Nervous System Flashcards
Where is the brain located and where does it lead to?
The brain is encased in the top of the skull
The base of the brain leads down to the spinal cord
What is the skull supported by?
The skull is supported by the spinal column, which is supported by the shoulders
What are the 4 regions and organisations of the brain?
- Cerebral hemisphere
- Diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus)
- Brain stem
- Cerebellum
Draw the organisation of the four regions of the brain
See lecture notes
Describe the ventricles of the brain
Hollow ventricular chambers, filled with cerebrospinal fluid and lined with ependymal cells which is a type of neuralgia
The human brain has 4 ventricles
- two lateral ventricles
- a third ventricle in the diencephalon region
- in the brain stem
Discuss the structures of the cerebral hemispheres
They make up 83% of total brain mass
The surface of the cerebral hemispheres are covered in ridges called gyri (singular gyrus) and grooves called sulci (singular sulcus)
Some sulci are used to divide the brain into anatomical regions termed lobes
Name the lobes of the brain
Frontal Parietal Temporal Occipital Cerebellum
Draw the structure of the brain and label the lobes
See lecture notes
What are the functions of the cerebral cortex?
Communication Language processing Sense interpretation e.g. vision, auditory Understanding Memory Voluntary movement (motor processing) Conscious behaviour
What is the cerebral correct composed of?
Grey matter Neuronal cell bodies Dendrites Unmyelinated axons Glia Blood vessels
What three functional areas are contained in the cerebral cortex?
- Motor areas
Control voluntary motor function - Sensory areas
Provide conscious awareness of sensation - Association areas
Act to integrate information for purposeful function e.g. walking
But the brain works as a whole, global integration
What hemisphere is responsible for which side of the human body?
Each hemisphere is responsible for the function of the opposite side of the human body I.e. the right hemisphere governs the left side of the human body
Where is the primary motor cortex located and what does it consist of?
Located in the frontal lobe
Consists of large neutrons called pyramidal cells
Large scones that project down the spinal cord to control skeletal muscle movement. Termed the corticospinal tract
What are the three parts of the motor area of the cerebral cortex?
Premotor cortex
Located in the frontal lobe
Controls learned motor skills e.g. playing a musical instrument
Broca’s area
Located in the frontal lobe anterior to premotor cortex
Involved in co-ordinating speech muscles e.g. tongue
Frontal eye field
Controls eye movement
What is the sensory area of the cerebral cortex?
Somatosensory cortex
Integrated all sensory input for example input from skin (pressure and temperature sensors), vision, olfactory (smell), gustatory (taste) and auditory (sound) information
What is the association area of the cerebral cortex?
The parts of the brain that are not primarily involved in specific functions.
Regions of the cerebral cortex that integrate information from other cortical areas and provide a level of consciousness
This is one of the most complex roles played by the brain
What is cerebral Dominance determined by?
Language dominance
What does ambidexterity mean?
Co-dominance of both hemispheres
What is dyslexia
Lack of cerebral dominance. This does not affect intelligence
What is the diencephalon
Central core of the brain
Surrounded by the cerebral cortex
Consists of three structures:
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Epithalamus
What is the thalamus
Contains many nuclei that relay information to other regions of the brain e.g. vision and auditory relay centres
It acts as an editing centre And provides direction of motor information
What is the hypothalamus?
Major homeostatic processor and regulator
Autonomic control centre: regulates involuntary nervous system e.g. blood pressure and respiratory rate
Centre for emotional response and behaviour e.g. pain, fear, rage
Body temperature regulation, sweating and shivering responses
Regulation of food intake
Regulation of water balance and thirst
Regulation of the sleep wake cycle
Control of endocrine functions
What is the epithalamus?
Poorly understood area of the brain
Appears to play a role in the sleep wake cycle along with the hypothalamus
Regulates melatonin levels via the pineal gland
What does the brain stem consist of?
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla Oblongata