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Foundation of Medicine > Nervous System Structure & Function > Flashcards

Nervous System Structure & Function Flashcards

1
Q

What do nerves do

A

Sense internal & external environment to take appropriate response

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2
Q

How do nerves ‘Sense’

A

Sensory functions
Special senses (taste, smell, hearing)

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3
Q

How do nerves respond

A

Reflex functions - automatic and protective

Motor functions: Can be
Voluntary e.g. skeletal muscle movement
Involuntary e.g. smooth muscle, glands and cardiac muscle

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4
Q

What is Central nervous system

A

Brain & Spinal cord

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5
Q

What is peripheral nervous system

A

Nervous tissue that is not brain or spinal cord

  • Spinal nerve (attaches to spinal cord)
  • Cranial nerves (attaches with brain)
    -Autonomic nerves (organs, smooth muscles and glands)(sympathetic or parasympathetic nerves) (visceral afferents)
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6
Q

What are visceral afferents

A

Sense what is going on in organs

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7
Q

What are neurons made up of

A

Axon
Cell body- nucleated
Dendrites
Myelin sheath (Not necessary but conduct faster & easier with it)

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8
Q

Axons vs dendrites

A

Axons are longer & carry impulses to effector organ
Dendrites are shorter

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9
Q

Collection of nerve cell bodies in CNS are called…

A

Nucleus

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10
Q

Collection of nerve cell bodies in PNS are called…

A

Ganglions

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11
Q

What is a nerve comprised of

A

Bundles of axons wrapped in connective tissue with branches of axons leaving to get to different locations

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12
Q

What is a modality carried by individual axons

A

1 nerve fibre type

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13
Q

What are the 6 modalities axons can carry

A

Somatic sensory function
Somatic motor function
Special sensory function
Visceral afferent function
Sympathetic function
Parasympathetic function

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14
Q

What is motor action potential

A

Goes towards cell body, cavity or organ.
From CNS to PNS
=efferent

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15
Q

What is sensory action potential

A

Goes towards brain and spinal cord
From PNS to CNS
=afferent

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16
Q

What is the outer most layer of brain

A

Cortex, has:
-Gyri (ridges)
-Sulci (gaps between gyri)

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17
Q

What are the lobes of the brain

A

Frontal (Front)
Parietal (Back above occipital)
Occipital (Back)
Temporal (Bottom below parietal)

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18
Q

Where is the cerebellum compared to cerebrum

A

Cerebellum right at the bottom compared to:
Cerebrum right at the top

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19
Q

How many cranial nerves are there

A

12

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20
Q

What is pneumonic to remember if Cranial nerves are sensory, motor or both

A

Some Say Marry Money But My Brother Says Big Brains Matter More

S= Sensory (special)
M= Motor
B= Both

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21
Q

Names of cranial nerves I to VI

A

Olfactory nerve
Optic nerve
Oculomotor nerve
Trochlear nerve
Trigeminal nerve (DIVIDED INTO 3)
Abducent nerve

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22
Q

Names of cranial nerves VII - XII

A

Facial nerve
Vestibulocochlear nerve
Glossopharyngeal nerve
Vagus Nerve
Spinal Accessory nerve
Hypoglossal nerve

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23
Q

What are the 3 types of cranial fossae (hollows) and what cranial nerves do they have

A

Anterior = CN I
Middle = CN II to VI
Posterior = CN VII to XII

24
Q

What are Foraminae of the skull

A

an opening that allows the passage of structures from one region to another

25
How many foramina are in the skull that house cranial nerves
Eight
26
From posterior to anterior what are foramina called
1. Cribriform plate of ethmoid bone 2. Optic canal 3. Superior orbital fissure 4. Foramen rotundum 5. Foramen ovale 6. Internal acoustic meatus 7. Jugular foramen 8. Hypoglossal canal
27
What cranial nerves run through each foramina
1. CN I 2. CN II 3. CN III, IV, V1, VI 4. V2 5. V3 6. CN VII, VIII 7. CN IX, X, XI 8. CN XII
28
When can nerves be affected by pathology
At any point in its course
29
What is the spinal cord
Made up of 4 segments with 2 enlargements Passes through foramen magnum & is protected by vertebral canal Connects bilaterally with spinal nerves
30
What are the 4 segments of spinal cord
Cervical Thoracic Lumbar Sacral/ Coccygeal
31
Where are the 2 enlargements of the spinal cord
Cervical & Lumbosacral Form as LOTS MORE nervous tissue to control in these regions: Cervical= upper limbs Lumbosacral= lower limbs
32
how many pairs of spinal nerves are there
31
33
How many spinal nerves of each type are there
Cervical = 8 C1-C8 Thoracic= 12 T1-T12 Lumbar= 5 L1-L5 Sacral= 5 S1-S5 Coccygeal= 1 Co
34
What location does the spinal cord end
Conus medullaris - between L1 & L2 intervertebral disc
35
how are spinal nerves named and whats the exception
According to what vertebrae is above it (33 vertebrae) except CRANIAL REGION which is named according to what is below it
36
What are the 33 vertebrae
7 Cervical 12 Thoracic 5 Lumbar 5 Sacral (fused forming 1 sacrum) 4 coccygeal (Fused forming 1 coccyx)
37
What region of intervertebral framing is classified as spinal nerve and not
Sitting IN intervertebral framing= Spinal nerve Sitting on either side of intervertebral framing= NOT a spinal nerve
38
What are rootlets
Connect spinal nerves to spinal cord, forming a bigger root
39
How do spinal nerves connect with soma(body wall)
Via rami= an arm or branch
40
What roots and rootlets only carry motor function
Anterior
41
What roots and rootlets only carry sensory function
Posterior
42
What is a dermatome
Area (strip) of skin supplied by anterior and posterior rami of a spinal nerve (each spinal nerve pair supplies 1 strip of soma)
43
What is T4 and T10 dermatome specifically
T4= nipple area T10= umbilicus region
44
What is a nerve plexus
a network of intersecting nerves which only anterior rami and involved in
45
What are the types of body plexuses
Cervical plexus C1-C4-Posterior scalp, neck wall & diaphragm Brachial plexus C5-T1 -Upper limb Lumbar plexus L1-L4- Lower limb Sacral plexus L5-S4- Gluteal region & perineum
46
Somatic nervous system Soma is
head and neck walls chest walls back the diaphragm abdominal wall pelvic wall limbs
47
What are the structures in somatic nervous system
skin fascia skeletal muscle skeleton internal lining of body cavities
48
What are types of somatic sensation and what senses them
Temperature -Thermoreceptors Pain -Nociceptors Fine & course touch, vibration + proprioception-location/movement -Mechanoreceptors
49
How does somatic sensation arise
Somatic sensory mechanoreceptors in L2 dermatome stimulated Action potential conducted along axons within L2 anterior ramus Same L2 axons weave through lumbar plexus to L2 spinal nerve Further action potentials pass through posterior root ganglion (posterior roots & rootlets) -To arrive at posterior Horn of L2 spinal cord segment Action potentials cross midline and scend towards brain
50
What is motor innervation in somatic NS
Somatic motor axons cross over in brainstem descending to anterior horn Ap's conducted along axons within anterior rootlets to roots into spinal nerves Ap's conducted along axons in named nerves of lumbar plexus Synapse onto skeletal muscle of lower limb Skeletal muscles contract and move the lower limb
51
What are spinal reflexes involved in
Extremely rapid and involuntary response as can stretch y miss out going via brain
52
What does the autonomic nervous system include
Viscera (Heart, lungs, intestines, kidneys) Glands (mucous, sweat, salivary) Smooth & Cardiac muscle External lining of organs
53
What are the locations of autonomic nervous system
Internal organs in body cavities (Chest cavity, pelvic cavity, abdominal cavity) Body wall organs (Sweat glands, arrector smooth muscles, arterioles)
54
What do sensory neurons do
sense internal environment (visceral afferent) Sensations from organs to CNS are described as dull, achy, nauseating and poorly localised
55
What do motor neurons do
respond to change in internal environment with dual motor control. Sympathetic & Parasympathetic nerve supplies in many organs.
56
What is sympathetic division of Autonomic NS
Fight or flight -Pupils ‘dilate’ -Heart rate ‘Increases’ -Lungs ‘bronchioles dilate’ -GI tract ‘Motility is reduced’ -Liver ‘Glucose released into blood’ -Adrenal glands ‘Adrenaline released’ -Arterioles ‘dilate’ in skeletal muscle, ‘Constrict’ in skin -Skin ‘Hair stands on end, sweating’
57
What is Parasympathetic division of autonomic NS
Rest and digest- returns homeostasis Pupils - constrict Heart - rate decreases Lungs - bronchioles constrict GI tract - motility is increased Liver - glucose synthesis Bladder – sphincter relaxes

Foundation of Medicine (23 decks)

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