Neuroanatomy Flashcards
what are the roles of the nervous system?
- detect changes in external and internal environment.
- relay info and analyse it.
- initiate appropriate responses.
how do neurons convey info via?
electrical signals.
where do afferent neurons from and then to?
carry info from receptors to the CNS
where do efferent neurons from and then to?
carry info from CNA to effectors/
what are afferent neurons also called?
sensory neurons
what are efferent neurons also called?
motor neurons.
what is the purpose of interneurons?
link afferent to efferent within CNS
what are the subdivisions of the CNS?
- cerebrum
- brainstem
- cerebellum
- spinal cord
what are the 3 swellings that develop form the neural tube?
- forebrain (prosencephanlon)
- midbrain (mesencephalon)
- hindbrain (rhombencephalon)
what does the telencephalon develop into?
cerebral hemisphere
what does the diencephalon develop into?
thalamus and hypothalamus
what does the mesencephalon develop into?
midbrain
what does the metencephalon develop into?
pons and cerebellum
what does the myelencehalon develop into?
medulla oblongata
what do the 5 swelling of the brain development?
- telencephalon
- diencephalon
- mesencephalon
- metencephalon
- myelencehalon
what is the fissure separating the 2 lobes called?
longitudinal fissure aka superior sagittal fissure
what is the corpus cailosum?
white matter that joings the 2 brain hemispheres.
what is the function of the corpus cailsum?
allow for communication between the 2 hemispheres of the brain.
what are the 4 lobes of the brain?
- frontal
- parietal
- occipital
- temporal.
what lobes are separated by the lateral sulcus?
separates the temporal lobe from the frontal and parietal.
what lobes are separated by the central sulcus?
the frontal from the parietal.
why is the surface of the cerebral hemisphere so heavily folded?
to increase surface aread - allowing more neurons.
is the gyrus at the top or the bottom of the fold?
top.
is the sulci at the top or the bottom of the fold?
bottom.
what vertebras are included in the cervical segment of the spinal cord?
C1- C8
what vertebras are included in the thoratic segment of the spinal cord?
T1-T12
what vertebras are included in the Lumbar segment of the spinal cord?
L1-L5
what vertebras are included in the Sacral segment of the spinal cord?
S1- S5
what are the 4 main segments of the spinal cord?
- cervical
- thoratic
- lumbar
- sacral
how many vertebrae are there in the spinal cord?
33
how many spinal nerves are in the spinal cord?
31
what type of information is in the dorsal white column?
sensory info
what type of information is in the lateral white column?
motor info
what type of information is in the ventral white column?
both motor and sensory information.
what is the purpose of the ventral white commisure?
it allows communication to both sides of the vertebrea
on what vertebrae’s can the larteral horn be found?
T1-L2 and S2-S4
how does a message get send from the skin to the muscles via the PNS?
- skin
- down sensory fibre to dorsal root ganglion
- into dorsal root
- interneuron in the spine
- come out as a motor fibre to the skeletal muscles.
How does the reflex arc allow us to move more quickly away from danger?
it links sensory and motor in the spinal cord without the need to send the message to the brain.
what is the one cranial nerve that exits the dorsal surface of the brain?
Trochlea
what is the function of the hypothalamus?
regulates neuroendorine function (eg changing body temp/ hormones)
what is the function of the thalamus?
to get messages and send them on to the correct area of the brain.
what is the function of the epithalamus?
includes the pineal gland, to secrete melatonin, regulating sleep and wake cycles.
is the parietal lobe a sensory or motor cortex?
sensory
what does the parietal lobe control?
- language + comprehension
- spatial orientation and awareness.
is the frontal lobe a sensory or motor cortex?
motor.
what does the frontal lobe control?
the regulation of emotions.
what does the temporal lobe control?
the regulation of emotions. as well as hearing.
in which area of the brain is general sensory information sent?
postcentral gyrus
in which area of the brain is visual information sent?
around calcarine sulcus and posterior aspect of occipital lobe.
in which area of the brain is auditory information sent?
heschl’s gyrus.
in which area of the brain is motor information sent?
precentral gyrus.
why are secondary sensory and motor areas important?
they are involved in interpretation and understanding of the message. Organise the movement.
what area of the secondary auditory area in the brain contains motor fibres that are involved in the production of words?
Broca’s area,
what area of the secondary auditory area in the brain contains sensory fibres that are involved in the understanding of language?
Wernicks area.
what is the effect of Broca’s aphasia?
problems finding words and forming sentences.
what is the effect of wernickes aphasia?
problem understanding words and don’t understand their own words.
why does the brain need a rich blood supply?
due to high metabolic demands.
what are the 2 arteries that supple the brain that are connected by the circle of willis?
vertebral artery
carotid artery
how does the vertebral artery enter the skull?
via the foramen magnum
how does the carotid artery enter the skull?
via the carotid canal.
what is the vertebral artery a branch of?
the subclavian arteries.
what does the vertebral artery turn into when it fuses at the bottom of the brain stem?
basilar artery
what are the names of the 3 cerebella arteries?
- superior cerebella artery
- anterior inferior cerebella artery
- posterior inferior cerebella artery
over what structures of the brain can the 3 cerebella arteries be found?
over the pons and cerebella area.
what are the 3 cerebral arteries?
- posterior cerebral
- middle cerebral
- anterior cerebral
what areas of the brain does the posterior cerebral artery supply?
- occipital lobe
- inferior and medial surfaces of temporal lobe.
what areas of the brain does the middle cerebral artery supply?
- lateral areas of frontal, temporal and parietal lobes.
what areas of the brain does the anterior cerebral artery supply?
- superior and medial areas of frontal and parietal lobes.
- corpus callosum.
what does the circle of willis surround?
the optic chiasm and hypothalamus
what is the purpose of the circle of willis?
to ensure compensation of decreased blood flow if one vessel is blocked.
where does all the venous blood from the brain drain into?
internal jugular veins,
what are the 3 different types of meninges that cover the CNS?
- Dura mater
- arachnoid mater
- pia mater
which meninge follows the gyri and sulci?
pia mater
what are the layers of the dura mater attached to?
to bone and the arachnoid layer
as there are 2 layers of dura mater what does this result in?
where the 2 hemispheres meet there is a sagital sinus
what is a epidural haemorrhage?
torn maningeal artery
what is a subdural haemorrhage?
torn bridging veins
what is a subarachnoid haemorrhage?
torn cerebral artery
what is the dural infolding between the central hemispheres called?
flax cerebri
what is the dural infolding between the occipital lobes and the cerebellum called?
tentorium cerebelli
what is found located within the dural infoldings?
various venous (dural) sinuses.
what is the sinus at the top of the skull called?
superior sagittal sinus
what is the sinus between the 2 hemispheres running from the back to the front called?
inferior sagittal sinus.
what is the sinus at the back of the skull called?
confluence of sinuses.