Neuroscience 7 - CNS Flashcards
Describe the meaning of the term rostral, in relation to anatomy.
Rostral means towards the front of the brain, ie. the nose and mouth.
Define the meaning of the term caudal in anatomy.
Near the posterior part of the body, away from the brain. Indicated the direction that points towards the feet.
What is the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is the nervous tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata down to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. It consists of nervous tissue.
What is the vertebral column?
The bone which surrounds the spinal cord and provides protection.
What is the intervertebral foramen?
These are the gaps between vertebrae where the nerves can exit and enter.
What are the segments of the spinal cord, in descending order?
- Cervical vertebra are dorsal
- Thoracic vertebra
- Lumbar vertebra
- Sacral vertebra
- Coccygeal vertebra are ventral
How many vertebra and nerves are in the cervical spinal cord segment?
7 vertebra
8 nerves
How many vertebra and nerves are in the thoracic spinal cord segment?
12 vertebra
12 nerves
How many vertebra and nerves are in the lumbar spinal cord segment?
5 vertebra
5 nerves
How many vertebrae and nerves are in the coccygeal spinal cord segment?
4 vertebra
1 nerve
How many vertebrae are in the vertebral column?
33
How many nerves are in the spinal cord?
31 pairs of nerves
Why can a lumbar puncture be performed?
The spinal chord terminates at the lumbar vertebrae, and so CSF can be taken without damage to the spinal cord.
Between which vertebrae is a lumbar puncture performed?
- In adults, a sample is taken from between L3 and L4.
- In children, the sample is taken from between L4 and L5
What is the function of the ventral root of the spinal cord?
It is an efferent root, meaning it has motor functions.
What is the function of the dorsal root of the spinal cord?
It is an afferent root, meaning it has sensory functions.
Where do the axons in the ventral root of the spinal cord arise from?
They arise from the cell bodies in the ventral horn.
Where do the axons in the dorsal root of the spinal cord arise from?
They arise from cell bodies in the dorsal horn.
List the functions of the spinal cord.
- Connects the PNS and ANS to the brain
- Carries sensory signals to the brain
- Carries motor signals to the muscles
- Coordinates reflexes (eg. patellar reflex)
List the components of the brain stem.
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla oblongata
List the major components of the forebrain/cerebrum
- Diencephalon (thalamus + hypothalamus)
- Cerebral hemisphere
Describe the contents of the brain stem.
- All sensory and motor fibres that connect the cerebrum, cerebellum and spinal cord run through
- Contains nuclei of 10 of the 12 cranial nerves
List the functions of the brain stem.
- Controls many vital functions (breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, swallowing, balance)
- Defensive reflexes (cough, gag, sneeze)
- Involved in sleep cycles, alertness and consciousness
What area of the brain degenerates in parkinsons disease?
The substantia nigra, from the midbrain
List the functions of the diencephalon.
- Hypothalamus regulates temperature, hunger, thirst, hormone and autonomic function
- Thalamus integrates somatic and special senses and projects this to the cortex. Involved in emotional status, consciousness and motor response.
List the components of the basal ganglia and their location.
- Cordate, putamen, globus pallidus (cerebrum)
- Substancia nigra (midbrain)
- Subthalamic nucleus (diencephalon).
What is the corpus striatum?
- Caudate + putamen
- Connected to the cortex, thalamus and nigra
What is the lentiform nucleus?
Putamen + globus pallidus
List the functions of the basal ganglia.
- Control of movement
- Facilitating voluntary movement, and inhibiting unwanted/inappropriate movements (fine tuning)
List the main functional areas of the cerebral cortex.
- Prefrontal cortex determines personality and appropriate behaviour
- Auditory association area recognises sounds as words/music
- Primary visual/auditory cortexes recieve signals
- Primary somesthetic cortex deals with touch, pain and temperature
- Motor association area is were neurones plan the contraction of muscles
- Primary motor cortex determines finely coordinated limb movement.
- Visual association area recognises faces/familiar objects