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Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the anatomical terminology for the brain:

A

Medial (towards middle - great longitudinal fissure) or lateral (towards sides)
Superior and Inferior - as normal
Dorsal vs Ventral (brain on angle: dorsal above, ventral below; spinal cord: dorsal towards back, ventral towards front)
Rostral (towards forehead) vs Caudal (towards occipital lobe)

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2
Q

How is the Nervous system divided?

A

Central -> brain and spinal cord
Peripheral -> somatic vs autonomic (sympathetic vs parasymphetic)

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3
Q

Function of the Central Nervous System:

A

Receives and intergrates information from rest of body
Coordinates activity of the body

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4
Q

What are the two groups of cells making up the nervous system?

A

Neurons and glial cells

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5
Q

Describe the structure of a neuron and the various types:

A

Structure:
Dendrites - recieve messages from other cells
Cell body - cell’s life support centre
Axon - passes message away from cell body to other neurons, muscles or glands
Myelin sheath - covers the axon of some neurons, aids in speed of neural impulse
Nodes of Ranvier - gaps in myelin sheath which action potential jumps between
Terminal branches of axon - form junction with other cells

Various types:
- Myelinated vs non-myelinated
- Different lengths
- Bipolar (interneuron), Unipolar (sensory neuron), multipolar (motorneuron, interneuron, pyrimidal cell)

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6
Q

What are the 5 different types of glial cells? Where are they found?
What is their function?

A

Astrocytes - CNS - structural and metabolic support for neurons, resident immune cells, nourish and form BBB

Ependymal cells - CNS - produce CSF, promote CSF circulation, on surface of ventricles

Microglial cells - CNS - immune cells

Oligodendrocytes - CNS - produce myelin sheath around neurons

Schwann cells - PNS - produce myelin sheath

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7
Q

What is the difference between grey and white matter? Where is each found generally in the brain and spinal cord?

A

Grey matter: more cell bodies, dendrites and axon terminals, contains synapses, more glial cells and blood vessels
White matter: mainly comprised of axons connecting grey matter

Brain: grey on outside, white inside
Spinal cord: white on outside, grey on inside

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8
Q

What are the grooves and ridges of brain called?

A

Sulci - grooves
Gyri - ridges

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9
Q

What are the 3 function areas of the brain?

A

Cerebrum
Brainstem
Cerebellum

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10
Q

What makes up the cerebrum?

A

Cerebral cortex (divided into lobes and cortexes) and white matter

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11
Q

Different lobes of the brain?

A

Frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal

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12
Q

What is the brainstem divided into?

A

Midbrain, pons and medulla

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13
Q

What are the different developmental areas of the brain? What functional units comprise each area?

A

Cerebrum: cerebral cortex, white matter, basal nuclei
Diencephalon: thalamus and hypothalamus
Midbrain: part of brainstem
Pons: part of brainstem
Medulla oblongata: part of brainstem
Cerebellum

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14
Q

What are the different developmental areas of the brain? What functional units comprise each area?

A

Cerebrum: cerebral cortex, white matter, basal nuclei
Diencephalon: thalamus and hypothalamus
Midbrain: part of brainstem
Pons: part of brainstem
Medulla oblongata: part of brainstem
Cerebellum

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15
Q

What are the deep structures of the brain?

A

Limbic system: amygdala and hippocampus
White matter tracts
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Basal ganglia

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16
Q

What are the different ventricles of the brain?

A

Lateral ventricle, Interventricular forament, third ventricle, aqueduct of midbrain, fourth ventricle

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17
Q

What is the function of the frontal lobe (6)?

A

Voluntary movement
Expressive language
Higher intellect
Personality
Mood
Social conduct

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18
Q

What is the function of the parietal lobe?

A

Language and calculation (dominant hemisphere), visuospatial functions (non-dominant)

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19
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

A

Memory and language, including hearing

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20
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

A

Vision

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21
Q

Lable the different cortexes on a diagram

A

-

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22
Q

Function of midbrain (5):

A

Vision
Hearing
Motor control
Sleep-wake cycle
Consciousness

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23
Q

What is the function of the pons (2)?

A

facial expression/ sensation
body eqm/ posture

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24
Q

What is the function of the medulla (6)?

A

Blood pressure
Breathing
Swallowing
Coughing
Vomiting
Digestion

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25
What is the function of the cerebellum?
balance/ posture, coordination of movement
26
What is the function of the two components of the limbic system?
Amygdala - emotions and emotional behaviour Hippocampus - learning and memory
27
What is the function of the thalamus?
Sensory relay sensor between spinal cortex and cerebral cortex
28
What is the function of the hippocampus?
memory
29
What is the function of the basal ganglia?
Movement and reward
30
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Regulates body functions
31
What is the function of the ventricles?
Produce and contain CSF
32
What regions can the spinal cord be divided into?
Cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral
33
How many cervical nerves are there?
8
34
Which cervical nerves form the sympathetic nervous system?
T1 - 12
35
Which nerves form the parasympathetic nervous system?
Cranial nerves and S4
36
What are spinal cord tracts? How are they divided?
Bundles of nerve fibres running up and down spinal cord. They can be ascending/ descending and autonomic/ sensory/ motor. Each tract has different functions and each tract occupies specific region of cord.
37
Draw and label a diagram of a cross section of a spinal cord
-
38
What is the function of the dorsal horn?
Contains neurons that receive somatosensory information from the body which is transmitted via ascending tracts to brain
39
What is function of ventral horn?
Mainly contains motor neurons exiting spinal cord to innervate skeletal muscle
40
What are functionof intemediate collumn and lateral horn?
Contain neurons that innervate visceral and pelvic organs
41
What are the 3 layers of the meninges and spaces between?
Epidural potential space: between skull and dura Dura mater: formed from periosteal and menigeal layer Subdural space: between dura and arachnoid, contains bridgin veins Arachnoid mater: middle layer, no innervation and avascular Subarachnoid mater: contains CSP, cerebral arteries and arachnoid trabeculae Pia mater: tightly adhered to brain and spinal cord surface, highly vascularlised
42
Difference between meninges in spinal cord to in brain:
Epidural space in spinal cord contains fat
43
Main function of meninges:
Protect brain Supporting framework of arteries, veins and venous sinuses Enclose a fluid-filled cavity (subarachnoid space) vital for brain function as contains CSF
44
Composition of CSF
Clear, colourles liquid Very few cells Similar to blood plasma with much lower protein levels and different electrolyte levels
45
How is CSF produced?
Produced by choroid plexus which is made of fenestrated capillary loops covered by layers of ependymal cells Blood plasma flows through capillary loops (active/ passive transport and osmosis) and met by barrier caused by tight junctions between ependymal cells
46
Movement of CSF
Lateral ventricle -> 3rd ventricle -> 4th ventricle -> subarachnoid space or central canal of spinal cord
47
How is CSF removed?
Drains into superior venous sinus through arachnoid villi down pressure gradient
48
Function of CSF
Protection: cushioning, limits neural damage Buoyancy: reduces weight of brain Chemical stability: environment for proper functioning due to electrolyte levels
49
What is the blood-brain barrier?
Several features preventing harmful substances entering brain and spinal cord forming a highly selective barrier.
50
Example of BBB in capillaries, ventricles and areas of higher permeability:
Capillaries: tight junctions between endothelial cells, thick continous BM, astrocyte processes cover vessels Ventricles: tight junctions between ependymocyte cells lining ventricles and spinal canal Higher permeability: sensory functions (postrema in medulla detects toxins and causes vomiting), secretory factors (pituitary glands)
51
Function of BBB
Keeps out toxins, pathogens, etc Stops fluctuations in ion nutrient, metabolite conc in CNS Permeable to substances that diffuse across Active transport for specific substances
52
What makes up the Peripheral nervous system?
31 spinal nerves 12 cranial nerves
53
What is a Dermatome and myotomes?
Each spinal nerve contains many sensory and motor axons Axons supply structures in well defined parts of body - For sensory neurones, these regions are called dermatomes - Motor neurones supply blocks of muscles called myotomes
54
What are the different types of nerve in the PNS?
- Pseudo-unipolar neuron: 1 extension from its cell body and splits into 2 branches (one goes peripherally, other centrally) - Mutlipolar neuron: single axon and many dendrites, typically motor neurons - Autonomic multipolar neuron: synpase between 2 neurons
55
Cranial nerve I: name and function
Olfactory Smell
56
Cranial nerve II: name and function
Optic Vision
57
Cranial nerve III: name and function
Oculomotor Eye movements
58
Cranial nerve IV: name and function
Trochlear Eye movement
59
Cranial nerve V: name and function
Trigeminal Motor to muscles of mastication (chewing) General sensory to face
60
Cranial nerve VI: name and function
Abducens Eye movement
61
Cranial nerve VII: name and function
Facial Muscles of facial expression Sensory innervation of anterior 2/3 of tongue
62
Cranial nerve VIII: name and function
Vestibulocochlear Hearing and balance
63
Cranial nerve IX: name and function
Glossopharyngeal Swallowing and taste
64
Cranial nerve X: name and function
Vagus Wandering nerve supplying heart, lung, gut, etc
65
Cranial nerve XI: name and function
Spinal accessory Neck and muscle
66
Cranial nerve XII: name and function
Hypoglossal Muscles of the tounge
67
Pneumonic to remember cranial nerves
On On On They Travelled And Found Voldemort Guarding Very Ancient Horcruxes

Anatomy (7 decks)

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