neurobiology and behaviour Flashcards
what are the meninges
three membranes around the brain and spinal cord
how many ventricles are in the brain and what are they filled with
- four
- filled with cerebro-spinal fluid
outline the three main functions of the cerebrospinal fluid
- supply neurones with glucose
- supplies oxygen carried in solution
- contains antibodies and WBC to resist infection
name the brain structures included in the forebrain
- hypothalamus
- thalamus
- cerebrum
what structures are in the midbrain
nerve fibres connecting forebrain and hindbrain
name the brain structures in the hindbrain
- cerebellum
- medulla oblongata
outline the functions of the frontal lobe
- memory formation
- emotions
- reasoning
- personality
outline the functions of the parietal lobe
- spatial awareness
- senses and sensations (touch)
outline the functions of the occipital lobe
- vision - interpretation
- visual stimuli
outline the functions of the temporal lobe
- hearing
- comprehension of language
- information retrieval
outline the functions of the medulla
- ventilation
- maintaining blood pressure
- regulation of heart rate
outline the functions of the hypothalamus
- co-ordinating centre between nervous system and endocrine system
- regulates: body temperature, blood solute potential, thirst, hunger, sleep
- controls secretion of hormones from endocrine glands
outline the functions of the thalamus
- sending and receiving info to and from cerebral cortex
- correlates consciousness, sleep and sensory interpretation
outline the functions of the hippocampus
- involved in learning, reasoning, personality
- forming new memories
- connecting senses and emotions to memories
outline the functions of the cerebellum
- maintenance of posture
- coordination of complex movement and voluntary movement
outline the functions of the cerebrum
higher mental activities:
- thinking
- language
- emotions
- personality
- planning
what is the most common type of stroke and what causes it
- ischaemic strokes
- caused by blocked blood vessel
what is the less common type of stroke and what is it caused by
- haemorrhagic strokes
- caused by bleeding in or around the brain
what are the symptoms of a stroke
- paralysis on one side of the body
- loss of muscle tone
- drooping face
what are the main risk factors for experiencing a stroke
- high blood pressure
- tobacco smoking
- obesity
- high blood cholesterol
- risk increases with age
how is a stroke diagnosed
- physical examination and imaging
- eg. CT or MRI scan
outline how a stroke may be treated
- clot-busting medication
- successful if started within 4.5 hours
what are the four warning signs of a stroke
F - face drop
A - raise arms without one drifting?
S - slurred speech
T - time
what is the cerebral cortex composed of
grey matter and many cell bodies
what is the inner area of the cerebrum composed of
white matter and myelinated axons
what is the job of the central nervous system and what is it made up of
- processes, stores and interprets information
- includes brain and spinal cord
what is the job of the peripheral nervous system and what is it made up of
- transmit information to and from CNS
- includes somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system
what is the role of the somatic nervous system
controlling skeletal muscles with conscious effort
what is the role of the autonomic nervous system
involuntary responses of intercostal muscles and glands
which two systems make up the autonomic nervous system
- sympathetic nervous system
- parasympathetic nervous system
explain the role of the sympathetic nervous system
- motor neurones go to all organs around the body
- releases noradrenaline
- increases; heart rate, breathing rate, blood pressure, pupil dilation
explain the role of the parasympathetic nervous system
- nerve pathways begin in the brain, top of spinal cord or base of spinal cord
- releases acetylcholine
- inhibitory effect on activities of organs
explain how the heart rate is controlled
- sympathetic system increases heart rate
- parasympathetic system decreases heart rate
- both systems controlled by cardiac control centre in medulla oblongata
- CCC stimulated by CO2 levels and blood pressure changes
- CCC sends impulse through one of the systems to the sino atrial node
- heart also controlled by adrenaline, noradrenaline and acetylcholine
describe how the parasympathetic and sympathetic systems control the ventilation rate
- increases rate of respiration during exercise
- causes the blood pH to decrease
- detected by chemoreceptors in aortic and carotid bodies
- more nerve impulses sent to inspiratory centre in medulla
- more nerve impulses sent along intercostal nerve and phrenic nerve
what is the function of the sensory area
- receive sensory information from receptors in the body
- hemispheres receive information from opposite side of the body
- primary sensory areas receive impulses first
what is the function of the association areas
- process and interpret information from the primary sensory areas
- provide memory, reasoning, judgement, emotions and verbalisation
what is the function of the motor areas
- initiates responses
- generates nerve impulses carried to appropriate effectors on opposite side of the body
- motor neurones cross in the medulla
where is the Broca’s area located
left hemisphere of the frontal lobe
what is the function of the Broca’s area
- producing vocal sounds
- analysing grammar and help extract meaning
what is the effect of an injury/stroke on the Broca’s area
- Broca’s aphasia
- causes difficulty speaking
- know what they want to say but cannot get it out
where is the Wernicke’s area located
temporal lobe of the left hemisphere
what is the function of Wernicke’s area
- construct and understand written and spoken language
what is the effect of an injury or stroke on Wernicke’s area
- Wernicke’s aphasia
- able to produce words, sounds or phrases but they do not make sense and there is no communication
- cannot understand someone speaking to them although they perfectly hear them
what does the sensory homunculus show
relative sensitivity of different parts of the body
what does the motor homunculus show
motor control of different parts of the body
