Nervous System Exam Flashcards
Know the orientation of the parts of the brain stem?
midbrain, then pons, then medulla oblongata
What is the diencephalon made of?
thamalus, hypothalamus, epithalamus
What is the cerebral cortex composed of?
The cerebral cortex consists of neurons, nerve fibers and neuroglia
In the PNS vs. CNS, what are clusters of nerve cell bodies called?
CNS- nucleus
PNS- ganglion
What connects the lateral ventricles to the 3rd ventricle?
Foramen of Monro
What is made of axons and connects the cerebral hemispheres together?
corpus callosum
Tiny stones in the vestibule are called what, and do what?
Otolith
How does sound vibrations get to the auditory ossicles?
ear canal and tympanic membrane
In the CNS, what are clusters of axons are called?
tract
What is the white matter in the nervous system composed of?
mostly of glial cells and myelinated axons
Where are each of the ventricles located?
two lateral ventricles—one on each side of the cerebral cortex. The lateral ventricles are continuous with the third ventricle, which is lower in the brain. The fourth ventricle is at the cerebellum, connected to the third ventricle by the cerebral aqueduct.
Which grooves separate the cerebral hemispheres from each other?
longitudinal fissure
Which layer of the meninges is outermost, middle, innermost?
- Dura Mater 2. Arachnoid Mater 3. Pia Mater
What is the partition between the two cerebral hemispheres? (Amazon packing for the brain)
falx cerebri
Where does the spinal cord start and end?
begins at the bottom of the brain stem (at the area called the medulla oblongata) and ends in the lower back, as it tapers to form a cone called the conus medullaris.
Which of the following is the main structure that focuses light entering the eye?
Cornea
Which is the groove between the frontal and parietal lobes of the cerebrum?
Central sulcus
Which cranial nerve contributes taste to the anterior vs. posterior 1/3 of the tongue?
Anterior 2/3- Facial Vll
Posterior 1/3- Glossopharyngeal lX
Which is a glial cell found in the CNS which forms cerebrospinal fluid?
Ependymal cells
Which gland secretes tears?
lacrimal glands
What is an infection of the brain?
Encephalitis
How does the CSF get from the 3rd ventricle to the 4th ventricle?
cerebral aqueduct
What happens if the CSF enters the brain, but is not removed?
Hydrocephalus
Which cranial nerve innervates most of the internal organs?
Vagus X
Which cranial nerve controls the muscles of facial expression?
Facial Vll
Know the names of each cranial nerve?
On Old Olympus Towering Tops A Fine Vested Gentleman Views A Hops
About how long is the spinal cord?
18 inches
Which part of the ear connects to the throat?
The eustachian tube is a canal that connects the middle ear to the throat
What liquid/gel fills the larger, posterior cavity of the eyeball?
vitreous humor
What are the “tunics” of the eye? Does the anterior one change names and become something else at the front?
fibrous- sclera, cornea
vascular- choroid, ciliary body, and iris
nervous- retina
How/when do cone photoreceptors work?
responsible for color vision, and function best in relatively bright light
How/when do rod photoreceptors work?
responsible for light/night vision, more sensitive than cones but don’t see color, function best in dim light
Where do you taste different stuff on your tongue?
back of tongue: bitter tip of tongue: sweet middle of tongue: umami front sides of tongue: salt back sides of tongue: sour
Which part of the retina has different proportions of cone vs rods, etc.?
Cones are concentrated in the fovea centralis. Rods are absent there but dense elsewhere.
Which type of sensory receptor is defined as a pain receptor?
nociceptors
Which part of the ear is involved with dynamic equilibrium?
The semicircular canals, three ring-like extensions from the vestibule
What is the clump of tissue in the medial corner of the eye called?
The lacrimal caruncle
What structure in a taste bud binds to the taste chemical?
The microvilli of the taste cells inside the taste bud bear taste receptors
What is a “fogged up” lens in the eye?
Cataracts
How are tears drained away from the holes in the medial canthus?
fluid drains out of your eyes through small holes, called puncta, drains through the nasolacrimal sac into the tear duct (lacrimal duct), and into the back of your nose.
What is the anterior and posterior part of the vascular tunic?
Ant- Iris
Post- Choroid
What is included in the anterior part of the vascular tunic?
Iris
What connects the ciliary body to the lens?
Ciliary zonule (suspensory ligaments)
Which of the following is an area on the retina with no photoreceptors?
The optic disc, a part of the retina sometimes called “the blind spot” because it lacks photoreceptors, is located at the optic papilla, where the optic-nerve fibers leave the eye
What are the ossicles? Do you know their names?
malleus, incus, and stapes, serve to transmit sounds from the air to the fluid-filled labyrinth (cochlea)
Do you know the sinus’ of the skull and where they are? Which one is super special? Why? Which returns CSF and blood to the heart? (be specific)
Lateral sinuses (Inferior petrosal and Sigmoid) drain back to the heart
How do you get to be color blind?
Genetic mutation passed on, lack of certain cones that receive color
How many things can you smell?
Humans can distinguish more than 1 trillion scents
Storage of memory, learning, and long-term potentiation happens in where?
Hippocampus
Know the types of neurons.
Motor
Sensory
Association
Know where different types of neurons might be found.
Bipolar
Unipolar
Multipolar
Know the parts of the spinal cord.
the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal regions
Know the PNS glial cells and functions.
Schwann cells and satellite cells
Know the CNS glial cells and functions.
astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, ependymal cells and microglia
Which type of neurons are most sensory neurons? (Think of the sketch I always draw on the board. It may be helpful to recreate it.)
Unipolar
Where can melatonin be found in the brain? What is its purpose?
Pineal gland, production increases with evening darkness, promoting healthy sleep and helping to orient our circadian rhythm
What is the “outflow” of the PNS vs. SNS.
SNS- Thoracolumbar
PNS- Craniosacral
What division of the ANS does what do heart rate and respiration?
PNS- decreases
SNS- increases
What structure is actually responsible for hearing?
Cochlea
Which part(s) of a spinal nerve is sensory only?
Dorsal root
What is the inferior, tapered end of the spinal cord called?
conus medullaris
How do taste chemicals reach the sensory receptor cells in the taste buds?
Specialized hairlike structures (microvilli) located at the surface of taste buds in taste pores detect dissolved chemicals ingested in food, leading to the activation of receptor cells in the taste buds
Which of the parts of the brain stem are important to breathing and heart pumping?
medulla oblongata
Which parts of the brain facilitate and coordinates skeletal body movements?
cerebellum
What is the partition between the cerebrum and the cerebellum?
tentorium cerebelli
How are taste buds actually described?
The taste receptor cells within a bud are arranged such that their tips form a small taste pore, and through this pore extend microvilli from the taste cells. The microvilli of the taste cells bear taste receptors.
In regard to the cranial nerves, do you know which are sensory, motor, or mixed?
Sensory - l, ll, Vlll
Motor - V, Vll, lX, X
Mixed - lll, lV, Vl, Xl, Xll
What is the function of the thalamus?
relaying sensory and motor signals, as well as regulation of consciousness and alertness
Which is the groove between the frontal and parietal lobes of the cerebrum?
Central sulcus
Which of the following controls the extraocular muscles of the eye?
- abducens Vl
- trochlear lV
- oculomotor lll
Which cranial nerve contributes taste to the anterior vs. posterior 1/3 of the tongue?
the glossopharyngeal nerve (cranial nerve IX)
Which type of neuron is found only in the “special senses” of the eyes and olfactory organ?
Bipolar nerves
Which cerebral lobe is responsible for olfaction and hearing?
Temporal lobe
What is the function of the pre- vs. post-central gyrus?
Post- processes sensory information such as touch and information about where the body is and which direction it is moving
Pre- ‘primary motor cortex’, which literally means the part of the brain that controls movement
What is the space deep to the middle meningeal layer?
Subarachnoid space
Which pieces of the spinal nerve is motor only?
Ventral root
