Lecture 1 & 2

Question 1

Structurally, the brain is divided into: (x2)

Functionally, the brain is divided into: (x2)

Answer 1

• The CNS (brain and spinal cord) and PNS (nerves: SNS - motor efferent; sensory afferent, ANS - symp. parasymp.)
• Somatic (voluntary) and autonomic (involuntary/visceral) nervous systems

Question 2

what are the two main cell types in the brain?

Answer 2

• Nerve cells (neurons)

- Glial Cells (neuroglia, glia)

Question 3

Multipolar, unipolar, pseudounipolar and bipolar neurons are mostly what type of neurons respectively?

Answer 3

Multipolar - motor neurons in spinal chord (myelinated by schwann cells)
unipolar - exocrine glands and smooth muscle
pseudo-unipolar - sensory neurons found in dorsal root ganglia (may/may not be myelinated)
bipolar - specialised sensory neurons found in cortex (unmyelinated)

Question 4

What are the 3 main types of Neuroglia found in the CNS and what are their functions?

Answer 4

• Microglia (phagocytosis of foreign substances),
• oligodendrocytes (myelination of CNS neurons),
• astrocytes (structural support and nutrients to CNS neurons)

Question 5

What are the main neurons found in the PNS?

Answer 5

• Schwann cells (form myelin sheaths around PNS neuron axons)
• Satellite Cells (support ganglia in dorsal root and ANS)

Question 6

What are the components of the neurocranium?

Answer 6

• roof = cranial vault
• floor = cranial base
• anterior/middle/posterior cranial fossa

Question 7

What is an eminence?

Answer 7

a prominent protrusion

Question 8

What is a cisterna?

Answer 8

cavity (mostly enlarged space between pia & arachnoid)

Question 9

Motor neurons are part of the PNS but their cell bodies lie in the:

Answer 9

CNS

Question 10

What is the difference between a Nucleus and a Ganglion?

Answer 10

Nucleus is a cluster of FUNCTIONALLY related nerve cell bodies but a ganglion is just a cluster of nerve cell bodies.

Question 11

The human brain has a prominent flexure at the level of the :

Answer 11

Midbrain

Question 12

Leptomeninges consist of…

Answer 12

Arachnoid mater and Pia mater, between which CSF circulates

Question 13

what are the major divisions of the brain and related components? (x3)

Answer 13

• Forebrain (Prosencephalon - telencephalon/cerebrum + diencephalon/interbrain)
• Midbrain (mesencephalon)
• Hindbrain (Rhombencephalon - myelencephalon/medulla oblongata + metencephalon/pons + cerebellum)

Question 14

The brain stem consists of:

Answer 14

Midbrain, Pons and Medulla

Question 15

What are the key functions of the Cerebrum? (x3)

Answer 15

• conscious perception (awareness)
• memory
• executive functions

Question 16

What are the key functions of the Diencephalon/interbrain? (x3)

Answer 16

• Gateway to cortex (thalamus)
• regulation of hormone secretion (hypothalamus)
• autonomic nervous system (hypothalamus)

Question 17

What are the key functions of the Cerebellum? (x3)

Answer 17

• optimal control of movement (Cerebellar loop)
• posture adjustment
• maintaining balance

Question 18

What are the key functions of the brainstem? (x4)

Answer 18

• sensation of the head and neck (cranial nerves)
• respiratory centres and control of blood pressure (medulla)
• consciousness (reticular formation)
• supraspinal reflexes

Question 19

What are the components of the Lateral ventricles?

Answer 19

• Anterior Horn, body, posterior horn, inferior horn

Question 20

What are the main ventricles and respective areas to which they supply CSF? (x5)

Answer 20

• Lateral ventricles (cortex + basal nuclei)
• Third ventricle (diencephalon)
• cerebral aquaduct (midbrain)
• fourth ventricle (pons + cerebellum + medulla)
• central canal (spinal cord)

Question 21

What are the major foramina? (x3)

Answer 21

• Interventricular foramen (connects lateral and third ventricles)
• Foramen of Magendie (medial aperture)
• Foramina of Luschka (lateral apertures)

Question 22

What is the difference between the cerebrum and spinal cord, in terms of gray matter/white matter position?

Answer 22

Cerebrum = gray matter (surface), white matter (more internal)

Spinal cord = gray matter (centre), white matter (surface)

Question 23

What are the major lobes of the cerebrum and respective functions? (x4)

Answer 23

• Frontal (planning, movement control)
• Parietal (tactile sensation)
• Occipital (vision)
• Temporal (hearing, aspects of learning, memory and emotion)

Question 24

What are the Hechl’s gyri?

Answer 24

primary auditory cortex (transverse temporal gyri)

Question 25

What are the three types of white matter fibres?

Answer 25

• commissural (connecting hemispheres)
• association (connecting gyri on same hemisphere)
• projection (connecting cortex with basal ganglia, brainstem and spinal cord)

Question 26

What are the types of commissural fibres? (x2)

Answer 26

• corpus callosum (connects the two frontal, parietal and occipital lobes)
• anterior commissure (connects two temporal lobes)

Question 27

What are the types of association fibres? (x 2)

Answer 27

• arcuate fibres (short: connect neighboring gyri; long: connects distant gyri)
• Longitudinal fasciculi (connects different lobes of the same hemisphere)

Question 28

What are the different types of longitudinal fasciculi? (x5)

Answer 28

• superior longitudinal fascicle (connects frontal and occiptal lobes)
• inf. occipitotemporal fascicle (connects temporal and occipital lobes)
• cingulum (connects frontal and temporal limbic cortices)
• uncinate fascicle (connects orbital and temporal limbic cortices)
• arcuate fasciculus (connects Broca and Wernicke’s areas)

Question 29

What are the major parts of the Diencephalon? (x4)

Answer 29

• Epithalamus (pineal gland - day/night cycles)
• Thalamus (gateway to cortex for motor and limbic systems)
• Hypothalamus (hormone regulation, ANS)
• Subthalamus (part of basal ganglia)