Lecture 1 - introduction to neuroscience Flashcards
What is neuroscience?
study of the nervous system
What different levels can neuroscience be studied on?
- molecular (neurones)
- cellular (2 main cells of the nervous system - neurones & glial cells)
- systems (2 systems - motor system (how to move) & sensory system (how the body takes in information from the environment)
- behavioural - why we do things
- cognitive - higher brain processing
- neuroanatomy
- genetics
What does the motor system do?
how to move
What does the sensory system do?
how the body takes in information from the environment
What are the divisions of the nervous system?
central nervous system - brain & spinal cord
peripheral nervous system - somatic & autonomic
What is in the somatic nervous system?
voluntary control over skin, joints, muscles
What is in the autonomic nervous system?
internal organs, blood vessels, glands
What is the sagitta plane?
cut down the midline
What is the coronal plane?
cut to separate anterior from posterior
What do the cerebral hemispheres do?
connected by tissue but there is a level of separation
What does the cerebral cortex do?
lots of neuronal cell bodies that mediate different processes depending on where in the cerebral cortex it is
Why does the cerebral cortex have lots of fold?
as we have lots of higher processing neurones - they can’t just increase the size of the brain
What does the basal nuclei do?
clumps of neuronal cell bodies found at the base of the cerebral hemispheres
What does the hypothalamus do?
bodily regulation (master regulator of the autonomic nervous system
What is in the forebrain?
- cerebral hemispheres
- thalamus & hypothalamus
What is in the hindbrain?
- pons
- cerebellum
- medulla
What is in the brain stem?
- medulla
- pons
- midbrain
What is the ventricular system?
Fluid-filled cavity
Where are the 4 ventricles in the ventricular system located?
- each cerebral hemisphere has a lateral ventricle
- they meet at the front and form the 3rd ventricle around hypothalamus
- then goes down into the 4th ventricle around the pons area
- goes down spinal cord
What is the purpose of the ventricular system?
filled with cerebrospinal fluid - makes the brain light and prevents the brain from hitting the skull
- provides physical protection
- maintains appropriate levels of ions
- removes waste products
What are the 4 subdivisions of the spinal cord?
- cervical
- thoracic
- lumbar
- sacral
What are the 2 enlargements in the spinal cord?
- cervical enlargement
- lumbosacral enlargement
What is grey matter?
mainly contains neuronal cells & glia cells (also some axons)
What is white matter?
mainly contains axons
What type of matter does the spinal cord have more of?
spinal cord has much more white matter than grey matter
What are the 2 spinal cord functional divisions?
Sensory areas - dorsal (back)
Motor areas - ventral (front)
Is dorsal afferent or efferent?
Dorsal = afferent
Is ventral afferent or efferent?
Ventral = efferent
Where is grey matter found?
- forebrain
- spinal cord
- cerebral cortex & nuclei
Where is white matter found?
- forebrain
- spinal cord
