lec 10 brain and nervous system Flashcards
what is the nervous system?
body’s electrochemical communication network
What are the 2 main categories of the nervous system? What are their functions?
Central nervous system (CNS)-decision maker
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)-delivery system
What is the function of the PNS? What is it made of?
-link CNS w/ sensory receptors, muscles and glands
-nerves that lie outside of brain and spinal cord
What are the parts of the CNS? What are their functions?
Spinal cord
- transmits info b/w brain to rest of body thru PNS
-handles simple reflexes
-attached to brain
Brain
What are the 3 main divisions of the brain?
Forebrain, Midbrain, Hindbrain
What is the function if each division of the brain?
Forebrain: higher cognitive fxns
Midbrain: movement, seeing, hearing
Hindbrain: subconscious processes
What is the brainstem? What is its function?
central core of brain
starts where spinalcord swells as it enters skull
automatic survival functions
What are the 3 parts of the brainstem? Where are they?
Medulla- base of brainstem
pons- above medulla
midbrain- inside brainstem
What are the functions of each part of the brainstem?
Medulla: heartbeat, breathing
Pons: movement and sleep
midbrain: vision, body movement, hearing
What is the crossover point, and where does it happen?
brain nerves cross over and connect with body’s opposite side
brainstem
What are the 3 parts of the forebrain?
Cerebellum, thalamus, hypothalamus
What is the cerebellum? Where is it?
hindbrain’s “little brain”
attached to rear of brainstem
What is the role of the cerebellum?
voluntary movements and balance
What is the Thalamus, where is it?
-top of brainstem
-receives+sends sensory info
What is the limbic system?
system of neural structures at boarder of brainstem + cerebrum
What is the function of the limbic system?
emotional brain
Four f’s : fight, flight, feeding, fornication
What are the 3 parts of the limbic system?
Amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus
What is the function of the amygdala?
emotion
enables aggression, fear, anger
Where is the hypothalamus located? What is it’s function?
below thalamus
-homeostatis
-governs endocrine system via pituitary gland
What does the hippocampus control?
-memories
-connects to amygdala to connect memories to emotions
What are the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex? Where are they?
frontal lobe: front near eyes
parietal lobe: middle
occipital lobe: back
temporal lobe: above ears (under these 3)
What is the function of each lobe of the cerebral cortex?
Frontal:
-problem solving
Parietal:
-speech
-touch
-taste
Occipital:
-vision
Temporal:
-sound
-smell
What is lateralization?
greater localization of function in 1 hemisphere
-left and right brain
-hemispheres work TOGETHER not VS
What is each hemisphere of the brain responsible for?
left:
rational, verbal, reading, writing
right: creative, spatial, perception of emotions
together the ____ and ___ make up the brainstem
midbrain and hindbrain
the bumps and folds of the brain
gyri
What is it called when brain generates new neurons?
Neurogenesis
What is plasticity?
ability of a brain to change
continuously throughout an individual’s life
If someone is blind, does their brain not use the space linked to vision?
FALSE, neurons can re-map themselves
-able to adapt unused space for other functions
what is true about gyri?
different gyri have different known functions
longitudinal fissure
separates the two halves of the cerebrum
the size of a cortex devoted to a body part depends on…?
its importance and frequency of use
precentral gyrus
motor cortex (movement)
post-central gyrus
sensory cortex
