L3: The brain Flashcards
What is the CNS?
The central nervous system, contains brain and the spinal cord.
What is white matter?
Axons (nerve cell tails).
What is gray matter?
Dendrites (nerve cell bodies).
What is the cortex and what is it made up of?
Outer layer of the brain, contains Gyri, Sulci & Fissures.
What are Gyri, Sulci and Fissures?
Gyri/Gyrus: Folds in the brain
Sulci/Sulcus: Grooves in the brain
Fissures: Deep Grooves
What are the main functions of the Frontal lobe?
Attention, planning, decision making, emotion regulation and Language.
What are the main functions of the Parietal lobe?
Attention, spatial perception and number processing.
What are the main functions of the Temporal lobe?
Audition, Language and memory.
What are the main functions of the Occipital lobe?
Visual cortex (vision).
What is the Corpus Callosum?
A cortical tract that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain.
What is the top area of the brain referred to as?
Dorsal/Superior.
What is the bottom area of the brain referred to as?
Ventral/Inferior.
What is the front area of the brain referred to as?
Rostral/Anterior.
What is the back area of the brain referred to as?
Caudal/Posterior.
What are the three cross-sections that can be taken of the brain?
Coronal, Sagittal and Horizontal (axial).
What is a Coronal Cross-section?
Vertical slice (dorsal through ventral) down the middle of the brain width ways.
What is a Sagittal cross-section?
Vertical slice (dorsal through ventral) down the middle of the brain lengthways.
What is a Horizontal (axial) cross-section?
A horizontal slice through the middle of the brain.
What are the Meninges?
The three layers of membrane that protects the brain and the spinal cord.
What are the 3 Meninges from outer to inner?
1) Dura Matter (outer)
2) Arachnoid membrane (middle)
3) Pia matter (inner)
What are the main functions of the Midbrain?
Helps to regulate movement and process auditory and visual information.
What is Colliculi?
Small swellings on the roof of the midbrain, superior colliculi (vision) and inferior colliculi (auditory).
What are the main functions of the Hindbrain?
Containing the Cerebellum, Pons and Medulla oblongata, it regulates autonomic functions such as breathing and heart rate. Also helps with motor control.
What are Ventricles?
Chambers in the brain filled with CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) that work as shock absorbers and provide nutrition.
What key parts of the brain are contained within the Forebrain?
The Telencephalon and the Diencephalon.
What is the main function of the Telencephalon and what does it contain?
Controls almost all voluntary movement, contains Basal ganglia, Limbic system and the Cortex.
What is the main function of the Diencephalon and what does it contain?
It’s the primary relay and processing center for sensory information and autonomic control. It contains the Thalamus and Hypothalamus.
What does the Basal ganglia do?
Responsible for voluntary motor control, learning and memory. Contains head and tail of the caudate nucleus and the Putamen.
What disorders are associated with the Basal ganglia?
Parkinson’s disease and Tourette’s syndrome.
What does the Limbic system contain and what are its main functions?
Responsible for emotional responses, memory and learning. Contains Hippocampus, Cingulate Cortex and the Amygdala.
What are the main functions of the Cerebellum?
Located in the hindbrain, it’s responsible for central regulation of movement, posture, balance and motor-learning. Also known as the “little brain”.
What is a group of cell bodies called in the PNS and the CNS?
PNS: ganglion
CNS: Nucleus
What is a bundle of axons called in PNS and the CNS?
PNS: nerves
CNS: tract
