Lower Brain Flashcards
major parts of the brain are
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Diencephalon
Cerebrum
Continuous with the spinal cord
brain stem
Consists of:
Medulla oblongata
Pons
Midbrain
brain stem
Posterior to the brain stem
cerebellum
Superior to the brain stem
Diencephalon
Comprises mainly:
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Diencephalon
also epithalamus & pineal gland
The cerebrum is supported on the diencephalon and ____
brain stem
largest part of the brain
cerebrum
The cranial meninges are continuous with the ____ meninges of the same name, and have the same basic structure
spinal
meninges
Dura mater (outer) Arachnoid mater (middle) Pia mater (inner)
cranial dura mater has ____ layers, whereas the spinal dura mater has only one
two
An external periosteal layer formed by the ____ covering the internal surface of the cranium
(dura mater)
periosteum
An internal meningeal layer that is ___ with the dura mater covering the spinal cord
(dura mater)
continuous
The two layers are fused together except where they separate to enclose the ____ that drain blood from the brain into the internal jugular vein
(dura mater)
dural venous sinuses
Extensions of the dura mater separate parts of the brain
Falx cerebri
Falx cerebelli
Tentorium cerebelli
separates the two hemispheres (sides) of the cerebrum
Extensions of the dura mater
Falx cerebri
separates the two hemispheres of the cerebellum
Extensions of the dura mater
Falx cerebelli
separates the cerebrum from the cerebellum
Extensions of the dura mater
Tentorium cerebelli
Neurons synthesize ATP almost exclusively from
glucose
Virtually no glucose is stored in the brain
The brain therefore requires a virtually uninterrupted flow of blood to it, and that blood must have sufficient glucose
A ____ protects brain cells from harmful substances and pathogens by preventing many such substances from entering the brain
The BBB can be broken down or disrupted by trauma, certain toxins, and inflammation
blood-brain barrier (BBB)
Lack a BBB
pineal gland
pituitary gland
hypothalamus
area postrema of fourth ventricle
The____ (of the fourth ventricle in the medulla) senses toxins in the blood, that the blood-brain barrier protects other parts of the brain from; it controls vomiting
area postrema
The BBB is formed by a combination of tight junctions of the endothelial cells of brain capillaries and ___
astrocyte foot processes
Some water-soluble substances (such as glucose) cross the BBB by ___
active transport
Other substances cross the BBB very slowly: creatinine, urea, ___
most ions
Some substances do not cross at all: proteins, most ___ drugs
antibiotic
____ substances cross easily: oxygen, CO2, alcohol, most anesthetic agents
Lipid-soluble
Protects the brain and spinal cord against chemical and physical injuries
CSF
Carries oxygen, glucose, and other needed chemicals from the blood to neurons and neuroglia
CSF
Continuously circulates through cavities in the brain and spinal cord, and around the brain and spinal cord in the subarachnoid space (between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater)
CSF
are four CSF-filled cavities within the brain
Ventricles
The lateral ventricles together comprise the __ ventricle
first and second
A thin membrane called the ___ separates the lateral ventricles
septum pellucidum
The ___ is a narrow cavity surrounded by the right and left halves of the thalamus
third ventricle
The ____ is between the brain stem and the cerebellum
fourth ventricle
Mechanical protection, by serving as a shock-absorbing medium that protects the tissue of the brain and spinal cord from physical jolts; CSF also buoys the brain, causing it to “float” in the cranial cavity
CSF contribution to homeostasis
Chemical protection, by providing an optimal ionic composition chemical environment for accurate neuronal signaling
CSF contribution to homeostasis
Circulation, through acting as a medium for exchange of nutrients and waste products between the blood and nervous tissue
CSF contribution to homeostasis
CSF is produced by the ___ in the walls of the ventricles
choroid plexuses
These are networks of capillaries covered by ependymal cells that form CSF from blood plasma by filtration (and some secretion)
The ___ are joined by tight junctions, thereby preventing materials from leaking between the cells, and forcing materials that might potentially enter the CSF to be subjected to ependymal cell selectivity
ependymal cells
CSF is formed in the choroid plexuses of ___ lateral ventricle
each
CSF flows into the third ventricle through two small openings called ___
interventricular foramina
The roof of the ___ ventricle produces more CSF
third
CSF then flows through the ___ and into the fourth ventricle
cerebral aqueduct
A ___ in the fourth ventricle produces more CSF
choroid plexus
From the fourth ventricle, CSF enters the ___ through three openings in the roof of the fourth ventricle: a median aperture, and two lateral apertures (a pair—one on each side)
subarachnoid space
Since the subarachnoid spaces of the brain and spinal cord are continuous, CSF also enters the spinal ___space
subarachnoid
CSF then circulates in the ___ of the spinal cord and the subarachnoid spaces of the brain and spinal cord
central canal
CSF is reabsorbed into the blood through arachnoid __, which project into the CSF circulatory spaces
villi
It is normally reabsorbed as fast as it is formed, meaning the pressure remains constant
Hydrocephalus (hydro = water, cephalus = head) is a condition in which excess ___ builds up in the brain
cerebrospinal fluid
When excess CSF accumulates in the ventricles, CSF pressure rises, causing ___
hydrocephalus
If the condition persists the fluid buildup compresses and damages nerve tissue
Hydrocephalus is most often treated with the surgical placement of a ___ system that diverts the flow of CSF from a site within the central nervous system (CNS) to another area of the body where it can be absorbed as part of the circulatory process.
shunt
A limited number of patients having OBSTRUCTIVE hydrocephalus can be treated with a procedure called ___. Aided by a neuroscope, a small hole is made in the floor of the __ ventricle, allowing the CSF to bypass the obstruction
third ventriculostomy
third
A network of interspersed gray and white matter called the reticular formation extends throughout the
brain stem
DUH
called the vital brain because it regulates functions upon which life is most dependent, and which occur without our voluntary action
Medulla oblongata
control of breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and reflex centers for coughing, swallowing, & vomiting that respond without cognitive processing
Medulla oblongata
The medulla begins at the ___, and is a continuation of the spinal cord
foramen magnum
White matter of the medulla contains all ascending (sensory) and descending (motor) tracts between the ___ and other parts of the brain
spinal cord