The Brain Flashcards
Regions of the Brain
- Cerebrum
- Diencephalon
- Brain Stem
- Cerebellum
Cerebrum
- more than half of the brain mass; made of ridges (gyri) and grooves (sucli)
- composed of four regions: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes
- Gray matter: outer layer made up of cell bodies
- White matter: fibers deep in the gray matter
Diencephalon
- Sites of the brainstem
- Made of the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus
- Relay station for sensory impulses
Brain Stem
- attaches to the spinal cord
- Made of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
Cerebellum
- two hemispheres with convoluted surfaces
- Provides involuntary coordination and balance of voluntary movements.
Function of the Brain
-part of the CNS
-interneurons work to integrate information
-decided if a response to sensory information is needed
-three main regions of the brain:
-the brainstem
-limbic system
-cerebral cortex
Brainstem: basic survival needs
Limbic system: regulation of emotions and memory
Cerebral Cortex: higher-level mental processing
3 layers of Meninges
- Dura Mater
- Arachnoid layer
- Pia mater
Dura Mater
- Double-layered external covering
- Periosteum—attached to inner surface of the skull
- Meningeal layer—outer covering of the brain
- Folds inward in several areas
Arachnoid Layer
- Middle layer
- Web-like
Pia Layer
- Internal layer
- Clings to the surface of the brain
Bone
- Skull surrounds the brain
- Internal skull bones support the brain
Blood Brain Barrier
- Includes the least permeable capillaries of the body
- Excludes many potentially harmful substances
- Useless as a barrier against some substances
- Fats and fat soluble molecules
- Respiratory gases
- Alcohol
- Nicotine
- Anesthesia
Cerebrospinal fluid
- Similar to blood plasma composition
- Formed by the choroid plexus
- Forms a watery cushion to protect the brain
- Circulated in arachnoid space, ventricles, and central canal of the spinal cord
How is the brain protected?
- CSF
- Blood-brain barrier
- Capillaries
- Bone
- Meninges
Pons (Labeling)
- Controls breathing (depth/rhythm of breathing)
- Also controls circadian rhythms
Thalamus (Labeling)
- Relay station for sensory impulses passing upwards to the sensory cortex
- “sensory switchboard” of the brain; deals with all sense except for smell that gets routed to the limbic system
Hypothalamus (Labeling)
- Plays a role in regulating body temperature, water balance, and metabolism
- Center of many drives and emotions - The reward center of the brain
Cerebellum (Labeling)
- involved in producing smoothly coordinated skeletal muscle activity
- Helps in keeping balance