MACROANATOMY Flashcards
What is the largest part of the brain?
Cerebrum
How is the cerebrum divided?
Into two hemispheres (left and right)
What functions is the cerebrum responsible for?
Higher brain functions such as thinking, perception, memory, and voluntary action
Where is the frontal lobe located?
At the front of the brain
What functions does the frontal lobe control?
Executive functions, motor skills, language, and personality
Where is the parietal lobe located?
Behind the frontal lobe
What functions does the parietal lobe perform?
Processing sensory information, spatial awareness, and perception of stimuli
Where is the temporal lobe located?
On the sides of the brain
What functions does the temporal lobe regulate?
Auditory processing, memory, and language comprehension
Where is the occipital lobe located?
At the back of the brain
What functions does the occipital lobe control?
Visual processing
Where is the cerebellum situated?
At the back of the brain below the cerebrum
What are the primary functions of the cerebellum?
Coordinating voluntary movements, balance, and posture
What is the brainstem?
The lower part of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord
What vital functions does the brainstem regulate?
Heartbeat, breathing, swallowing, and consciousness
Where is the medulla oblongata located?
At the base of the brainstem
What functions does the medulla oblongata control?
Vital autonomic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure
Where is the pons located?
Above the medulla oblongata
What functions is the pons involved in?
Sleep, breathing, swallowing, bladder control, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture
Where is the midbrain situated?
Above the pons
What is the function of the midbrain?
Serving as a relay station for auditory and visual information and being involved in motor control
Where is the thalamus located?
Atop the brainstem
What role does the thalamus play?
Acting as a relay station for sensory information, regulating consciousness, sleep, and alertness
Where is the hypothalamus located?
Below the thalamus
What functions does the hypothalamus regulate?
Hunger, thirst, body temperature, and the release of hormones from the pituitary gland
Where are the basal ganglia found?
Deep within the cerebral hemispheres
What are the functions of the basal ganglia?
Involvement in voluntary motor control, procedural learning, and habit formation
What is the structure of the spinal cord?
A cylindrical bundle of nerve fibers and associated tissue encased within and protected by the bony vertebral column.
How far does the spinal cord extend?
From the base of the brain, specifically the medulla oblongata, to the lumbar region of the vertebral column.
How is the spinal cord divided?
Into segments corresponding to the vertebrae, typically classified into cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal regions.
What is the composition of the outer surface of the spinal cord?
White matter containing myelinated nerve fibers organized into tracts that carry signals up and down the cord.
What does the inner core of the spinal cord consist of?
Gray matter containing nerve cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated nerve fibers.
What is the shape of the gray matter within the spinal cord?
Shaped like a butterfly or the letter “H,” with projections called horns.
What is one primary function of the spinal cord?
To serve as a conduit for transmitting nerve signals between the brain and the rest of the body.
What is sensory transmission in the context of the spinal cord?
The process by which sensory neurons detect various stimuli and transmit signals along sensory nerve fibers to the spinal cord.
How are motor commands transmitted by the spinal cord?
Motor neurons within the spinal cord transmit signals from the brain to muscles and glands, enabling voluntary movement and control.
What is the role of reflexes in the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is involved in generating and coordinating reflex actions, rapid, involuntary responses to stimuli.
How does the spinal cord contribute to coordination?
Although complex movements are primarily coordinated by the brain, the spinal cord also plays a role in coordinating simpler motor patterns.
What encases the brain for protection?
Skull, also known as the cranium.
What is the role of the skull?
Provides a sturdy outer covering, shielding the brain from physical trauma.
What are the three layers of meninges?
Dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater.
What is the function of the dura mater?
Tough and fibrous membrane providing protection and support to the brain.
What is the middle layer of meninges?
Arachnoid mater.
How does the arachnoid mater contribute?
It cushions the brain and helps maintain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation.
What is the innermost layer of meninges?
Pia mater.
What role does the pia mater play?
Adheres closely to the brain’s surface, providing additional support and protection.
What surrounds the brain and spinal cord?
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF).
What is the function of CSF?
Acts as a shock absorber, cushioning the brain and spinal cord against impact.
What does CSF help remove?
Waste products.
What is the blood-brain barrier?
A highly selective barrier separating circulating blood from brain extracellular fluid.
What is the role of the blood-brain barrier?
Regulates passage of substances between bloodstream and brain, protecting the brain from harmful substances.
What are the interconnected fluid-filled cavities in the brain called?
Ventricles.
What do the ventricles produce and circulate?
Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) throughout the brain and spinal cord.
What supplies oxygen, nutrients, and essential substances to the brain?
Cranial nerves and blood vessels.
What ensures adequate perfusion and support for brain function?
The intricate network of blood vessels, including the arterial and venous systems.
