Nervous System - Exam 1 Flashcards
What are the two parts of the nervous system?
Central and peripheral
What are the two parts of the peripheral nervous system?
Somatic and autonomic
What are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system?
The sympathetic and parasympathetic
What does the somatic nervous system do?
Controls voluntary movements
Define dorsal
Above
Define medial
Middle
Define anterior
Front
Define posterior
Behind
Define lateral
Side
Define ventral
Below
When after conception does the CNS begin to develop?
18 days after conception
Where does development of the CNS begin?
The neural plate
What are the 4 sections of the brain?
The hindbrain, midbrain, subcortical areas of the forebrain, and the cortex
Where is the hindbrain?
Sits on top of the spinal cord
Where’s the midbrain?
On top of the hindbrain
Where’s the subcortical areas of the forebrain?
On top of the midbrain
Where’s the cortex?
The outside of the brain
What are the two systems that support and protect the brain?
The meninges and ventricles
What is the brain’s protection system?
The meninges
What does the meninges do?
It’s wrapped around the brain to keep it safe from injury
What do the ventricles do?
They’re a scaffold for the brain tissue and keeps it secure and in place
What are the three layers of the meninges?
The dura mater, the arachnoid mater, and the pia mater
What layer of the brain is filled with CSF?
The arachnoid mater
What layer of the brain adheres to the surface of the brain and has a rich supply of blood?
The pia mater
What causes headaches?
The nerves in the meninges alert you to swollen blood vessels in the meninges
Where does the word meningitis come from?
The meninges
What is the ventricle system?
A set of four interconnected ventricles in the brain that are filled with CSF
Where are the ventricles located?
Two lateral ventricles, one central ventricle in the middle, and one central ventricle just above the spinal cord
What produces CSF?
The choroid plexus of all 4 ventricles produces CSF
What does the CSF do?
It keeps the brain buoyant, delivers nutrients and removes waste, and compensates for changes in blood volume in the brain
What two arteries supply the blood to the brain?
The carotid artery and the vertebral artery
What do the carotid and vertebral arteries branch off into?
The anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, and posterior cerebral artery
What does the anterior cerebral artery do?
It supplies blood to the front middle areas
What does the middle cerebral artery do?
It supplies blood to the side areas
What does the posterior artery do?
It supplies blood to the back underside areas
If there is a sudden change in blood flow to the brain, what happens?
A stroke
What are the two types of stroke?
Hemorrhagic bleed (20%) and ischemic block (80%)
What causes a hemorrhagic stroke?
An aneurysm or high blood pressure
What are the 3 main structures of the hindbrain?
The medulla, pons, and cerebellum
What does the cerebellum do?
If receives information from the sensory systems and regulates motor movements including balance and speech
What does the pons do?
It controls facial sensation, eye movements, facial expressions, carrying sound to your brain, and breathing
What does the medulla do?
It controls vital reflexes such as breathing, heart rate, coughing, and vasometrics
Where is the midbrain and what does it do?
It’s just above the pons and transmits and initially processes visual and auditory information that should be responded to quickly
What is the forebrain divided into?
Sub-cortical structures and the cerebral cortex; it’s also divided into 2 hemispheres
What does the forebrain do?
Each side of the forebrain receives sensory information and controls motor movements from the opposite side of the body
Name the subcortical structures
The thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, the limbic system, and the hippocampus
What does the thalamus do?
It’s a relay station for all sensory information
What does the hypothalamus do?
It’s a gateway from the nervous system to the endocrine system; it’s involved in hormone production and autonomic functions
What do the basal ganglia do?
They are involved in motor planning and executing voluntary movements
What does the limbic system do?
It controls the basic emotions and drives
Where is the amygdala located?
Within the limbic system
What are the names of the two bundles of neuron fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex?
The corpus callosum and the anterior commissure
What do the neuron fiber bundles that connect the cerebral cortex do?
They integrate motor, sensory, and cognitive functions between the 2 hemispheres
What are the two types of matter found in the cerebral cortex?
White and gray matter
What are the bumps on the brain surface called?
Gyri
What are the ridges on the brain surface called?
Sulci
How many layers does the cortex have?
6 layers parallel to the surface, and multiple vertical columns
What are the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex?
The frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes
What does the occipital lobe do?
It processes visual input
What does the temporal lobe do?
It processes auditory information and helps form memories (thanks to the hippocampus)
What does the parietal lobe do?
It processes touch sensations
What does the frontal lobe do?
It controls fine motor movements, reasoning, higher level cognition, and expressive language
What does the sensorimotor cortex do?
The motor cortex deals with motor output and the somatosensory cortex processes sensory input
