Lecture 6 Flashcards
1
Q
Cerebellum
A
- “Little brain”
- Tucked underneath the “big brain”
- Fine tunes motor movement from the motor cortex and sensory inputs and maintains posture (coordination)
2
Q
Diencephalon
A
- Composed of the thalamus and hypothalamus
- Also called the lower forebrain
3
Q
Thalamus
A
- Relays sensory signals to the respective cortex
- Composed of different sub-nuclei
4
Q
Hypothalamus
A
- Composed of different sub-nuclei
1. Motivation, reward, aversion, sex, aggression
2. Body homeostasis (temperature, thirst, hunger) - Sends signals down to the pituitary gland to control hormone secretion
5
Q
Pituitary Gland
A
- Receives signals from the hypothalamus and sends hormones into the bloodstream
- This process is slower acting than the quickness of neurons and action potentials
6
Q
The Limbic System
A
- Supports memory and emotion
- Hippocampus and amygdala make it up
7
Q
Hippocampus
A
- In charge of learning and episodic memory
8
Q
Amygdala
A
- Fear and emotion
9
Q
Basal Ganglia
A
- Group of nuclei at the base of the forebrain (and top of brainstem)
- Support action and (gross) movement
10
Q
Cerebral Cortex
A
- Thin layer on the outside of the brain
- Involved in high-level function and cognition
- Sulcus: groove
- Gyrus: Bulge
- The large surface area due to the sulci and gyri allow for more of a cerebral cortex and therefore more cognition
- There are two of these , connected by the corpus callosum
- Each hemisphere is divided into 4 lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital
- Contains six layers of cells
11
Q
Blood-Brain Barrier
A
- System that runs across the blood vessels that go into the brain
- Semi-permeable separation between blood and brain
- Formed by endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes,
- Passes: water, gases, hydrophobic molecules, glucose, and amino acids
- Blocks: Large or hydrophilic molecules and bacteria
12
Q
Ventricles
A
- Four spaces filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- 2 lateral, the third ventricle, and the fourth ventricle
- Contains cells that contains CSF
- CSF bathes and cushions brain, buoyancy; doesn’t allow the brain to collapse in on itself
- Flow of nutrients
13
Q
Human vs. Rodent Brain
A
- Human brain has sulci and gyri and rodent brains do not and are therefore smooth
- Rodents have a relatively larger olfactory bulb, while our occipital lobe is relatively bigger
- Key parts are all in both brains
14
Q
Cerebellar Ataxia
A
Impaired coordination due to cerebellar pathology
15
Q
Cognition
A
The mental process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses
