Lecture 8: The Structure of the CNS Flashcards
What is the Nervous System divided into?
Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System
What does the PNS divide into?
Autonomic and Somatic
What does the Autonomic Nervous System divide into?
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
What are the 2 key areas of the CNS?
Brain and Spinal Cord
What are the 3 brain structures/areas?
Forebrain, Midbrain and Hindbrain
What does the forebrain divide into?
Telencephalon and Diencephalon
What is the Telencephalom?
Looking at the cerebral cortex and the limbic system
What is the Diencephalom?
Looking at the Thalamus and Hypothalamus
What is the part of the midbrain called?
Mesencephalon
What does the midbrain divide into?
Tectum and Tegmentum
What does the hindbrain divide into?
Metencephalon and Myelencephalon
What is the Metencephalon?
Looks at the cerebellum and Pons
What is the Myelencephalon?
Looks at the Medulla
What are the parasympathetic and sympathetic functions?
They work together to keep things in balance. Sympathetic increases something and the parasympathetic will decrease it (and vice versa). E.g. S will dilate pupils and PS constricts pupils. S accelerates hr and PS slows it down.
What happens after a stimulus is triggered?
It is picked up by sensory receptors in the PNS.
What happens after the stimulus triggered is picked up by sensory receptors?
This sense then detected in PNS.
What happens once the sense is detected in the PNS?
It is then turned into sensory info and sent through to the CNS.
What happens after the sense is turned into sensory info and sent to the CNS?
It goes through spinal cord and sends message to the brain.
What happens after the message has been sent to the brain?
Brain needs to recognise the info and decide what to do with it.
What happens after the brain recognises the info and decides what to do with it?
The CNS needs to send message back out through PNS through motor commands (may go to autonomic or somatic).
What happens after the CNS sends the message back through the PNS?
If we need to execute the message might use voluntary skeletal movements or it might be involuntary (making sure heart is pumping quicker or more slowly.
What are the signals coming in called?
Afferent signals
What are the signals coming out called?
Efferent signals
What is the VENTRAL anatomical direction?
Towards front of body and towards bottom of head
What is the DORSAL anatomical direction?
Towards back of body and towards top of head
What is the ANTERIOR/ROSTRAL anatomical direction?
Nose End
What is the POSTERIOR/CAUDAL anatomical direction?
Tail End
What is the LATERAL anatomical direction?
Towards the side
What is the MEDIAL anatomical direction?
Towards the middle
What is the BILATERAL anatomical direction?
On both sides of the body or head
What is the IPSILATERAL anatomical direction?
On same side of body or head
What is the CONTRALATERAL anatomical direction?
One opposite sides of body or head
What are the 3 anatomical planes?
Horizontal, Sagittal and Coronal
What is the Horizontal anatomical plane?
Cut horizontal
What is the Sagittal anatomical plane?
Cut down the middle from the top (Vertical)
What is the Coronal anatomical plane?
Cut like a slice of bread
Where does the brain get energy from?
From the blood supply. Need a vast circulatory system to ensure constant supply of resources
What are the facts about the brain?
The brain cannot store glucose. It relies on constant supply of blood for glucose and oxygen. Interruption in supply uses all the brains resources. Interruption causes unconsciousness. A few minutes of interruption can cause brain damage.
What parts of the CNS need protecting and how are they protected?
The brain and spinal cord. Protected by skull and spinal column.
What are Meninges?
A layer of packaging between skull and brain and then the spine and spinal column.
What is Meningitis?
Infection or inflammation of the meninges
What is the Blood-Brain-Barrier?
The CNS cannot kill viruses. BBB keeps out harmful substances. Small/uncharged molecules can pass through like O2 and CO2. Active transport system pumps essentials into brain - glucose, amino acids, vitamins and hormones
What are the ventricles responsible for?
The production of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Act as own cushion but produce CSF and send it out around the subarachnoid space. Acts as another layer of protection
(HB) What does the Myelencephalon do?
Control of vital functions through receiving info on hr, bp, O2 and CO2 levels.
Cardiovascular system, Respiration and Muscle Tone
(HB) What does the Metencephalon pons do?
Serves as a link (bridge) between hindbrain and midbrain. Also involved in respiration, eye movement, facial expressions and chewing.
(HB) What does the Metencephalon cerebellum do?
Communicates to motor cortex and sense organs
- Voluntary muscle movement
- Maintenance of balance
- Muscle tone and posture
(MB) What does the Mesencephalon do?
Tectum is roof and Tegmentum is covering. Major pathway for sensory and motor impulses between forebrain and hindbrain.
(MB) What is the Tectum?
Audiorty and visual communication
(MB) What is the Tegmentum?
Sensory processes, movement, motor control (substantia nigra)
(FB) What is the Telencephalon?
The hemispheres
(FB) What is the Diencephalon?
The interbrain
(FB) What is the Diencephalon in regards to the thalamus?
Thalamus (chamber): Receives sensory info and relays to sensory processing in cortex
What is the Diencephalon in regards to the hypothalamus?
Hypothalamus is connected to the pituitary gland. Regulation of the ANS and Endocrine System
(FB) What is the Corpus Collosum? (Telencephalon)
It is the in the middle of the 2 hemispheres. nerve fibres connect the hemispheres
(FB) What is the White Matter?
Axons covered in myelin sheath
(FB) What is Grey Matter?
Cortex made up of cells.
(FB) What is the Limbic System?
A group of structures involved in stress and emotion, memory storage and retrieval
(FB) What is the Cingulate Gyrus?
Controls emotional behaviour
(FB) What is the Fornix?
Links hippocampus to hypothalamus
(FB) What is the Amygdala?
Emotional processing and motivation
(FB) What is the Hippocampus?
Involved in learning and memory (detection of threat)
(FB) What are the 3 major grooves that divide the cortex and create 4 major divisions?
Longitudinal Fissure
Lateral Fissure
Central Sulucus
(FB) What does the Central Sulucus divide?
Divides the Frontal lobe from the Parietal Lobe
(FB) What does the Longitudinal Fissure divide?
Divides Temporal Lobe from the Frontal and Parietal Lobe
