Neuroanatomy and Physiology

Question 1

What factors can speed up/induce brain atrophy?

Answer 1

age, alcohol, drugs, endocrine diseases

Question 2

What 3 largely paired structures does the diencephalon contain?

Answer 2

thalamus, hypothalamus and epithalamus

Question 3

Describe the function of the thalamus

Answer 3

all sensory info passes through thalamus before reaching cortex, relays motor info from basal nuclei and cerebellum to cortex, modulates flow of info between areas

Question 4

What structures does the brainstem contain?

Answer 4

midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata

Question 5

What 4 structures does the midbrain contain?

Answer 5

cerebral peduncles and cerebral aqueduct
superior colliculi (visual reflex) and inferior colliculi (auditory)

Question 6

Describe pons function and what it is made of

Answer 6

controls respiration and is made of connecting tracts

Question 7

List the 3 main functions of the cerebellum

Answer 7

1) receives info of muscle tone, vestibule, joint position and movement
2) compares and integrates info with movement orders from each cortex
3) predicts consequences and adjusts movement commands

Question 8

Describe the anatomy of
reticular formation

Answer 8

set of integrating nuclei extending from medulla oblongata to midbrain with connections throughout cortex

Question 9

what does the reticular formation control and what is it inhibited by

Answer 9

consciousness, capacity to respond to stimuli, self-awareness
inhibited by sleep, anaesthesia, alcohol, drugs

Question 10

describe the limbic system and what does it include

Answer 10

set of deep neural structures controlling emotions including amygdala, cingulate gyrus, hippocampus
influenced by odours

Question 11

what sense can influence the limbic system

Answer 11

smells can bring on emotions and memories

Question 12

describe meningitis and its symptoms

Answer 12

inflammation of meninges, can be caused by bacteria and virus
symptoms include fever, stiff neck, altered mental state

Question 13

describe encephalitis and list common causes

Answer 13

infection of nerve cells and brain, symptoms fever, stiff neck, altered mental state, largely caused by viral infections eg chicken pox, rabies, west nile, HSV

Question 14

what structures supply blood to the brain

Answer 14

vertebral arteries and internal carotid

Question 15

describe the circle of willis

Answer 15

connection of internal carotid and vertebral arteries in circle where vertebral arteries join to form basilar artery

Question 16

define cerebrovascular accident (CVA)

Answer 16

lesions caused by blocked or bleeding cerebral vessel

Question 17

differentiate between the two types of stroke

Answer 17

ischaemic stroke: caused by blockage or compression
hemorrhagic stroke: brain bleed, caused by aneurism, HTN or trauma, loss of blood supply

Question 18

List the common symptoms of stroke

Answer 18

impaired speech, gait, movement and balance issues, confusion

Question 19

What stops blood vessels in brain from leaking?

Answer 19

tight junctions between endothelial cells

Question 20

what are tight junctions formed by and what does this create?

Answer 20

astrocytes and pericytes, creates blood brain barrier

Question 21

what can move across BBB?

Answer 21

small molecules, lipids and gases

Question 22

what does CSF provide to the brain?

Answer 22

buoyancy and protection

Question 23

where is CSF produced?

Answer 23

choroid plexus within ventricles of brain

Question 24

name and describe the ventricles of the brain

Answer 24

4 fluid filled chambers that are continuous with one another to central canal of spinal cord, filled with CSF
1 and 2 and large C shaped chambers, connected to 3rd ventricle via interventricular foramen, 3rd ventricle connected to 4th via cerebral aqueduct