Lecture 13- Regional neuroanatomy and function Flashcards
What is the major pathway between the brain and skin, muscle, joints and organs?
spinal cord
what are the 4 levels of the spinal cord?
cervical
thoracic
lumbar
sacral
After L1-L2 what does the spinal cord consist of?
cauda equina which are thick elongated nerve roots
what are the two segments that the spinal cord is organized into?
dorsal (sensory)
ventral (control/ motor)
what is the overall function of the spinal cord?
mediates simple reflexes and generates complicated control programs (such as rhythmic patterns used for walking)
what is connected to the spinal cord? (4)
rootlets
ventral root
dorsal root
meninges
what does the dorsal root do?
what does the ventral root do?
dorsal: carries sensory (afferent) information to CNS
ventral: carries motor (efferent) information to muscles and glands
where is the white and grey matter in the spinal cord?
white matter is outside and gray matter is found in the center (opposite of the brain)
what are the 4 different types of nuclei that can be found in the grey matter of the spinal cord?
visceral sensory nuclei
somatic sensory nuclei
autonomic efferent nuclei
somatic motor control nuclei (skeletal muscle)
what are the two tracts that are apart of white matter of the spinal cord?
ascending tract
descending tract
what is the difference between ascending tract and descending tract?
ascending: carry sensory information from the body up the spinal cord to the brain
descending: carry motor information from the brain down the spinal cord to the body
what does the brainstem consist of?
midbrain
pons
medulla
what important nerves arise from the brainstem? why are these nerves so important? what do they do?
cranial nerves (they carry sensory, motor, or both sensory and motor information to the CNS or target organs)
what is the function of the medulla?
controls heart and blood vessel function, respiration and many digestive functions
what is the function of the pons? 3
receives and processes motor information for the cerebellum and cerebrum
regulates muscle reflexes involves in equilibrium and posture
what is the function of the midbrain?
relays visual and auditory information
governs movement of the eyes
-gives rise to groups of diffuse modulatory neurons
what set of interconnected nuclei are located throughout the brainstem?
reticular formation (receives and integrates incoming sensory input and plays roles in arousal)
-gives rise to groups of diffuse modulatory neurons
what are modulatory systems/ neurons?
there are 4 different modulatory neurons and each one has a place in either the pons or brainstem. these neurons have nuclei that produce the specific hormone the hormone gets circulated throughout the brain
where are there the most neurons in the brain?
cerebellum thats why its called little brain
it has more neurons than there is in the rest of the brain combined!
what is the function of the cerebellum? 4
processes sensory information (muscles, joints, vestibular system, eyes)
enhances muscle tone and coordinates skilled voluntary movements
role in planning and initiating voluntary activity
stores procedure memories (motor learning. ex. how to ride a bike, you are able to remember how to ride a bike forever “its like riding a bike”)