Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the nervous system split into?

A

Peripheral and central nervous system

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2
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system split into?

A

Sensory and motor

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3
Q

What is the motor NS split into?

A

Somatic and autonomic

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4
Q

What is the autonomic NS split into?

A

Sympathetic and parasympathetic

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5
Q

What is the functions of the NS

A
  • connects brain to rest of body
  • routes messages to and from the brain (merges with brain stem)
  • own system of automatic processes
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6
Q

What are the characteristics of the brain?

A
  • billions of interconnected neurons and glia
  • bilateral (distinct lobes)
  • all areas interact to provide our thoughts and behaviours
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7
Q

What is the cerebral cortex?

A

The layer of nerve cells on the outer surface of the brain which is associated with higher level processes, such as consciousness

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8
Q

What is the most prominent sulcus known as?

A

The ‘longitudinal fissure’ - it splits the 2 hemispheres

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9
Q

What are the ‘hill tops’ called?

A

Gyri

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10
Q

What are the ‘valleys’ called?

A

Sulci

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11
Q

What is the function of cerebrospinal fluid?

A

Acts as a cushion between the skull and the brain

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12
Q

Is there much difference in function of the 2 hemispheres?

A

Beyond differences in language ability, differences are minor

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13
Q

What are the 2 hemispheres connected by?

A

‘Corpus callosium’

  • thick band of neural fibres
  • allows 2 hemispheres to communicate
  • allows for info being processed on one side to be shared with the other side
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14
Q

What is the function of the central sulcus?

A
  • in charge of voluntary movements e.g. kissing

- specific body parts have unique portion of primary motor cortex devoted

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15
Q

How do we know different parts of the brain are involved in different functions according to the neurons?

A
  • the no. and variety of neutrons varies in different parts of the cerebral cortex
  • based on the variations of thickness, cell density, and complexity of these neurons, it is assumed different parts have different functions
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16
Q

What does the occipital lobe contain?

A

The primary visual cortex (involved in interpreting visual info)

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17
Q

What does the parietal lobe contain?

A

Somatosensory cortex (which is essential for processing sensory info)

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18
Q

What does the temporal lobe contain?

A

Auditory cortex (involved in processing auditory info) and Wernicke’s area (speech comprehension)

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19
Q

What does the frontal lobe contain?

A

Motor cortex (planning and co-ordinating movement), pre-frontal cortex (higher-level cognitive functioning),and Broca’s area (language production)

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20
Q

How is the primary visual cortex organised?

A

Retinopically (close relation between the position of an object in a visual field and the position of that objects representation on the cortex)

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21
Q

How is the somatosensory cortex organised?

A

Topographically (spatial relationships in the body are maintained on the surface e.g. the portion that controls info from the hand is adjacent to the wrist portion)

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22
Q

What is the main function of the occipital lobe?

A

Visual processing

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23
Q

What is the main function of the parietal lobe?

A

Touch, balance, movement

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24
Q

What is the main function of the temporal lobe?

A

Hearing, speech, comprehension, memory and visual recognition

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25
Q

What is the main function of the frontal lobe?

A

Movement, thinking and planning

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26
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum?

A

Coordination of muscles and non-voluntary moves

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27
Q

What is the function of the medulla oblongata?

A

Controls autonomic activities e.g. heart rate

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28
Q

What is the function of the pituitary gland (posterior)?

A

Stores and secretes hormones produced by hypothalamus

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29
Q

What is the function of the pituitary gland (anterior)?

A

Produces and secretes hormones

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30
Q

How does the hypothalamus secrete hormones?

A

Via the pituitary gland

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31
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

A

Body temperature regulation and osmoregulation

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32
Q

Why can our sense of smell evoke emotional responses?

A

Our sense of smell projects directly onto the limbic system

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33
Q

What are the most important structures of the limbic system?

A

Hippocampus, Amygdala and Hypothalamus

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34
Q

What are the basal ganglia?

A

Groups of nerve cells that are important in the control of voluntary movement

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35
Q

What makes up the basal ganglia?

A

Caudate nucleus, putamen, globes pallidus

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36
Q

What is the limbic system and what is involved?

A

This is part of the subcortical structure and is important in our navigation in space and memory formation

37
Q

What is the hippocampus involved in?

A

Learning and memory

38
Q

What is the amygdala involved in?

A

Experience of emotion and tying this to memories

39
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

A

It regulates homeostatic processes (e.g. body temp) and serves as an interface between the nervous and endocrine system

40
Q

What is the function of the thalamus?

A

It is a sensory relay for the brain

- all senses except smell are routed through this (before being directed to other areas of the brain for processing)

41
Q

What does the brainstem include?

A

Hindbrain, Midbrain and Diencephalon

42
Q

What is the brainstem?

A
  • where all processes of life are controlled e.g. regulation of breathing
  • composed of nerves that run up from the body in the brain
43
Q

What do the substantia nigra and the VTA contain?

A

Cell bodies that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine

44
Q

What are the substantia nigra and the VTA critical for?

A

Movement

45
Q

What is dopamine involved in?

A

Mood, reward and addiction

46
Q

What type of memory is the cerebellum involved in?

A

Procedural memory (involved in learning and remembering how to perform tasks)

47
Q

Where does the cerebellum receive messages from?

A

The muscles, joints etc. To control motor skills and balance

48
Q

What is the reticular formation important for?

A

Regulating the sleep/wake cycle, arousal, alertness, and motor activity

49
Q

What does the medulla control?

A

Autonomic processes of the nervous system e.g. breathing

50
Q

What is the pons?

A

A ‘bridge’ that connects the brain and the spinal chord, which regulates brain activity during sleep

51
Q

What is the function of the cranial nerves?

A
  • relay info between brain and parts of the body

- control much of the functions (motor and sensory) of the head and neck

52
Q

What is the olfactory nerve involved in?

A

Smell

53
Q

What is the optic nerve involved in?

A

Vision

54
Q

What is the oculomotor, Abducens and trochlear nerves involved in?

A

Eye movement

55
Q

What is the trigeminal nerve involved in?

A

Masticatory movements and facial sensation

56
Q

What is the facial nerve involved in?

A

Facial movement and sensation

57
Q

What is the auditory vestibular nerve involved in?

A

Hearing and balance

58
Q

What is the glossopharyngeal nerve involved in?

A

Tongue and pharynx movement and sensation

59
Q

What is the vagus nerve involved in?

A

Heart, blood vessels, viscera, movement of larynx and pharynx

60
Q

What is the spinal accessory nerve involved in?

A

Neck muscles

61
Q

What is the hypoglossal nerve involved in?

A

Tongue muscles

62
Q

How are the cranial nerves arranged?

A
  • each cranial nerve is paired and is present on both sides

- numbering is based on the order in which they emerge from the brain (front to back)

63
Q

How is the spinal chord organised?

A

Functionally organised into 30 segment

- each segment is connected to a specific part of the body through the PNS

64
Q

How is the spinal chord protected?

A

By bony vertebrae and cushioned in cerebrospinal fluid

65
Q

What happens when a particular segment within the spine is damaged?

A

All lower segments are cut off from the brain

66
Q

What happens in the vertebrae?

A

The nerves branch out

67
Q

How does the brain communicate with the rest of the body?

A

Via the spinal chord and the cranial nerves

68
Q

How is information about touch processed and acted upon?

A

Sensory information about touch and pain is relayed to the brain via the spinal cord and the brain sends motor commands via the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement

69
Q

How are some sensory messages immediately acted on by the spinal chord?

A
  • sensory message meets certain parameters
  • spinal chord initiates automatic reflex
  • signal passes from the sensory nerve to the simple processing centre
  • initiates motor command
70
Q

Where do sensory nerves send messages?

A

Into the brain

71
Q

Where do motor nerves send messages?

A

To muscles and organs

72
Q

What is the function of the autonomic nervous system?

A
  • regulates a variety of body processes that take place without conscious effort
73
Q

How does the ANS operate?

A

By receiving info from the environment and other parts of the body

74
Q

What is the function of the parasympathetic system?

A

Inhibitory

- ‘rest and digest’

75
Q

What is the function of the sympathetic system?

A

Stimulatory

- Gives energy for the ‘fight or flight’ response

76
Q

Where is ‘anterior’

A

Front of head

77
Q

Where is caudal?

A

Near tail

78
Q

Where is dorsal?

A

Located above or on the back

79
Q

Where is frontal?

A

On the front

80
Q

Where is inferior?

A

Located below?

81
Q

Where is lateral?

A

Toward side of body

82
Q

Where is medial?

A

Toward middle

83
Q

Where is posterior?

A

Near or toward tail

84
Q

Where is rostral?

A

Toward front

85
Q

Where is sagittal?

A

Parallel to length of skull

86
Q

Where is superior?

A

Located above

87
Q

Where is ventral?

A

Toward belly

88
Q

What does the forebrain contain?

A
  • 2 hemispheres of cerebral cortex

- Other subcortical structures