Lecture 3 - Sensory Systems of the Brain Flashcards
What are some examples of diseases affecting the spinal pathways?
multiple sclerosis
tertiary siphilous
How long is the neuron from your foot to the top of the spinal cord?
1 metre
What is a feature of the placement of fibres as they are added?
first ones, close to the midline, are from lower levels of the body, smaller cable
those from successively higher levels lye more lateral, thicker cable
top=millions of fibres=thick=terminate on second neuron=junction with the brain
What does Nucleus mean?
A group of similar brain cells which have a similar function
What does the Dorsal Column Nuclei consist of?
Gracile + Cuneate
What happens when the fibres reach the brain?
Decussation
Continuos Medial Ribbon/Lemniscus
They cross the midline and go to opposite side of the brain
Goes through the medulla, pons and the midbrain to get to the thalamus
What is a Medial Lemniscus?
Medial Ribbon
Continuous
Passes up as a compact bundle containing all sensory information form skin on the opposite side
Medial=close to the midline
Where is the highest level of organisation in the brain?
Cerebral Cortex
Every input going up to the cortex has to go through the thalamus
What is the function of the Thalamus?
Controls every input/information going to the large Cerebral Cortex
Except Smell
“relays impulses from sensory systems and terminates at various regions of the cerebral cortex”
Lots of compartments/nuclei
What isn’t controlled by the Thalamus?
Smell
What is the Ventral Posterior(VP) Nucleus?
Ventral part of thalamus
Posterior=back
Area where the fibres end/terminate on Neuron #3
processes sensory information
passes information up into Cerebral Cortex
information on opposite side of the brain
What are the 3x types of Neurons in the Discriminative pathway?
Neuron1:Primary Root Afferents, Dorsal column of spinal cord
Neuron2:Gracile and Cuneate nuclei/Decussation/Medial Lemnicus
Neuron3:Ventral Posterior Thalamus to Sensory Cortex
What do the three Neurons add up to?
a Relays
at each point there is further PROCESSING of the information
only consciously aware of touch and pressure information
Sensory information is given to the appropriate part of your body at a particular point in time
Modulate what you want to feel at any point in time
What is the Dorsal part of the Spinal Chord involved with?
Reflexes
What is the Posterior Dorsal Column?
In 2 bundles
Gracile Nucleus/Fasiculus Thin and slender Closer to Midline Termination of all the fibres from the Lower parts of the thorax anus,toes,foot,leg,thigh Layered
Middle thorax t-5/6
division
Cunneate Nucleus/Fasiculus (moon shape) Thicker-lots of fibres Termination of all the fibres from the Upper parts of the thorax nipple,arm,fingers,neck