Nervous System Flashcards
What makes up the Nervous System?
Spinal Cord and Brain (CNS)
Peripheral Nervous System
What makes up the central nervous system?
Spinal Cord
Brain
Name 2 ways to produce images of the brain?
Magnetic resonance Imaging
Diffusion weighted MRI
State the role of the Nervous System
controls and coordinates functions throughout the body and responds to internal and external stimuli
The the 4 functions of the Nervous System
Detects changes within and around the body
Responds to external changes
Receives and interprets sensory information
Stimulates muscles and gland
What are the parts of the neuron?
Dendrites, axon, cell body
Where do dendrites direct stimulus?
Towards the cell body
Where do axons direct stimulus?
away from the cell body
Name 5 types of Glial cell
Astrocyte Oligodendrocyte Microglia Ependymal Schwann Cell
What is the role of the Astrocyte?
provides tropic support, provides growth factors or direct neurons
What is the role of the Oligodendrocyte?
provides myelin to give insulation and induces higher induction speed
What is the role of the Microglia?
small and ‘immune function’ which become activated when damage/ disease occurs
What is the role of the ependymal cells?
transports of solutes
Where is the Schwann cell located?
PNS only
Name the brain divisions
Cerebrum
Diencephalon
Brain Stem
Cerebellum
What are the 2 types of matter and what is found in these?
Grey matter- where cell bodies of neurons reside
White Matter- where axons reside
Match these areas of the cerebrum with their roles.
Motor, sensory, vision , auditory.
Temporal Lobe, parietal lobe, frontal lobe and occipital lobe
Motor-frontal lobe
Sensory-parietal lobe
Vision-occipital lobe
Auditory- temporal lobe
Define Sulci
Infoldings of the cerebral hemispheres that form ‘valleys’ between the gyri (singular = sulcus)
Define Gyri
Ridges of the infolded cerebral cortex (singular = gyrus)
What are the roles of the left and right sides of the cerebrum?
Left- specialised for language and math skills
Right-visual/spatial skills and creativity
What is the area for speech in the brain and where is it located?
Wernicke area and Broncas area for speech on most ppls left side
Define homunculus
Body is represented in an upside-down fashion in sensory and motor cortices.
How does the cerebral hemisphere receive sensory and motor impulses?
Receive sensory and motor impulse from opposite sides of the body. eg left brain control right side of the body
Define thalamus
major relay station for (sensory) information coming into the cortex from below, such as the spinal cord and brain stem
What is the hypothalamus?
Autonomic control centre
The Brain stem is the most primitive area.
What does it attach?
Brain stem attaches spinal cord and cerebellum to cerebrum
Where does the brain stem take nerve impulses to and from?
Brain stem takes nerve impulses to/from the cerebrum and diencephalon from the rest of the body
What are the 3 major divisions of the brain stem?
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla Oblongata
What does the midbrain control?
Eye movement and reflexes
What does the pons control?
Major relay area between cerebellum and cerebrum
What does the medulla oblongata control?
Control centre for many involuntary functions (respiratory rhythm, heart rate, blood pressure)
What is the cerebellum shape?
2 hemispheres connects directly to brain stem
What is the role of the cerebellum?
Coordinates motor activity for smooth, well-timed movements
Important for balance
Describe the protection of the CNS
Meninges
With 3 protective tissue layers- dura, arachnoid, pia.
Describe the dura
superficial most and strongest, usually in contact with bone
Describe the arachnoid
adhered closely to dura, web-like in appearance
Describe the pia
deepest layer, in direct contact with CNS tissue
Describe the CSF
(cerebrospinal fluid) – clear, cell-free fluid produced by the choroid plexus that circulates in the subarachnoid space
Describe BBB
BBB (Blood brain barrier) – a barrier composed of endothelial cells and astrocytes (a glial cell!).
Prevents free diffusion into the brain of large molecules (>500 daltons MW)
O2, CO2, lipid soluble molecules (hormones) can enter.
