LECTURE 1

Question 1

3 planes which the brain and body can be viewed

Answer 1

saggital ( side cross section)
coronal (through middle)
transverse ( top and bottom )

Question 2

anatomical terminology

Answer 2

Above = superior
Below = inferior
Front = anterior or ventral
Back = posterior or dorsal
Medial = close to (midline)
Lateral = away from/next to (midline)

Question 3

sensory integrative and motor functions of the nervous system

Answer 3

Sensory function
detect external & internal changes

Integrative function
analyses & makes decisions based on voluntary and involuntary responses

Motor function
initiates motor movement & glandular secretions

Question 4

Cerebrum

Answer 4

largest part of the brain. It contains the cerebral cortex and subcortical regions

separated into 2 hemispheres that are connected by a large fibre bundle called the corpus callosum

Question 5

Cerebellum

Answer 5

located in the posterior region of the brain, it is mainly responsible for balance and coordination

Question 6

Brainstem

Answer 6

contains the midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata. It communicates with the PNS to control involuntary processes such as breathing and heart rate.

Question 7

Cerebral cortex

Answer 7

The outer layer of the cerebrum is composed of the cerebral cortex

Four functionally and anatomically distinct lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital

Question 8

Frontal lobe

Answer 8

higher cognitive functions, such decision-making and problem-solving. It is also responsible for some features of language and voluntary movement

Question 9

Parietal lobe

Answer 9

integrates information from the visual pathway, coordinates motor movement and interpretation of sensory information

Question 10

Temporal lobe

Answer 10

interpreting speech and hearing, object recognition and emotion

Question 11

Occipital lobe

Answer 11

processing primary visual information

Question 12

what are subcortical regions

Answer 12

Brain regions that lie underneath the cortex are referred to as subcortical regions

Question 13

examples of subcortical structures and their functions

Answer 13

hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, thalamus and basal ganglia

Responsible for many functions including memory, emotions, motor movement & processing sensory information

Question 14

Midbrain

Answer 14

Serves as a connection between the brainstem and subcortical regions

Question 15

What does the midbrain consist of

Answer 15

colliculi – directs eye movement towards objects of interest
tegmentum – coordination of movement, alertness/sleep
cerebral peduncle – control of ocular muscles

Question 16

5 sections of the spinal cord

Answer 16

The spinal cord is divided into 5 main sections based on the corresponding body area that is innervated: cervical (neck), thoracic (chest), lumbar (lower back), sacral (hip) and coccygeal (tail)

Question 17

role of the enteric part of the autonomic ns

Answer 17

Regulates movement of water & solutes between gut and tissues

Question 18

role of sympathetic and parasympathetic ns

Answer 18

Sympathetic is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ reaction that occurs in response to a stressful stimulus

Parasympathetic nervous system balances the sympathetic response by stimulating ‘rest and digest’ pathways

Question 19

Afferent & efferent pathways

Answer 19

Afferent pathways carry sensory information from the periphery up to the brain via ascending nerve tracts

The brain sends signals down to peripheral nerves along efferent descending nerve tracts to control motor output

Question 20

Reflex arc – leg jerk response

Answer 20

When the knee is hit, sensory afferents in the knee send information to the dorsal column of the spinal cord. These afferents synapse onto interneurons within the spinal cord
The interneurons send information to the muscles of the legs via efferents nerve that originate in the ventral horn
The efferent fibers communicate with the muscles, causing them to contract, resulting in a jerk of the leg
This reflex arc occurs without input from the brain

Question 21

2 main cell groups in the CNS

Answer 21

neurons (‘nerve cells’) and glia (‘support cells’)

Question 22

types of glial cells

Answer 22

Glial cells are further subdivided into microglia, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes & ependymal cells

Question 23

Bipolar neurons

Answer 23

1 main dendrite and 1 axon

Retina of the eye, inner ear, olfactory area of brain

Question 24

Unipolar neurons

Answer 24

Just 1 process from the cell body, part way down the axon

Always sensory neurons (pain, temperature, touch, pressure)

Question 25

Multipolar neurons

Answer 25

Many dendrites and 1 axon

Most neurons in the CNS

Question 26

Microglia

Answer 26

Immune cells that survey the CNS and respond to signs of infection or damage

Surveillant = smaller, with multiple processes

Activated = larger, with rounded cell body & shorter processes

Question 27

Astrocytes

Answer 27

Small, star-shaped cells that provide support for the development and homeostatic maintenance of the nervous system and cerebral blood vessels

Form a ‘glial scar’ after severe injury

Question 28

Oligodendrocytes

Answer 28

Cells that form the lipid-rich sheath of myelin that wraps around some neurons to increase the speed at which information is transmitted by the neuron

In the PNS, these cells are called Schwann cells

Question 29

White & grey matter

Answer 29

Areas of brain that contain myelin (bundles of axons) are called white matter, while regions of unmyelinated cell bodies are referred to as the grey matter

Question 30

what is the neurovascular unit

Answer 30

Blood vessels in the brain are made up of endothelial cells, astrocytes, pericytes (capillaries), smooth muscle cells (arteries) and neurons

Question 31

blood-brain barrier (BBB)

Answer 31

Endothelial cells of the brain express form tight junction proteins. These junctions allow the brain to create a physical barrier between the blood and the brain, called the blood-brain barrier (BBB)

This gives the brain a high degree of selectively, thereby protecting it against entry by potentially harmful substances in the blood

Question 32

Where is cerebrospinal fluid found

Answer 32

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is contained within the ventricles and in the subarachnoid spaces of the brain and spinal cord

Question 33

Role of CSF

Answer 33

CSF provides buoyancy for the brain and cushion it against injury, as well as waste removal

Question 34

How is CSF made

Answer 34

CSF is produced from filtered blood by the choroid plexus in the ventricles