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Yr 2 - Control > Intro to Human Brain > Flashcards

Intro to Human Brain Flashcards

1
Q

What is a neuron?

A
  • Most basic functional unit of nervous system
  • Convey information via electrical signals
  • Receive, Integrate, Transmit
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2
Q

What are afferent neurons?

A
  • Typically sensory neurons
  • Carry info from receptors to the CNS
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3
Q

What are efferent neurons?

A
  • Typically motor neurons
  • Carry info from CNS to peripheral effectors
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4
Q

What are interneurons?

A

Link afferent directly to efferent neurons within the CNS (e.g. important in reflex response)

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5
Q

What is a dendrite? What is their function?

A
  • Branch-like structures extending away from the cell body
  • Receive messages from other neurons and allow those messages to travel to the cell body where info is processed
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6
Q

What does the cell body of a neuron contain?

A

a nucleus, smooth and rough endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and other cellular components.

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7
Q

What is an axon? What is its function?

A

A tube-like structure that carries an electrical impulse from the cell body (or from another cell’s dendrites) to the structures at opposite end of the neuron—axon terminals, which can then pass the impulse to another neuron.

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8
Q

What is an axon hillock?

A

Connection between cell body and axon

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9
Q

What is connection between presynaptic and postsynaptic cell called?

A

A synapse

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10
Q

What is a synapse? What happens here?

A
  • The chemical junction between the axon terminals of presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of the postsynaptic
  • It is a gap where neurotransmitters are released from presynaptic to postsynaptic –> causes a response in the next neuron
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11
Q

What is the myelin sheath? Is it found on every neuron? What is its function?

A
  • Fatty sheath around some neurons
  • Acts as insulation to minimise dissipation of the electrical signal as it travels down the axon
    • Greatly increases the speed of conduction of the electrical signal
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12
Q

Conduction velocity in myelinated axons is proportional to what?

A

Axon diameter

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13
Q

How can vertebrates can get away with small axons?

A

by wrapping them in an insulator substance (myelin)

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14
Q

What are periodic gaps in the myelin sheath called? What happens here?

A

Nodes of Ranvier - the signal is “recharged” as it travels along the axon.

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15
Q

What is myelin produced by?

A

Glial cells

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16
Q

What are glial cells? What is their function?

A

Non-neuronal cells that provide support for the nervous system:

  • Hold neurons in place
  • Supply them with nutrients
  • Provide insulation (myelin)
  • Remove pathogens and dead neurons
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17
Q

In the CNS, what are the glial cells that form the myelin sheath called?

A

oligodendrocytes

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18
Q

In the PNS, what are the glial cells that form the myelin sheath called?

A

Schwann cells

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19
Q

What are the 4 different shapes of neurons?

A
  1. Unipolar
  2. Bipolar
  3. Multipolar
  4. Pseudounipolar
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20
Q

Describe a bipolar neuron

A

Neuron has 2 projections arising from cell body:

  1. One is a dendrite (which can then branch)
  2. Other one is an axon
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21
Q

Where are bipolar neurons typically found?

A

They are sensory neurons found in olfactory epithelium, the retina of the eye, and ganglia of the vestibulocochlear nerve.

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22
Q

Describe a multipolar neuron

A

Multiple projections arising from cell body (1 of them is the axon –> can only have one axon)

i.e. single axon and multiple dendrites

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23
Q

Where are multipolar neurons typically found?

A

They are the most common type - typically motor neurons have this structure

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24
Q

What is the structure of motor neurones?

A

Multipolar

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25
Q

Describe a unipolar neuron

A

Only one projection coming from cell body

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26
Q

Difference between unipolar and pseudounipolar neuron?

A
  • Both have only one projection coming from cell body
  • Pseudounipolar have an axon that branches into two extensions:
    • one connected to dendrites that receive sensory information
    • one that transmits this information to the spinal cord.
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27
Q

What type of neuron aree all pseudounipolar neurons?

A

Sensory

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28
Q

Subdivisions of the nervous system

A
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29
Q

Anatomically, what 4 parts can the CNS be divided into?

A
  1. Cerebrum (forebrain)
  2. Brainstem
  3. Cerebellum
  4. Spinal cord
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30
Q

What is the cerebrum?

A

the uppermost part of the brain, containing the major lobes of the brain

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31
Q

What 2 parts does the cerebrum consist of?

A
  1. Outer brain
  2. Inner brain
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32
Q

What is the outer brain also referred to as?

A

Telencephalon / cerebral hemisphere

33
Q

What is the inner brain also referred to as?

A

Diencephalon

34
Q

What 3 distinct regions is the brainstem divided into?

A
  1. Midbrain
  2. Pons
  3. Medulla oblongata
35
Q

Where is the cerebellum?

A

Posterior to the brainstem

36
Q

What part of the brain stem is the spinal cord connected to?

A

Medulla oblongata

37
Q

What can the cerebral hemisphere be divided into?

A

Left and right hemisphere

38
Q

Medial surface of cerebral hemispheres (sagittal section)

39
Q

Describe location of parts of brainstem

A
  • Midbrain - most superior, directly connected to diencephalon
  • Pons - ball shaped structure just inferior
  • Medulla oblongata - most inferior
40
Q

Which part of the brainstem is directly connected to diencephalon?

41
Q

What is the corpus callosum?

A

a large, C-shaped nerve fibre bundle that stretches across the midline of the brain, connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

42
Q

Which structure connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres?

A

Corpus callosum

43
Q

What is the most visible external feature of the human brain?

A

Cerebral hemispheres

44
Q

What are the 2 cerebral hemispheres separated by?

A

Longitudinal fissure / superior sagittal fissure

45
Q

What is the surface of the cerebral hemispheres marked by?

A

oby elevated ridges (gyri) and grooves (sulci)

46
Q

Is the corpus callosum grey or white matter?

A

It makes up the largest collection of white matter tissue found in the brain.

47
Q

what does white matter contain?

A

Is a collection of axons, most of which are surrounded by myelin which gives white matter its colour

48
Q

What is the cerebral cortex?

A

The outermost layer of the brain - i.e. surface of cerebral hemispheres

49
Q

Why is the cerebral cortex heavily folded?

A

To increase surface area

50
Q

Is the cerebral cortex composed of grey or white matter?

A

Grey matter

51
Q

What does grey matter contain?

A

Composed mainly of neuronal cell bodies and unmyelinated axons

52
Q

What is a gyrus (pl. gyri)?

53
Q

What is a sulcus (pl. sulci)?

54
Q

White and grey matter diagram

55
Q

What are the basal ganglia?

A

a group of grey matter nuclei in the deep aspects of the brain

56
Q

What is lissencephaly?

A

Smooth brain - a set of rare brain disorders where the whole or parts of the surface of the brain appear smooth.

57
Q

Do all of our brains start out as smooth?

A

yes - then develop characteristic shape

58
Q

What is lissencephaly caused by?

A

Caused by defective neuronal migration during the 12th to 24th weeks of gestation resulting in a lack of development of brain folds (gyri) and grooves (sulci).

59
Q

Specific sucli are used to divide the cerebral hemispheres into lobes.

What does the central sulcus divide?

A

This separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe behind

60
Q

What does the lateral sulcus divide?

A

This separates the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobe.

61
Q

What is the parieto-occipital sulcus?

A

Separates the parietal lobe from the occipital lobe

62
Q

What 4 lobes is each cerebral hemisphere divided into?

A
  1. Frontal
  2. Parietal
  3. Occipital
  4. Temporal

(diagram is lateral view)

63
Q

Medial view of lobes

64
Q

Sulci allow specific gyri to be identified. What is found anterior to the central sulcus? Posterior?

A

Anterior to central sulcus: precentral gyrus

Posterior to central sulcus: postcentral gyrus

65
Q

What does the precentral gyrus function as?

A

The motor cortex: responsible for initiating motor control

66
Q

What does the postcentral gyrus function as?

A

Primary sensory cortex: receiving sensory information

67
Q

Organisation of cerebral cortex

68
Q

Deep grey matter forms part of the hemispheres. What makes up this grey matter?

A
  • Basal ganglia
  • Limbic structures
69
Q

What is the diencephalon?

A

Inner brain

70
Q

What does the diencephalon include?

A

Thalamus and hypothalamus

71
Q

What does the hypothalamus control?

A

The autonomic nervous system

72
Q

Function of thalamus?

A

important relay station between brainstem, spinal cord, and the cerebral cortex

i. e. receive info from CNS and pass it onto cerebrum
i. e. recieve info from cerebrum and pass it onto CNS

73
Q

Inferior / ventral surface diagram

74
Q

The inferior/ventral view reveals a series of nerves. What are these nerves called?

A

Cranial nerves - these generally supply structures within the head and neck

75
Q

How many are the subdivisions of the CNS?

A

6: Cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, midbrain, medulla, pons and cerebellum, spinal cord

OR (depends on textbook - pons and cerebellum come from same embryonic origin)

7: Cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, midbrain, medulla, pons, cerebellum and spinal cord

76
Q

Which gyrus functions as the motor cortex?

A

Precentral gyrus

77
Q

Which gyrus functions as the sensory cortex?

A

postcentral gyrus

78
Q

What separates the pre and postcentral gyri?

A

Central sulcus

Yr 2 - Control (71 decks)

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