cauda equina which is a bundle of nerve roots
what is the pyramidal tract?
the corticospinal tract
how many spinal nerves are there?
31
how many cranial nerves are there?
12
plexuses
are where fibres from several spinal nerves branch and then re-form in different combination to become specific peripheral nerves; there are four
four plexuses
cervical, brachial, lumbar, and sacral
what do neurons require for metabolism?
glucose and O2
what is myelin sheath created by?
schwann cells in the PNS and oligodendrocytes in the CNS
examples of neuroglia
astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia, and ependymal cells
how are neurons regenerated?
after damage, the section distal to the injury degenerates and is removed by macrophages and Schwann cells; the Schwann cells then makes new axon and additional proteins are made by the cell body
neurogenesis
is the production of new neurons in specific regions of the mammalian brain, often in the hippocampal area
how can the electrical activity of the brain be monitored?
EEG (electroencephalogram)
acetylcholine
present at neuromuscular junctions
catecholamines
include norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine, and are present in the brain
norepinephrine
neurotransmitter in the SNS
serotonin
is involved in mood, emotions, and sleep
most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
gamma-aminobutyric acid
most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord
glycine
what can block the conduction of pain impulses in the brain and spinal cord?
enkephalins and beta-endorphins
what neurotransmitter is adrenaline?
norepinephrine
