Nervous system 1 - Diencephalon, brain stem, cerebellum, and functional brain Flashcards
What is the concept of Lateralization in the brain?
Refers to the specialization of certain tasks in one hemisphere. The left hemisphere is dominant for language, math, and logic, while the right hemisphere specializes in visual-spatial skills, intuition, and creativity.
What is Cerebral Dominance?
The hemisphere dominant for specific functions (e.g., the left hemisphere for language in 90% of people).
How does handedness relate to lateralization?
Most people with left hemisphere dominance are right-handed, while those with right hemisphere dominance may be left-handed or ambidextrous.
How do the two hemispheres of the brain communicate?
Despite functional lateralization, the hemispheres communicate through the corpus callosum, integrating diverse tasks and functions.
What are Myelinated Fibers and Tracts in the brain?
They are responsible for communication within the brain, connecting different cerebral areas and lower CNS centers.
What are Projection Fibers responsible for?
Projection fibers connect the cerebral cortex to lower brain centers and the spinal cord, transmitting motor and sensory information.
What are Association Fibers in the brain?
Association fibers link different areas within a single hemisphere, integrating information across various regions of the same hemisphere.
What is the function of Commissural Fibers?
Commissural fibers connect corresponding areas across the two hemispheres, with the corpus callosum being the largest, integrating motor, sensory, and cognitive functions.
What are the components of the Basal Nuclei?
The basal nuclei include the caudate nucleus and lentiform nucleus (putamen and globus pallidus).
What is the role of the Basal Nuclei?
The basal nuclei help in starting, stopping, and monitoring the intensity of movements, inhibit unnecessary actions, and modulate cognitive and emotional processes.
What does the Thalamus process apart from sensory information?
It also processes emotional signals from the hypothalamus and plays a role in motor activities, learning, and memory integration.
What is the primary function of the Thalamus?
The thalamus acts as a relay station, sorting and transmitting sensory information to the appropriate regions of the cerebral cortex.
What is the role of the Pineal Gland in the Epithalamus?
The pineal gland produces melatonin, regulating the sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythms.
What functions does the Hypothalamus regulate?
The hypothalamus regulates autonomic functions, emotional responses, body temperature, food intake, water balance, sleep-wake cycles, and controls the endocrine system.
What is the function of the Choroid Plexus in the Epithalamus?
The choroid plexus produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which protects and nourishes the brain and spinal cord.
What are the main regions of the Brain Stem?
The brain stem consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.
What are the key functions of the Brain Stem?
It controls automatic survival behaviors, serves as a neural pathway between higher brain centers and the spinal cord, and is involved in cranial nerve functions.
What are the Cerebral Peduncles in the Midbrain responsible for?
The cerebral peduncles contain corticospinal tracts, which play a key role in voluntary motor control.
What is the function of the Periaqueductal Gray Matter in the Midbrain?
It is involved in pain suppression and the fight-or-flight response.
What are the Superior and Inferior Colliculi in the Corpora Quadrigemina?
The superior colliculi function as visual reflex centers, while the inferior colliculi are part of the auditory pathway and contribute to the startle reflex.
What is the role of the Substantia Nigra in the Midbrain?
The substantia nigra produces dopamine, and its degeneration is linked to Parkinson’s disease.
What is the function of the Red Nucleus in the Midbrain?
The red nucleus is involved in motor coordination, particularly controlling limb flexion.
What does the Reticular Formation in the Brain Stem control?
The reticular formation regulates arousal, consciousness, sleep-wake cycles, and filters sensory information.
Where is the pons located in the brainstem?
The pons is situated between the midbrain and the medulla oblongata, with the fourth ventricle lying posteriorly, separating it from the cerebellum.
What types of fibers are present in the pons?
The pons contains longitudinal fibers (connecting higher brain centers and the spinal cord) and transversal/dorsal fibers (relaying impulses between the motor cortex and cerebellum).
What is the role of the reticular formation in the pons?
The reticular formation in the pons helps maintain consciousness and regulate the sleep-wake cycle.
Which cranial nerves are associated with the pons?
Cranial Nerves V (Trigeminal), VI (Abducens), and VII (Facial) are housed in the pons.
How does the pons contribute to respiratory control?
The pons contains nuclei that regulate the respiratory rhythm and fine-tune breathing patterns.
Where is the medulla oblongata located?
The medulla oblongata extends from the pons to the spinal cord and is contiguous with the spinal cord at the foramen magnum.
What are the olives in the medulla oblongata involved in?
The olives process sensory information about body position and movement, sending this data to the cerebellum to help coordinate movement.
What is the significance of the pyramids in the medulla oblongata?
The pyramids contain descending motor tracts from the motor cortex and are the site of pyramidal decussation, where motor tracts cross to the opposite side of the body.
Which cranial nerves originate in the medulla oblongata?
Cranial Nerves XII (Hypoglossal), IX (Glossopharyngeal), X (Vagus), XI (Accessory), and VIII (Vestibulocochlear) are located in the medulla.
How does the medulla oblongata interact with the hypothalamus?
The hypothalamus sends instructions to the medullary centers to regulate autonomic functions, such as heart rate and digestion.
What role does the medulla oblongata play in autonomic reflexes?
It regulates cardiovascular functions, respiratory rate, and reflexes like vomiting, hiccupping, and swallowing, contributing to homeostasis.
What is the primary function of the cerebellum?
The cerebellum coordinates the timing and patterns of skeletal muscle contractions for smooth and coordinated movements and helps maintain balance.
How is the cerebellum anatomically organized?
The cerebellum consists of two hemispheres connected by the vermis and contains transverse fissures called folia. Each hemisphere has three lobes: anterior, posterior, and flocculonodular.
What are the cerebellar peduncles?
The cerebellar peduncles are three paired fiber tracts that connect the cerebellum to the brainstem: the superior, middle, and inferior peduncles.
How does the cerebellum assist in movement coordination?
The cerebellum integrates sensory input and sends a “blueprint” for action to the motor cortex and brainstem nuclei to execute coordinated movements.
What is the role of the flocculonodular lobe in the cerebellum?
The flocculonodular lobe receives input related to balance and helps coordinate eye movements.
What is the function of the limbic system?
The limbic system controls emotions, memory, and behaviors, with components such as the hippocampus and amygdala playing key roles in memory formation and emotional responses.
How does the cerebellum process proprioceptive information?
The cerebellum receives sensory information about body position from the proprioceptors and vestibular nuclei, which helps it maintain equilibrium and coordinate movement.
How does the limbic system influence physiological processes?
It works with the hypothalamus to modulate physiological responses to emotions, affecting heart rate, blood pressure, and gastrointestinal function.
What is the role of the reticular formation in consciousness?
The reticular formation, particularly the reticular activating system (RAS), regulates wakefulness, attention, and the sleep-wake cycle, filtering sensory information and helping maintain consciousness.
