More Brainstem

Question 1

Sympathetic system

Answer 1

Increases heart rate

Question 2

Parasympathetic system

Answer 2

Vagus nerve - cranial nerve
Decreases heart rate

Question 3

Sympathetic output

Answer 3

Thoracic and Lumbar regions of spinal cord

Question 4

Parasympathetic output

Answer 4

Come from brainstem cranial nerves
Output that controls visceral organs is mostly vagus nerve

Question 5

Preganglionic neurons leave spinal cord how?

Answer 5

Leave through ventral roots

Question 6

Autonomic outputs from central nervous system to the target organs there are how many neurons in the outputs?

Answer 6

2 neurons

Question 7

1st neuron

Answer 7

Preganglionic neuron

Question 8

Preganglionic neurons

Answer 8

Autonomic neurons that leave the CNS and go out to the periphery to make synapses with the 2nd neuron in the pathway which is the post ganglionic neuron and that goes out to the target (e.g heart)

Question 9

Sympathetic preganglionic neurons release what neurotransmitter?

Answer 9

Acetylcholine

Question 10

What does acetylcholine activate on postganglionic neurons?

Answer 10

Acetylcholine activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on postganglionic neurons

Question 11

What do post ganglionic neurons release after nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are activated?

Answer 11

Norepinephrine

Question 12

What does norepinephrine activate?

Answer 12

alpha - a and beta - B adrenergic receptors on the target organs (e.g heart)

Question 13

Where do axons of parasympathetic preganglionic neurons emerge from?

Answer 13

From the brainstem and the sacral spinal cord

Question 14

How far to parasympathetic preganglionic neurons extend? What extends the remaining distance?

Answer 14

ALMOST all the way to their peripheral target (e.g heart)
Parasympathetic POSTganglionic neurons extend the remaining short distance

Question 15

Reticular formation

Answer 15

Central core of gray matter(cell bodies, dendrites and synapses) in the brainstem
It is there all the way through the brainstem

Question 16

Why is it called the reticular formation?

Answer 16

Because it didnt look organized but now we know it is organized

Question 17

Integrative functions of brainstem in which the reticular formation is involved

Answer 17

Stereotyped motor responses
Autonomic functions
Ascending arousal (reticular activating system)

Question 18

Behaviour levels lowest to highest

Answer 18

Lowest - Spinal cord: Protective reflexes, locomotion (walking)
Middle - Brainstem: Stereotyped behaviors (e,g facial expressions and defensive behavior)
Highest - Cerebral Cortex (Complex, Voluntary behavior)

Question 19

Periaqueductal grey in the brainstem does what

Answer 19

Coordinates behavioral responses
E.g a cat will have its pupils dilate, hair stands on end, arches back and starts hissing

Question 20

Periaqueductal grey and pain signals coming up from the spinal cord?

Answer 20

Suppresses pain signals coming up from the spinal cord.
Makes humans not feel pain but also makes them really anxious

Question 21

Reticular formation

Answer 21

Central core of gray matter

Question 22

What happens to grey matter as we get more rostral in the brainstem?

Answer 22

Grey matter gets more distorted

Question 23

Ascending Arousal System

Question 24

Need input from where to remain conscious?

Answer 24

Brainstem

Question 25

EEG

Answer 25

Electrodes on surface of skull to record electrical activity in the brain
Records average behavior of all neurons in the electrodes area

Question 27

EEG oscillations in sleep

Answer 27

Characteristic, rhythmic oscillations and amplitude becomes very large

Question 28

Why is amplitude so large?

Answer 28

Rhythmic bursts
All neurons fire at the same time

Question 29

Ventral pathway of arousal system

Answer 29

Axons go all the way up to cerebral cortex and all around

Question 30

Dorsal pathway

Answer 30

Goes from brainstem up to thalamus and neurons in thalamus project all over cerebral cortex

Question 31

Where do norepinephrine neurons originate

Answer 31

Locus Coeruleus

Question 32

Where is the Locus coeruleus?

Answer 32

Pons

Question 33

Neuromodulators activated G coupled protein receptors - metabotropic

Answer 33

Causes long lasting global changes

Question 34

Norepinephrine neurons fire most when?

Answer 34

Awake

Question 35

Firing is low in…

Answer 35

Slow wave sleep

Question 36

There is no firing in…

Answer 36

REM

Question 37

NE neuron firing correlates with attention level. TRUE or FALSE?

Answer 37

TRUE

Question 38

When attention needs to be redirected such as when there is a novel event what happens?

Answer 38

Burst of action potentials in NE neurons

Question 39

3 states of NE neurons correlating to attention:

Answer 39

1) Inattentive, non-alert
2) Focused Attention
3) Scanning

Question 40

Scanning

Answer 40

NE neurons firing like crazy

Question 41

Where does dopamine originate?

Answer 41

Substantia nigra
AND
Ventral tegmental area(VTA)

Question 42

Dopamine function

Answer 42

Learning
Pleasure

Question 43

Where does acetylcholine originate?

Answer 43

Basal forebrain

Question 44

Where do acetylcholine neurons project to?

Answer 44

Cerebral cortex, hippocampus and amygdala

Question 45

Histamine

Answer 45

Wakes you up

Question 46

Where does serotonin originate?

Answer 46

Brainstem raphe nuclei