Introduction to Nervous System Flashcards
What are the different parts of the CNS?
Spinal cord
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Cerebrum
What are the two parts of the brain stem?
Medulla
Pons
Midbrain
What are the two parts of the cerebrum?
Telencephalon
Diencephalon
What is the encephalon made from?
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Cerebrum
What cells support the neurons?
Glial
What glial cells are found in the PNS?
Satellite cells
Schwann cells
What glial cells are found in the CNS?
Oligodendrocytes
Astrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal
Function of astrocytes
Maintaining blood brain barrier
Function of microglia
Macrophages of CNS
Function of ependymal cells
Produce cerebral spinal fluid
What is a ganglion?
Collection of nerve cell bodies outside the CNS
What is gray matter?
Unmyelinated
Where neurons synapse
Decision making
What is found in gray matter?
Cell bodies of neurons
Neuroglia
Unmyelinated neurites
What is white matter?
Myelinated neurons
What do sensory neurons do?
Take sensory information through the afferent to the CNS
What do motor neurons do?
Take efferent information to muscles/tissues
What does the somatic NS involve?
Innervation of skeletal muscle
Voluntary
What does the autonomic NS involve?
Innervation of the cardiac and smooth muscles, glands
Important for internal homeostasis
Involuntary
What is the ANS split into?
SNS
PSNS
Where does the SNS come from?
Thoracolumbar region
Where does the PSNS come from?
Craniosacral
Where does SNS nerves exit the CNS?
Preganglionic sympathetic neurons are a lateral horn of T1-L2 spinal cord segments
Where does PSNS exit the CNS?
Preganglionic PSNS neurons arise from brain stem and from S2-S4
Describe the 2 neuron chain in the SNS
Short pre-synaptic fibre
Ganglion
Long post-synaptic fibres
Describe the 2 neuron chain in the PSNS
Long pre-synaptic fibres
Ganglion
Short post-synaptic fibres
What neurotransmitters are used in the SNS and PSNS?
SNS- ACh and norepinephrine
PSNS- ACh
What are the meninges?
3 layers that cover the CNS
What are the three layers of the meninges?
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
What are the two layers of dura mater?
Meningeal and outer periosteal layer
When are the two layers of the dura not opposed?
In dural sinuses
What does the inward septae of dura?
Secure the brain to the skull
Dampen movement of the brain in the cranial cavity
Divide the cranial cavity into freely communicating compartments
Describe arachnoid mater
Adhered closely to dura
Web-like in appearance
Describe pia mater
Deepest layer
In direct contact with CNS tissue
Enters every sulci
Highly vascular
What is the epidural space?
Space between dura and bone
What are the three spaces of the meninges?
Epidural
Sub dura
Sub arachnoid
What are cerebral ventricles?
Interconnected spaces filled with CSF
What are the 4 cerebral ventricles?
Lateral ventricle- cerebral hemisphere
3rd ventricle- diencephalon
4th ventricle- brain stem
Central canal- spinal cord
Where is CSF produced?
Choroid plexus
How is CSF drained?
Through arachnoid granulations into dural venous sinuses
What are the bumps and dips called in the brain?
Gyrus
Sulcus
What divides the brain into hemispheres?
Median longitudinal fissure
What does each hemisphere contain?
Cerebral cortex
Cerebral white matter
Nuclei
What are the different lobes of the brain?
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Occipital lobe
Temporal lobe
Limbic lobe
Insula
Function of frontal lobe
High level decision making
Motor control
Function of parietal lobe
Sensory
Function of occipital lobe
Vision
Function of temporal lobe
Hearing
What areas of the cerebrum are designed for motor function?
Primary motor and premotor areas in frontal lobe
What areas of the cerebrum are designed for sensory function?
Primary somatosensory in parietal lobe
What areas of the cerebrum are designed for vision function
Primary visual and visual association areas in occipital lobe
What areas of the cerebrum are designed for auditory function
Temporal lobe
What is the left hemisphere specialised in?
Language and math skills
What is the right hemisphere specialised in?
Visual-spatial skills and creativity
Wernicke’s area’s function
Interpreting words
Boca’s areas function?
Making words
What does the diencephalon contain?
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
What is the function of the thalamus?
Major relay station for;
Sensory impulses ascending to sensory cortex
Inputs from subcortical motor nuclei and cerebellum travelling to the cerebral motor cortex
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Autonomic control
Endocrine control
Sexual behaviour
Body temperature
Regulation of thirst
What is the function of the pons?
Conduction area
What happens in the medulla?
Pyramidal decussation- where motor pathways from the brain cross
What are the functions of the medulla?
Regulate respiratory rhythm, heart rate and blood pressure
Regulate cough, sneeze, swallowing and vomiting
What connects the cerebellum and the brain stem?
Cerebellar peduncles
What is the function of the cerebellum?
Processes and interprets impulses from motor cortex and sensory pathways and coordinates motor activity
Where does the spinal cord run from?
Foramen magnum to L1/L2
Why is the spinal cord shorter than the vertebral column?
Vertebral column grows faster
