the brain part 2 Flashcards
Q: What is cerebral white matter and what is its function?
Cerebral white matter consists of fiber tracts that carry impulses to, from, or within the cerebral cortex.
It connects different regions of the brain to allow communication and coordination of activities.
Q: What is the corpus callosum and why is it important?
The corpus callosum is a large fiber tract that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres.
It allows communication between the hemispheres, which is crucial because some functional areas (like language) are located in only one hemisphere.
What are the three types of fiber tracts in cerebral white matter?
Commissures: Connect the two cerebral hemispheres (e.g., the corpus callosum).
Association fibers: Connect different areas within the same hemisphere.
Projection fibers: Connect the cerebrum with lower CNS centers, like the brainstem.
Q: What are the basal nuclei and where are they located?
The basal nuclei are islands of gray matter buried deep within the white matter of the cerebral hemispheres.
They are located beneath the cerebral cortex.
: What is the function of the basal nuclei?
The basal nuclei help regulate voluntary motor activities.
They modify motor instructions, particularly starting or stopping movements, sent to the skeletal muscles by the primary motor cortex.
What is the internal capsule and its relation to the basal nuclei?
he internal capsule is a band of projection fibers.
It passes between the thalamus and the basal nuclei
Individuals who have problems with their basal nuclei are often unable s
walk normally or carry out other voluntary movements in a normal way. Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease are two examples of such syndromes
Q: What is the diencephalon and where is it located?
The diencephalon (or interbrain) sits atop the brainstem and is enclosed by the cerebral hemispheres.
What are the major structures of the diencephalon?
The major structures of the diencephalon are the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus.
What is the function of the thalamus?
The thalamus acts as a relay station for sensory impulses, passing them upward to the sensory cortex.
It also provides a crude recognition of whether a sensation will be pleasant or unpleasant.
How does the thalamus interact with the sensory cortex?
While the thalamus relays sensory impulses and recognizes their emotional tone (pleasant/unpleasant), it is the sensory cortex that localizes and interprets the actual sensation.
