Neuro/psych Flashcards
What is the peripheral nervous system and what is it divided into?
Outside the skull and spine
Somatic and autonomic
What does the somatic nervous system do?
Interacts with the external environment
E.g. sensory info in via afferent nerves to CNS, motor response by efferent nerves back to muscle
What does the autonomic nervous system do?
Regulates the body’s internal environment
E.g. info from internal organs via afferent to CNS, back to organs via efferent nerves
What are the 4 regions of the spinal cord?
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
What does C spine control?
Head and neck
Diaphragm
Arms and Hands
What does T spine control?
Chest muscles
Breathing
Abdominal muscles
What does L spine control
Legs and feet
What does S spine control?
Bowel and bladder
Sexual functions
How can the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain be further divided into 5?
Forebrain: telencephalon, diencephalon
Midbrain: mesencephalon
Hindbrain: metencephalon, myelencephalon
What is in the telencephalon?
Cerebral cortex
Basal ganglia
Limbic system
What is in the mesencephalon?
Tegmentum
Tectum
What is in the metencephalon?
Pons
Cerebellum
What is in the diencephalon?
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
What is in the myelencephalon?
Medulla
What does the medulla contain and what is its function?
Contains tracts carrying signals between the rest of the brain and the body
Contains caudal part of the reticular formation: low level sensorimotor control
Involved in vital functions: sleep, motor plant (movement, maintenance of muscle tone, cardiac, circulatory, respiratory and excretory reflexes
What does the pons contain and do?
Contains millions of neuronal fibres
Relays from cortex and midbrain to cerebellum
Pontine reticular formation (pattern generators, e.g. for walking)
What does the cerebellum do? (vestibulo, spino, cerebro)
Vestibulocerebellum: conjugate eye movements and balance control
Spinocerebellum: posture and the monitoring and correcting of the motor activity of the limbs
Cerebrocerebellum: planning and initiation of movement and motor learning
What does the tectum divide into and their roles
Superior colliculus: sensitive to sensory change, orienting and defensive movements
Inferior colliculus: sensitive to auditory events, similar to superior except auditory
What does the tegmentum divide into?
Periaqueductal gray
Red nucleus
Substantia nigra
What is the role of the periaqueductal gray?
Role in defensive behaviour
Pain
Reproduction
What is the red nucleus involved in?
Target of cortex and cerebellum, projects to spinal cord
Role in pre-cortical motor control (especially arms and legs)
What is the role of the substantia nigra?
Pars compacta: basal ganglia input, parkinson’s
Pars reticulata: basal ganglia output
What is the role of the thalamus?
Relays from basal ganglia and cerebellum back to cortex
Specific nuclei: relays signals to cortex/limbic system for all senses but smell
Non-specific nuclei: role in regulating state of sleep and wakefulness, arousal levels
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
Regulates the pituitary gland, interface between brain and hormones
Controls hunger, thirst, temperature, pain, pleasure and sex
What is the basal ganglia and its functions?
Group of structures in loop organization
Involved in motor function as involved with movement disorders
What is the limbic system involved in?
Involved in emotion, motivation, emotional association with memory, olfaction
Influences the formation of memory by integrating emotional states with stored memories of physical sensations
What makes up the limbic system?
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Fornix
Cingulate gyrus
Septum
Mammillary body
What is the amygdala’s function?
Involved in associating sensory stimuli with emotional impact
What is the mammillary body’s function?
Important for the formation of recollective memory (amnesia)
What is the hippocampus involved in?
Long term memory and spatial memory
What is the septum involved in?
Defence and aggression
What is the cingulate gyrus’ function?
Linking behavioural outcomes to motivation and autonomic control
Atrophied in schiz
What is the fornix and what is it’s function?
C-shaped bundle of fibres
Carries signals from the hippocampus to mammillary bodies and septal nucleus
What are the subcortical portions of the cerebral cortex?
Basal ganglia
Limbic system
What is the frontal lobe involved in?
Executive planning, judgemental roles, emotional modulation
Working memory, short term
Control of behaviour that depends on context and setting
Prefrontal cortex: generating sophisticated behavioural options that are mindful of consequences
Where is the primary motor cortex found and what does it do?
Precentral gyrus in frontal lobe
Contains many of the cells giving origin to descending motor pathways
Involved in initiation of voluntary movements
Where is the primary somatosensory cortex and what does it do?
Postcentral gyrus in parietal lobe
Maintains representations of body’s position in space
Permits complicated spatio-temporal predictions
What does the temporal lobe do and contain?
Contains primary auditory cortex
Inferotemporal cortex: recognition faces and objects
Plays important roles in integrating sensory info from various parts of the body
Interface between cortex and limbic system- association of affect/emotion with things
What does the dorsal stream in the occipital lobe do?
Vision for movement
Where is it in relation to us?
What does the ventral stream in the occipital lobe do?
Vision for identification
What does it mean?
Path towards temporal and limbic system
What are the elements of the perceptual set?
Context
Culture
Expectations
Mood
What is sensation?
A mental process resulting from immediate external stimuli of a sense organ
What is perception?
The ability to become aware of something or to interpret it following sensory stimuli
What are the catecholamines and when are they released?
Adrenaline and noradrenaline released in response to stress
What are glucocorticoids?
cholesterol-derived steroid hormones synthesised and secreted by the adrenal gland
controlled by HPA axis
What can elevated glucocorticoids lead to?
Immune suppression
What are fast physiological stress responses?
- Breathing more rapid to increase oxygen
- Blood flow increases up to 400%, directed to heart & muscles
- Increased heart rate & blood pressure
- Muscles tense
- Glucose released, insulin levels fall: boost energy to muscles
- Red blood cells discharged from the spleen
- Mouth becomes dry & digestion is inhibited
- Sweating
- Cytotoxic & surveillance WBCs go where injury & inflammation may occur i.e. bone marrow, skin, lymph nodes
What are some of the physical symptoms of chronic stress?
Headache
Chest pain
Stomach ache
Musculoskeletal pain
Low energy
Loss of libido
Colds & infections
Cold hands & feet
Clenched jaw & grinding teeth
What are some behavioural responses to stress?
Easily startled & hypervigilant
Change in appetite – both directions
Weight gain (obesity) or weight loss
Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
Increased use of alcohol, drugs & smoking
Nail biting, fidgeting and pacing
Sleep disturbances especially insomnia
Withdrawal
What are some cognitive responses to chronic stress?
Constant worrying
Racing thoughts
Forgetfulness and disorganisation
Inability to focus
Poor judgement
Being pessimistic or seeing only the negative side
Altered learning
What are some emotional responses to chronic stress?
Depression & sadness
Tearfulness
Mood swings
Irritability
Restlessness
Aggression
Low self-esteem and worthlessness
Boredom & apathy
Feeling overwhelmed
Rumination, anticipation & avoidance
How can stress affect physical health?
exacerbates physical illnesses and slows recovery and increases susceptibility to infection
What mediates the stress response?
autonomic nervous system (sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) system) & hypothalamo-pituitary (HPA) axis
What is chronic stress?
Arises from repeated or continued exposure to threatening or dangerous situations, especially those that cannot be controlled.
Some (but not all) involve appraisal and conscious perception
What is acute stress?
Short-lived response to a novel situation experienced by the body as a danger.
It is healthy & adaptive, and necessary for survival
Examples of chronic stressors
Physical illness, disability & pain
Physical or sexual abuse
Poverty including poor housing, hunger, cold or damp, debt
Unemployment
Bullying or discrimination
Caregiving
Examples of acute stressors
Noise
Fire
Brief physiological challenge, e.g. hunger
Brief illness
What is allostasis?
how complex systems adapt (eg via SAM and HPA axis) in changing environments, by changing set-points (“adaption through change”).
What is the allostatic load?
refers to cumulative exposure to stressors (and cost to the body of allostasis), which if unrelieved leads to systems ‘wearing out’.
What is homeostasis?
maintaining internal environment necessary for cell functioning
What is the definition of stress?
the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change
What are the 3 stages of the stress response?
Alarm- fight or flight initiated
Adaptation- body engages defensive countermeasures
Exhaustion- resources depleted
What is somatic/physical stress?
Physical, emotional and subjective experiences associated with damage of body tissue and bodily threat (eg pain and inflammation).
What is psychological stress?
Emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances, often involving anticipation.
What makes up the outer ear?
Pinna and ear canal to tympanic membrane
Made up from cartilage/ temporal bone
What does the outer ear form from and when?
Formed from pharyngeal arches (6 Hillocks of His)
In utero, week 10-18
Forms separately to inner ear
What is the role of the outer ear?
Directs soundwaves toward ear canal
Better at detecting high pitch than low pitch
What makes up the middle ear?
Bones: malleus, incus and stapes
Muscles: Tensor tympani & stapedius
Eustachian tube
What do the tensor tympani and stapedius do?
Tensor tympani pulls on tympanic membrane
Stapedius attaches to stapes
Protect from acoustic trauma, stiffens the ossicular chain
Tensor tympani stiffens eardrum to hide sound of chewing
What is the role of the middle ear?
Acoustic impedance match between air and fluid-filled inner ear
Sound concentrated down from tympanic membrane - amplifies sound
What is the ratio of areas between tympanic membrane and stapes footplate?
14:1
What is the role of the eustachian tube?
Equalises air pressure
Ventilates middle ear space
Drainage of secretions
What makes up the inner ear?
A set of fluid filled sacs, encased in bone
Cochlear- responsible for hearing
Labyrinth- responsible for balance
Innervation: Vestibulocochlear nerve
What makes up the cochlea?
2.5 turns fluid filled bony tube
2 openings- round window & oval window
3 compartments ( Scala Tympani, Scala Media & Scala Vestibuli)
2 Ionic fluids
How do the cochlear fluids work?
Scala media contains endolymph (high K+0)
Scala tympani and vestibuli are sodium rich
Gradients maintained by Na,K-ATPase & NKCC1 CIC-K chlorine channels
Inner ear problems (no gradients) can lead to deafness
How does the middle/inner ear work to transmit sound?
- Movement of tympanic membrane leads to stapes movement at oval window
- Pressure wave through scala vestibuli (works as round window elastic)
- Pressure wave moves into scala tympani leads to movement in basilar membrane
- Organ of Corti moves - hair cells move
- Steriocilia move, K+ channels open, rapid depolarisation
- Voltage gated Ca2+ open
- Glutamate released, nerve fibre activated = sound
- Repolarisation
How does the ear basilar membrane work?
Different parts of basilar membrane respond to different frequencies
High frequencies detected at base, low at apex
What do the hair cells do in the inner ear?
Inner hair cells for mechanical transduction
Outer hair cells for fine tuning by altering stiffness of basilar membrane
How does tonotopy work in the inner ear?
Each nerve responds maximally at a specific frequency
Outer hair cells can alter the stiffness of the basilar membrane to ensure maximal stimulation at one site and dampened response at another
Increased resolution
What is the pathway from neuron to brain in the ear
Auditory fibre to spiral ganglion to cochlear nerve (VIII)
Describe the central auditory pathway
Cochlea
CN VIII
Cochlear nucleus
Olive
Lateral lemniscus
Inferior colliculus
Medial geniculate body
Auditory cortex
What does the brainstem do for hearing?
Sound localisation from binaural hearing
What does a defective outer/middle ear lead to?
conductive hearing loss
What does a defective inner ear lead to?
sensorineural hearing loss
What are the 3 layers of the eye?
Outer layer: sclera and cornea
Middle layer: uvea
Inner layer: Retina
What is the sclera made up of and what is its function?
Cross linked collagen fibres
Tough, maintains eyeball shape, protection
What is the function of the choroid of the eye?
Blood supply and nutrition to outer third of retina
Has melanocytes to absorb light
What makes up the outer layer of the eye?
Sclera and cornea (both made from collagen)
Which parts of the eye are responsible for refraction and focusing?
Curvature of cornea responsible for 2/3 of refractive power
Intraoccular lens responsible for 1/3
What are the 5 layers of the cornea?
Anterior: Epithelium
Bowman’s layer
Stroma (makes up about 90%, makes it transparent)
Descemet’s layer
Posterior: Endothelium
Can the corneal epithelium and endothelium regenerate?
Epithelium can regenerate, endothelium cannot
What is the function of the iris?
Changes the aperture of light coming in
What produces aqueous humor and what does it do?
Produced by ciliary body
Bathes anterior chamber
Maintains pressure of eye
What makes up the middle layer of the eye?
Made up of iris, ciliary body and choroid
What are the macula lutea and fovea centralis in the retina?
The macula lutea (aka fovea) is a yellow spot in the retina that allows light to focus when looking at an object.
The fovea centralis is an anatomical structure in the center of the macula lutea that contains a high density of cone photoreceptors and allows the light to focus within the eye
What makes up the retina?
Macula lutea
Fovea centralis
Cones
Rods
What is the function of the anterior segment of the eye?
Aqueous humour
Nutrition to lens and cornea
Maintains intraocular pressure
What makes up the posterior segment of the eye?
Vitreous humour
Avascular viscoestalic gel
Hyaluronic acid (GAG)
Collagen
What are the 3 parts of the ocular adnexae?
Lids- protect the globe
Conjunctiva
Tear film
What is the arterial blood supply of the eye?
Internal carotid artery into ophthalmic artery into long and short posterior ciliary artery
What supplies the inner 2/3 and outer 1/3 of eye?
Inner 2/3 from central retinal artery
Outer 1/3 from choroid
Describe venous drainage of eye
Vortex veins drain the choroid
Superior drain to SOV, inferior drain to IOV
Superior ophthalmic veins drain into cavernous sinus
Inferior ophthalmic veins drain into pterygoid venous plexus
Do the veins in the eye have valves?
No
Can lead to orbital cellulitis/facial infection can precipitate cavernous sinus thrombosis
Where is the lymphatic drainage in the eye?
No lymphatic drainage from the globe
Conjunctiva and lids do have lymphatic drainage to submandibular and pre-auricular nodes
What is the basic structure of a neuron?
Dendrites
Cell body
Axon
Presynaptic terminals
How does the sodium potassium pump work?
Transport Na+ out and K+ into neuron
3 Na+ for every 2 K+
Energy from ATP
What is the resting potential of neurones?
-70mV
What is happening when the neuron is at rest?
Result is NA+ high concentration outside but with both forces pushing in
Membrane and pump resists Na+ inward movement
K+ & Cl- can move backward and forward across membrane so reach steady state
Some sodium leaks back in but is expelled by the pump
How does an action potential occur?
- Neurotransmitters activate receptors on dendrites
- Receptors open ion channels
- Ions cross plasma membrane, changing the membrane potential
- The potential changes spread through the cell
- If the potential changes felt at the axon hillock are positive (+mV), and large enough, an action potential is triggered
What causes an ESPS?
Excitatory neurotransmitters depolarise the cell membrane
increases probability of an action potential being elicited
cause an Excitatory Post Synaptic Potential
What causes an IPSP?
Inhibitory neurotransmitters hyperpolarise cell membrane
Decreases probability of an action potential
Leads to inhibitory post synaptic potential
What is spatial summation?
larger numbers of primary afferent neurons are activated simultaneously, until sufficient neurotransmitter is released to activate an action potential
What happens at the threshold for action potentials (-60mV)?
Sodium channels open and polarity reverses to +30
Voltage-gated sodium channels close and K+ open, K+ leave
Resting membrane restored
What is temporal summation?
occurs when one presynaptic neuron releases neurotransmitter many times over a period of time
What is saltatory conduction
Sodium ions rush into axon and activate other sodium ions inside cell
Wave of positivity moves down nodes of ranvier
What is myelin and the function of myelination?
Protects fibres
Increases transmission speed
Produced by oligodendrocytes in CNS and Schwann cells in PNS
How does synaptic transmission work?
AP reaches terminal
Opening of Ca2+ channels
Exocytosis
Receptors on post synaptic membrane
Breakdown of NTs in cleft
What does acetylcholinesterase do?
Enzyme that breaks down the NT ACh
Needed for synapse to stop being active
What does acetylcholine do?
Activates muscles
What are some fast NTs?
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Glutamate (GLU)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
What are some neuromodulator NTs?
Dopamine
Noradrenalin
Serotonin
How do local anaesthetics work?
Block sodium channels
Blocks progress of AP
What can affect ACh?
Nicotine
Spider toxins
Nerve gases
What can affect noradrenaline?
Antidepressants (blocking reuptake or breakdown)
Amphetamines
What can affect dopamine?
Antipsychotics
Antiparkinsons
Stimulants (amphetamines, cocaine)
What can affect serotonin?
Antidepressants
Hallucinogens
Ecstasy
What can affect GABA?
Anti-anxiety drugs
Anticonvulsants
Anaesthetics
What are neurones and their function?
Specialised cells for electrical signalling
Receive inputs from dendrites and send signals out via axon hillocks where AP occurs
Mainly formed during development
What are chemical synapses?
Use neurotransmitters
Majority of synapses
What are electrical synapses?
Channels allowing for direct flow of current between neurones
enable synchronized electrical activity, e.g. brainstem (breathing) & hypothalamus (hormone secretion)
Less abundant
What is the difference between electrical and chemical synapses?
Electrical have high density of proteins on both sides of membrane
Contain connexons made from connexin proteins, form a continuous channel between cells
Where are excitatory synapses often concentrated?
Dendritic spines
What is the concept of neural plasticity?
changes in neuronal/synaptic structure and function in response to neural activity
basis of learning and memory
dendritic spine remodelling linked to neural activity
Which cells are vulnerable in Huntington’s?
Medium spiny neurones - striatal interneurons, small, inhibitory
(GABAergic)
Which cells are vulnerable in MND?
Betz cells - upper motor neurons, large, excitatory (glutamatergic,) long projections, pyramidal cells
What are oligodendrocytes and their function?
Myelinating cells of the CNS
Unique to vertebrates
Myelin insulates axon segments, enables rapid nerve conduction
Provide metabolic support for axons
What interrupts myelin sheath?
Nodes of Ranvier
What forms the myelin sheath?
Wrapping of oligodendrocyte membranes around axons
70% lipid, 30% protein
Specific proteins: myelin basic protein used as a histological marker
What are microglia?
resident immune cells of CNS, highly phagocytic
highly ramified in resting state
highly motile when activated (migrate to sites of damage)
proliferate at sites of injury
Where do microglia originate from?
yolk sac
move into CNS in embryonic development
What are the functions of microglia?
Immune surveillance
Phagocytic, removing cell debris
Synaptic plasticity
What are astrocytes?
Most numerous glial cells in CNS
Mostly star shaped, but highly heterogenous
Contribute to blood brain barrier as processes line blood vessels
What histological marker is used for astrocytes?
glial fibrillary acidic protein
What are the functions of astrocytes?
Structural - define brain micro-architecture
Envelope synapses – “tripartite synapse”
Metabolic support – store glycogen and lactate
Neurovascular coupling – changes in cerebral blood flow in response to neural activity
Regulate extracellular ionic environment: remove excess K+ after activation
Promote myelination
NT uptake
Proliferate in disease = gliosis or astrocytosis
Where are pathological changes seen in MND spinal cord?
Motor neurones
Microglia
Astrocytes
What are MND symptoms a result of?
Loss of motor neurones
What do acute symptoms in MS reflect dysfunction of?
Neurones, e.g. optic neuritis
What do pathological lesions in MS involve?
Neurons
Oligodendrocytes
T lymphocytes
What is a nucleus in CNS?
High abundance of neuronal cell bodies
What is grey matter abundant in?
areas abundant in neuronal cell bodies and processes
What does white matter contain?
contains abundance of myelinated tracts & commissures
fatty so white
What is a ganglion in PNS?
Cell bodies & supporting cells
PNS version of nucleus
What’s the terminology in CNS and PNS for where axons gather?
CNS = Tracts
PNS = Nerves
What are the myelinating cells of PNS?
Schwann cells derived from neural crest cells
What are myelinating cells of CNS?
Oligodendrocytes derived from common CNS progenitors
What is the blood brain barrier?
a selectively permeable membrane regulates the passage of a multitude of large and small molecules into the microenvironment of the neurons
Where is the blood brain barrier different?
area postrema - for chemoreceptors to measure
pituitary - hormone secretion
Which cells line the ventricles?
Ependymal cells
What do ependymal cells line and what is their function?
Epithelial-like, line ventricles & central canal of spinal cord
Functions - CSF production, flow & absorption
Ciliated – facilitates flow
Allow solute exchange between nervous tissue & CSF
What is the choroid plexus?
Vascular plexus found at the floor of lateral ventricles/roofs of third and fourth ventricles
What are the functions of the choroid plexus?
Production and secretion of CSF, forming a blood-CSF barrier, secretion of various growth factors, facilitate the brain development, protection from harmful toxins and microbes
How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?
31 pairs
How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?
12 pairs
What are cranial nerves?
Peripheral nerves
Most attached to the brainstem
Carry sensory / motor /autonomic info between brain, head and neck
Contain different combinations of fibre types (motor, general sensory, special sensory, autonomic); some contain just 1 type, others contain several
What are the CN I-VI?
I Olfactory
II Optic
III Oculomotor
IV Trochlear
V Trigeminal
VI Abducens
What are the CN VII -XII?
VII Facial
VIII Vestibulocochlear
IX Glossopharyngeal
X Vagus
XI Accessory
XII Hypoglossal
Sensory, motor or both for CN I -VI?
I Olfactory - S
II Optic - S
III Oculomotor - M
IV Trochlear - M
V Trigeminal - B
VI Abducens - M
Which cranial nerves contain parasympathetic fibres?
III, VII, IX, X
Sensory, motor or both for CN VII - XII?
VII Facial - B
VIII Vestibulocochlear - S
IX Glossopharyngeal - B
X Vagus - B
XI Accessory - M
XII Hypoglossal - M
CN I Olfactory: where does it attach, function, S/M
Sensory, smell
Attached to brain not brainstem
Axons travel through the cribriform plate, then olfactory bulb, tracts, temporal
Connections to limbic system
CN II Optic: where does it attach, function, S/M
Sensory, vision
Fibres travel from retina to primary visual cortex