Introduction to the Brain Flashcards

1
Q

What are the different parts of the brain?

A
  1. frontal
  2. temporal
  3. parietal
  4. occipital
  5. cerebellum
  6. brain stem
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2
Q

What is the difference between white and grey matter?

A

grey matter > contains the cell bodies, dendrites and the axon terminals where all synapses are
white matter > made up of axons which connect different parts of grey matter to each other

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3
Q

What are the meninges?

A

3 layers of membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord
1. dura mater
2. arachnoid
3. pia mater

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4
Q

What is the tentorium?

A

tent shaped duplicated fold of meningeal dura that attaches to the;
sphenoid bone > anteriorly
petrous temporal bone > laterally
squamous part of the occipital bone > posteriorly

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5
Q

Describe the directional terms unique to the CNS?

A

Rostral – toward the nose (anterior)
Caudal – toward the tail (posterior)
Dorsal – superior
Ventral - inferior

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6
Q

What are the 3 functional principles of the cerebrum?

A
  1. Each cerebral hemisphere receives sensory information from, and sends motor commands to, the opposite side of body
  2. The 2 hemispheres have different functions although their structures are alike
  3. Correspondence between a specific function and a specific region of cerebral cortex is not precise
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7
Q

What are sulci of the cerebral hemispheres?

A

grooves on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres

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8
Q

What are gyri of the cerebral hemispheres?

A

twisted ridges between sulci

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9
Q

What is the function of the gyri of the neural cortex?

A

increase surface area (number of cortical neurons)

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9
Q

What is the insula (island) of cortex?

A

lies medial to the lateral sulcus

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10
Q

What is the longitudinal fissure of the cerebral cortex?

A

separates cerebral hemispheres

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11
Q

What are lobes of the cerebral cortex?

A

divisions of hemispheres

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12
Q

Name the cerebral sulci and what they divide?

A
  1. Central sulcus
    > divides anterior frontal lobe from posterior parietal lobe
  2. Lateral sulcus
    > divides frontal lobe from temporal lobe
  3. Parieto-occipital sulcus
    > divides parietal lobe from occipital lobe
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13
Q

What is the neuron?

A

The anatomic unit of the nervous system is the nerve cell or neuron

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14
Q

Describe the structure of the neuron?

A

> Each has a region known as the cell body
in addition there are several processes extending away from the cell body = the axon and the rest the dendrites

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15
Q

Function of dendrites in the neuron?

A

The dendrites branch and contact other neurons at synapses

16
Q

Function of the axon in the neuron?

A

the axon [nerve fibre] transmits impulses away from the cell body and to other cells

17
Q

Name the 4 zones of the neuron?

A
  1. Input zone – receives information from other cells through dendrites
  2. Integration zone – a cell body (or soma) region where inputs are combined and transformed
  3. Conduction zone – a single axon leads away from the cell body and transmits the electrical impulse
  4. Output zone – axon terminals at the end of the axon communicate activity to other cells
18
Q

Name and describe the location of the lobes of the cerebrum?

A
  1. The frontal lobe
    > lies under the frontal bone in the anterior cranial fossa
  2. The temporal lobe
    > lies under the temporal bone in the middle cranial fossa
  3. The occipital lobe
    > lies under the occipital bone in the posterior cranial fossa, along with the cerebellum
  4. The parietal lobe
    > lies under the parietal bone
  5. The cerebellum (little brain)
    > lies below the occipital lobe
    > It has much thinner gyri than the cerebrum
19
Q

What are association fibers and their different types?

A

Connections within 1 hemisphere
1. arcuate fibers:
- are short fibers
- connect 1 gyrus to another
2. longitudinal fasciculi:
- are longer bundles
- connect frontal lobe to other lobes in same hemisphere

20
Q

What are commissural fibers?

A

Bands of fibers connecting 2 hemispheres:
1. corpus callosum
2. anterior commissure
3. posterior commissure

21
Q

What are projection fibers?

A
  • Pass through diencephalon
  • Link cerebral cortex with:
    > diencephalon, brain stem, cerebellum, and spinal cord
  • Internal capsule:
    > all ascending and descending projection fibers
22
Q

What is the corpus callosum?

A

is the most important landmark in the brain
> It is a bridge of axons that joins the two hemispheres and allows communication between them
> the corpus callosum folds back on itself rostrally. This region ends in the anterior commissure

23
Q

What is the thalamus?

A

the relay station for the cortex
> it lies underneath the corpus callosum and can be seen cut across in frontal sections
> contains a complex number of different sub-nuclei.

24
Q

How do the cerebral cortex and thalamus function?

A

> Each cortical lobe can be divided into separate functional areas within that lobe and each separate functional area of cortex has a separate thalamic nucleus
The thalamus serves as a kind of ‘secretary’ to its own cortical region
The ONLY way information can get to the cortex is via its thalamic relay or directly via cortico-cortical links
The cortex controls its own input by ‘instructing’ its thalamus on what it should allow through. There are as many cortico-thalamic outputs as there are thalamo-cortical inputs

25
Q

What are cerebral ventricles?

A

hollow chambers in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid (csf)
- The thalamus lies on either side of the third ventricle

26
Q

Describe the location of the cerebral ventriles?

A

The third ventricle is a kind of vertical slit running anter-posteriorly in the brain and it is connected above (rostrally) to the lateral ventricles and below (caudally) to the fourth ventricle

27
Q

Where is the hypothalamus?

A

hypothalamus lies just under and anterior to the thalamus. The hypothalamus forms the lower and frontal wall of the third ventricle

28
Q

Where is the brain stem located?

A

below the thalamus

29
Q

Name the 3 parts of the brain stem?

A
  1. midbrain
  2. pons
  3. medulla
30
Q

The brain stem controls which body systems?

A
  1. breathing,
  2. blood presure,
  3. sleep/waking,
  4. balance,
  5. swallowing
  6. vomiting
31
Q

Which nerves arise from the brainstem?

A

All but 2 of the 22 cranial nerves
- optic
- olfactory

32
Q

What are the boundaries of the fourth ventricle?

A
  1. The pons and medulla form the floor of the fourth ventricle
  2. The cerebellum forms the roof of the fourth ventricle.
33
Q

Autonomic functions of the brainstem?

A
  1. The pons plays a critical role in respiration.
  2. The medulla oblongata is responsible for respiration and cardiovascular functions.