Structure of the Nervous system (neuro) Flashcards
Human nervous system
- the human nervous system is comprised of the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)
- CNS is comprised of brain and spinal cord
- PNS is made up of the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system
Human brain
- the brain is the most complex organ in the human body
- controls basic fundamental life processes such as breathing, organ function and movement
- controls more complex processes such as thought, behaviour and emotion, and creating memories
Major brain regions
1) Forebrain: telencephalon (or cerebrum) and diencephalon
2) Brainstem: midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata
3) Cerebellum
Axes of the brain
- Anterior-posterior: anterior (front), posterior (behind)
- Rostral-caudal: rostral (nose), caudal (tail)
- Dorsal-ventral: dorsal (top), ventral (bottom)
- Superior-inferior|: superior (above), inferior (below)
Planes of the brain
- Coronal: divide the brain into a front (anterior) and a back (posterior) section
- Horizontal: divide the brain into an upper (superior) and lower (inferior) section
- Sagittal: divide the brain into two hemispheres, further characterised as midsagittal (midline) or parasagittal (more lateral)
Hippocampus
- the hippocampus is a region of the cerebral cortex embedded deep within the temporal lone
- function: learning, memory formation and retrieval, regulation of hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
- dysfunction: virus can cause damage to hippocampus such as anterograde amnesia (unable to create new memories) and retrograde amnesia (generally unable to recall past memories)
Coronal sections
- coronal sections can reveal important regions with the forebrain, including various sub-cortical structures (eg the hippocampus)
Horizontal sections
- horizontal sections can reveal important regions with the forebrain, including various sub-cortical structures (eg the hippocampus)
Sagittal sections
- sagittal sections can reveal important regions with the forebrain, including various sub-cortical structures (eg the hippocampus)
Cranial nerves
- cranial nerves describe the twelve (l-Xll) pairs of nerves arising from the brainstem that perform a diverse range of functions:
l. Olfactory
ll. Opric
lll. Oculomotor
lV. Trochlear
V. Trigeminal
Vl. Abducens
Vll. Facial
Vlll. Auditory-vestibular (verstibulocochlear)
IX. Glossopharyngeal
X. Vagus
Xl. Spinal accessory
Xll. Hypoglossal
Cranial nerves (l-ll)
Cranial nerve l (Olfactory):
- special sensory - sensation of smell
- olfactory receptor cells to olfactory bulb
- leads to frontal cortex (conscious perception of smell), hypothalamus amygdala (motivational and emotional aspects of smell) and hippocampus (odour memory)
Cranial nerve ll (Optic):
- special sensory - sensation of vision
- retinal ganglion cells to lateral geniculate nucleus (thalamus) to visual cortex (occipital lobe)
Cranial nerves (lll- lV)
Cranial nerve lll (Oculomotor):
- somatic motor - eye and eyelid movement
- visceral (autonomic) motor - parasympathetic control of pupil size
Cranial nerve lV (Trochlear):
- somatic motor - eye movement
Cranial nerves (V-Vl)
Cranial nerve V (Trigeminal):
- somatic sensory - sensation of touch to the face
- somatic motor - movement of muscles of mastication (chewing)
Cranial nerve Vl (Abducens):
- somatic motor - eye movement
Cranial nerves (Vll-Vlll)
Cranial nerve Vll (facial):
- somatic sensory - movement of muscles of facial expressions
- special sensory - sensation of taste in anterior tongue
Cranial nerve Vlll (Vestibulocochlear):
- auditory-vestibular (vestibulocochlear) nerve
- special sensory - hearing and balance
Cranial nerves (lX-X)
Cranial nerve lX (glossopharyngeal):
- special sensory - sensation of taste in posterior tongue
- visceral sensory - detection of blood pressure changes in aorta
- somatic motor - movement of muscles in throat
- visceral motor - parasympathetic control of salivary glands
Cranial nerve X (vagus):
- visceral sensory - sensation of pain associated with viscera (internal organs)
- somatic motor - movement of muscles in throat
- visceral motor - parasympathetic control of heart, lungs and abdominal organs