Introduction to the nervous system Flashcards
What makes up the CNS?
brain and spinal cord
What makes up the PNS?
cranial and spinal nerves
ganglia
What are the basic building blocks of the nervous system?
neurons and glia
What is the sensory division of the nervous system?
afferent
- information is going towards the CNS
What is the motor division of the nervous system?
efferent
- information is going from the CNS to the effector organs
What are the two types of efferent systems?
somatic - voluntary
autonomic - involuntary
What can the autonomic system be split into?
sympathetic - thoracolumbar region
parasympathetic - craniosacral region
How is the CNS protected?
the meninges encloses the brain and spinal cord
What are the three layers of the meninges?
dura
arachnoid
pia
What is CSF?
cerebrospinal fluid
- circulates in the subarachnoid space and provides protection
What are the parts of the brain?
cerebrum
diencephalon
brain stem
cerebellum
What are the four lobes of the cerebrum?
frontal
parietal
occipital
temporal
What are the functions of the four lobes of the cerebrum?
frontal - motor
parietal - sensory
occipital - vision
temporal - auditory
What are sulci?
inholdings of the cerebral hemispheres that form ‘valleys’ between the gyri
What are gyri?
ridges of the infolded cerebral cortex
What is the diencephalon divided into?
thalamus
hypothalamus
What are the functions of the hypothalamus?
- maintains water balance
- regulates thirst and eating
- activity of the pituitary gland
- GI activity
What are the parts of the brain stem?
midbrain
pons
medulla oblongata
What is the structure of the cerebellum?
consists of 2 hemispheres and connects to the brain stem by cerebellar peduncles
How many spinal nerves are there?
31 paired spinal nerves
What is the location breakdown of the spinal nerves?
cervical - 8 thoracic - 12 lumbar - 5 sacral - 5 coccygeal - 1
