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physiotherapy MSc term 1 > Neuro anatomy Clinical skills > Flashcards

Neuro anatomy Clinical skills Flashcards

1
Q

what structures make up the CNS

A

Brain/spinal cord

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2
Q

what structures make up the PNS

A

peripheral nerves

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3
Q

what is the cauda equina

A

region where spinal roots/nerves start traveling down the spinal canal and the spinal cord itself ends

happens around L1/L2 region

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4
Q

What percentage of blood in the body is sent to the brain, and why is that important

A

20% of blood

any blockages can result in significant damage very quickly

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5
Q

what are the 3 parts of the brainstem, in decending order

A

midbrain

pons

medulla oblongata

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6
Q

What is the homonculus?

A

parts of the brain that correspond to the human body, with the innermost parts of the somatosensory and motor cortexes representing the feet and the bottom of the body, and moving up the body as you move laterally in the brain

areas with larger sensory input/tactile receptors take up larger areas on the homunculus

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7
Q

What are the 4 lobes, and the primary cortexes in each lobe?

A

frontal - primary motor cortex (motor movement initiation and planning)

parietal - somatosensory cortex (sensory input processing from sensory input)

temporal - primary auditory cortex (hearing input)

occipital - primary visual cortex (visual input)

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8
Q

What is the main blood supply for the frontal lobe? what would happen to the frontal lobe function if there were a stroke?

A

blood supply - Anterior cerebral artery (lower body) and middle cerebral artery (upper body)

impairments - inability to move lower/upper body, alongside issues arising with planning of voluntary motor movements. may also result in issues with processing information/solving problems, and if MCA stroke there will be deficits with speech production

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9
Q

what is the frontal lobe responsible

A

planning voluntary movement and controlling learned motor skills

executive functioning

controls expressive motor behaviour (hand gestures, facial expressions)

contains Broca’s area

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10
Q

what is the brocas area

A

responsible for the production of speech

brocas aphasia - inability to produce speech

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11
Q

What is the main blood supply for the parietal lobe and what would happen to the parietal lobe if it gets blocked

A

blood supply - Anterior cerebral artery (lower body) and middle cerebral artery (upper body)

impairments - inability to have sensation of lower/upper body, alongside issues with proprioception. may also result in issues with spatial memory and mathematical skills.

some minor language comprehension impairments as wernikes area is split between temporal and parietal

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12
Q

what is the function of the parietal lobe

A

sensory information interpretation and processing, alongside proprioceptive interpretation.

influences math skills and some language comprehension, and stores spatial memories to allow people to orient themselves and maintain sense of direction

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13
Q

what supplies blood to the occipital lobe of the brain and what happens to occipital lobe function if the vessel is blocked?

A

posterior cerebral artery

issues with vision, leading to blindness, issues with differentiating colour, hallucinations,

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14
Q

what is the occipital lobe responsible for

A

visual interpretation and visual memory

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15
Q

what supplies the temporal lobes with blood and what would happen to their function if it was blocked

A

middle cerebral artery

issues with memory and emotions

inability to understand/recognize people, objects, or sound

inability to understand speech due to wernikes area being impacted

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16
Q

what is wernikes area

A

region in the brain responsible for the comprehension of speech

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17
Q

what is the function of the parietal lobes

A

generation of memory and emotions, processing of hearing and comprehension of speech

processing of events into LTM and retrieval of memories

recognition of objects and people

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18
Q

What makes up the Diencephalon

A

Limbic system (experience and expression of emotions like fear, anger, pleasure)

Hippocampus - formation and retrieval of memories for connection to emotions

Thalamus - relays all sensory information to and from the brain (besides olfactory input)

hypothalamus - coordination of autonomic functions of the body and linking of nervous system to endocrine system

basal ganglia (caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus) - coordinates and smoothens movements - impaired in those with Parkinson’s or Huntingtons

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19
Q

What are the functions of the thalamus

A

learning of motor activities, sensory information relay, and minor role in memory development

20
Q

what are the functions of the hypothalamus

A

autonomic control centre

centre for emotional response

regulation of body temp

regulation for hunger/thirst

regulation of sleep cycles (contains ‘wake-up’ centre which is inhibited/disinhibited as per the midbrain)

control of endocrine function

emotional responses

21
Q

What is the function of the midbrain

A

pass point of all sensory input on the way to the thalamus, involved in

voluntary movement

motor functions

coordination of visual/auditory reflexes

circadian rhythm regulation (controlling the transition between sleep and wake)

and thermoregulation

22
Q

what are the functions of the pons

A

control of sleep, respiration, swallowing,/taste, bladder control, equilibrium, facial expression/sensation, and posture

23
Q

what are the functions of the medulla oblongata

A

decussation point for corticospinal and posterior column tracts

regulation of autonomic function (respiratory rhythm, cardiofunction, etc) and reflexes (cough, vomit, swallowing)

24
Q

What are the 3 meninges layers

A

Pia mater - innermost layer

Arachnoid Mater - middle layer

Dura Mater - outermost and toughest layer

25
Q

WHat is the meninges

A

layers of tissue meant to protect the brain and spinal cords

26
Q

What is cerebrospinal fluid

A

fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, removes toxins and enters the spinal cord through the ventricles

also allows the brain to float, resulting in less overall weight of the brain and ensuring that the brainstem is not crushed under the weight of the brain

27
Q

What is a spinal fluid tap?

A

Collection of CSF from the lumbar region (as its the bottom of the spinal cord)

Indicates the overall health of CSF

28
Q

WHat is hydrocephalus

A

when there is a block in the ventricles of the brain, leading to swelling of the brain due to excess CSF

stent usually placed to release pressure

29
Q

what is the strength of a muscle contraction proportional to?

A

the number of motor units recruited

30
Q

What roots do the sensory and motor tracts exit the spinal cord through

A

dorsal - sensory
ventral - motor

peripheral nerve - mixed

31
Q

where are the cell bodies located for the motor and sensory roots

A

sensory - in dorsal root ganglion

motor - in the spinal cord

32
Q

what is the difference between white matter and grey matter in the spinal cord

A

grey matter - contains cell bodies and dendrites, allows neurons to transmit info between each other (also where spinothalamic tract decussates)

white matter - bundles of axons to send info up/down the spinal cord (aka spinal tracts)

33
Q

What info do ascending and descending tracts carry

A

ascending - sensory info
descending - motor info

34
Q

what are interneurons in the spinal cord for

A

bypassing the typical sensory tracts and connecting directly to the motor roots in order to trigger somatic reflexes

35
Q

what is the difference between the dorsal and ventral rami in spinal nerves

A

dorsal - info to/from posterior muscles/skin

ventral - info to/from anterior muscles/skin

36
Q

what are the 4 primary plexuses

A

Cervical
brachial
lumbar
sacral

37
Q

what is a dermatome

A

region of skin innervated by a single spinal nerve (some overlap does exist)

VZV virus caused by chickenpox can damage DRG and this can lead to pain/rash in a specific dermatome

38
Q

what is the function for all 3 orders of sensory neruons

A

1st - sensory input to point of decussation

2nd - decussation to thalamus

3rd - thalamus to cortical cortex

39
Q

Describe the posterior column tract

A

responsible for sensory info for fine touch, proprioception, and vibration

1st order - sensory input to gracile in medulla

2nd order - decussation in medulla and ascend to thalamus

3rd order - thalamus to somatosensory cortex

40
Q

Describe the spinothalamic tract

A

responsible for sensory info for pain, temperature, and itchiness

1st order - sensory input to grey matter of spinal cord

2nd order - decussation in SC and travel up white matter to the thalamus

3rd order - thalamus to somatosensory cortex

41
Q

Describe the corticospinal tract

A

motor pathway that descends down the SC, below is the pathway

motor cortex
corona radiata
internal capsule
cerebral crus
midbrain/pons
decussation in medulla oblongata
travel down spinal cord white matter
synapse onto lower motor neurons

42
Q

Describe the corticobulbar tract

A

cerebral cortex to medulla oblongata

43
Q

What is the corpus callosum

A

white matter that transfers info between brain hemispheres

44
Q

Describe upper motor neuron damage

A

muscle paresis/paralysis

increase in tone

hyper reflexivity

increase in spasms

weakness, but no muscle wasting

opposite side

45
Q

describe lower motor neuron damage

A

weakness/paralysis

muscle wasting

flaccid paralysis (low tone)

negative Babinski test

same side

46
Q

what are some ways that you can get neurological damage

A

toxins
pressure
heat
cold
inflammation
tumors
genetic diseases
infection
developmental damage
environmental damage
trauma
transmission
idiopathic

47
Q

why is demyelination of nerves bad

A

myelin promotes nerve conduction by forcing impulses to jump across nodes of ranvier, without myelin signals slow down and may not make it to the muscle, resulting in denervation of muscles

multiple sclerosis causes this

physiotherapy MSc term 1 (12 decks)

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