Nervous System Flashcards
The brain
Communication and control centre of the body, it receives, processes and evaluates many kinds of input, decides on response needed and acts
Involuntary activity
Autonomic Nervous System
Voluntary activity
Somatic Nervous System
What is the brain protected by
The skull, meninges and CSF
What is the meninges made up of
DAP
Dura mater, Arachnoid mater, Pia mater
The cerebral spinal fluid
Provides a cushion for brain and spinal cord.
Formed in ventricles, circulates around brain and returns to venous blood
Important to maintain normal pressures
What are the arachnoid villi
Small protrusions through the dura mater, they allow CSF to exit sub-arachnoid space and enter the blood stream
Blood brain barrier
Protective mechanism provided by relatively impermeable capillaries
Cerebral hemispheres
Largest portion of the brain, separate by a fissure
How is each hemisphere divided
4 major lobes
Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
Each has specific function and is responsible for OPPOSITE SIDE of the body
Sensory and association areas
These areas are responsible for recognizing and then interpreting the received data
Dominate hemisphere
It controls language, commonly the left
Broca’s area
Motor or expressive speech area, controls the output of words and ensures they are coordinated in an appropriate and understandable way
Wernicke’s Area
Integration centre that comprehends language received
Example of impaired broca area
A stroke victim may be able to make sounds but not functional sentences
Example of impaired Wernicke’s area
You ask what colour the wall is and they reply with bookstore
Limbic system
Responsible for emotion reactions and feelings, linked to hypothalamus - responsible to autonomic emoticons responses (nausea)
Diencephalon
Contains thalamus and hypothalamus
the thalamus
Main nerve bodies that serve as a sorting and relay stations for incoming sensory impulses
The hypothalamus
Key role in maintaining homeostasis, regulation of body temperature, intake of food, sleep cycle, libido
Brain stem
Connects brain to spinal cord contains pons, medulla oblongata, RAS
What are pons
Contains afferent and efferent fibres
What is the medulla oblongata
Vital control centre that regulates respiratory and cardiovascular functions
What is the RAS
Reticular Activating System, determines the degree or arousal or awareness of the cerebral cortex
- decides which of incoming sensory impulses the brain ignores and notices
