SAFMEDs Ch 4 Flashcards
Brain
- Part of the central nervous system
- Plays a role in every thought, emotion, or action a person has
- Processes information
Central Nervous System (CNS)
-Comprised of the brain and spinal cord
Spinal Cord
- Extends down the medulla oblongata through the center of the vertebral column
- Carries sensory and motor messages from the brain
- Enclosed in protective meninges
- Surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
- Controls involuntary functions
- Think automatic
- Breathing, blood pumping, digesting, etc.
- Divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
Parasympathetic Nervous System
- The default condition of the ANS
- Reduce, digest and relax
- Decreases blood sugar, decreases heart rate, increases blood flow to digestive organs
Sympathetic Nervous System
- Emergency response system
- Fight, flight or freeze
- Increased heart rate, adrenaline is released, muscle tension increases
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- Nerves outside the brain and spinal cord
- Connects the CNS to the rest of the body
- Divided into two subsystems: somatic nervous system, autonomic nervous system
- Signals from the brain travel along the motor pathway
- Signals from sensory receptors travel the sensory pathway
Somatic Nervous System
- Voluntary movement
- Signals travel from brain to skeletal muscles
- Walking, jumping, waving
Arachnoid mater
- Middle layer of meninges
- Spide web adjacent
Broca’s area
-Moves the muscles to create speech
Cerebrospinal fluid
- Surrounds the brain
- Cushions ans protects
Dura mater
- The outermost layer of meninges
- “tough mother”
Meninges
- The three layers of covering that protect the brain
- Dura, arachnoid, pia
Cerebral cortex
- Cerebrum
- Outer layer of the brain
- comprised of ridges
Cerebral hemispheres
- The brain is split into two hemispheres
- Left brain vs right brain
- Smilar but not symmetrical
- Control the opposite side of the body
Cerebrospinal fluid
- Surrounds the brain
- Cushions and protects
Cerebrum
- Cerebral cortex
- Outer layer of the brain
- Comprised of ridges
Corpus Callosum
- connects the two hemispheres
- bundle of nerve fibers
- “tough body”
Paul Broca
- Studied patients who lost the ability to speak
- Broca’s area
Carl Wernicke
- Studied patients who lost the ability to understand language
- Wernicke’s area
Ablation
- The process of removing or destroying brain tissue
- Used to remove “undesirable” characteristics
Deep brain stimulation
- Less invasive procedure
- Alter behavioral symptoms
- Insert an electrode on brainstem
- Used to treat: epilepsy, parkinson’s tremors, tourettes, acute depression
Hemispherectomy
- Used to treat behavioral disorders or illnesses
- Used to control seizures
- Remove one half of the brain
Prefrontal lobotomy
- Disconnecting the prefrontal cortex
- Uses ablation to control behavior
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
- Non-invasive
- Alters brain activity
- Used to treat depression
- Electromagnetic wand alters magnetic field and how the brain processes emotions & moods
X-Rays
-scans that show bones and other solid structures within the body
Electroencephalography/ electroencephalogra, (EEG)
- measures electrical activity in the brain
- electrodes are attached to a person’s scalp to record electrical waves produced during varying states of consciousness
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- magnetic field and radio wave pulses generate images of soft tissue
- used for: tumors, ligament injuries, aneurysms, strokes, inner ear and eye disorders, etc.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
- uses magnetic resonance to visualize blood flow and oxygen metabolization
- infer brain activity
- 3D activation maps of the brain
Computerized axial tomography (CT or CAT scan)
- 2D x-ray photographs from various angles are compiled to represent a part of the body in 3D
- Examines bones, soft tissue and blood simultaneously
- Commonly used in emergency situations for efficiency
Positron emission tomography (PET scan)
- visualize slices of the brain
- radioactive tracer is injected in a person’s bloodstream
- travels similarly to glucose
- The tracer’s path is tracked via positrons (charged particles)
Endocrine System
- sends signals by passing hormones through the bloodstream
- slow acting, longer lasting effects
- Raises and lowers blood sugar, indicates hunger vs fullness, sex drive, metabolism, sleep