The Central Nervous System

Question 1

Central Nervous System
(levels of processing)

Answer 1

Spinal cord
Subcortical
Cortical

Question 2

Brain Stem

Answer 2

Conduction of signals from spinal cord to brain
Midbrain/Mesencephalon
Eye movement
Pons
Respiratory function
Medulla Oblongata
Respiratory
Heart rate
Blood pressure

Question 3

Midbrain/Mesencephalon

Answer 3

Eye movement

Question 4

Pons

Answer 4

Respiratory function

Question 5

Medulla Oblongata

Answer 5

Respiratory
Heart rate
Blood pressure

Question 6

Cerebellum

Answer 6

Coordination of movement

Question 7

Diencephalon

Answer 7

(sits on top of brain stem)

Thalamus
Major integrating & relay center
Hypothalamus
homeostasis
Pituitary
hormonal control

Question 8

Thalamus

Answer 8

Major integrating & relay center

Question 9

Hypothalamus

Answer 9

homeostasis

Question 10

Pituitary

Answer 10

hormonal control

Question 11

Cerebral Lateralization

Answer 11

The division of neural functions between the two cerebral hemispheres, with one more dominant than the other for certain tasks

Example: Wernicke’s Area (language comprehension) and Broca’s Area (speech production)

Question 12

Corpus Callosum

Answer 12

Connects cerebral hemispheres

Question 13

Explain how CSF is secreted and reabsorbed

Answer 13

capillaries called the choroid plexus produce CSF from the blood (plasma) .
Which is secreted by the
ventricles ,
travels around the brain and spinal cord , then is reabsorbed into the blood .

Question 14

Explain the blood-brain barrier and how it works.

Answer 14

the Blood Brain Barrier consists of astrocytes foot processes connected by tight junctions that surround the pia
mater of the brain ,
including vasculature and neurons .
This prevents substances harmful to the brain
from getting through ,
however ,
small lipophilic substances can pass (alcohol) or substances on a carrier glucose) .

Question 15

Describe how memories are formed and differentiate between declarative memory and skill memory, and between short and long term memory.

Answer 15

memories are stored in traces (chains of neurons) when the brain encounters information important
enough to be stored . Memories can lead to changes in pathways or sensitization.
Declarative memory involves recall (
things you can declared while skilled memory involves things you can do.
Short -
term memory lasts as long as the concept is thought of white longterm memory can last for
minutes to weeks .
Long term memories can still be lost if not consolidated ,
which involves changes in synapsing.
This is led by the hippocampus !

Question 16

Memories

Answer 16

stored in “traces”
Brain determines which information is important enough to be stored
Facilitates synapses in pathway
Leads to sensitization
Information deemed unimportant is inhibited

Question 17

Declarative memory

Answer 17

Things you can declare

Question 18

Skill/procedural memory

Answer 18

Things you can do/demonstrate

Question 19

Short-Term Memory

Answer 19

Memory held for just a few seconds or as long as we are thinking of the thing

Question 20

Intermediate Long-Term Memory

Answer 20

Memory held for minutes to weeks
Will be lost if not made more permanent
Due to changes in synapses
Prolonged action potentials in pre-synaptic neuron lead to increased neurotransmitter release
Potentially changes in post-synaptic neuron, too

Question 21

Long-Term Memory

Answer 21

Likely due to structural changes in synapse, not just chemical as in intermediate long-term memory
On presynaptic cell
Increased vesicle release sites
Increased neurotransmitter released
Increased presynaptic terminals
Changes in dendrites

Question 22

Memory Consolidation

Answer 22

Converting short-term memory into long-term
Rehearsal
Hippocampus – declarative memory

Question 23

Give possible functions of sleep

Answer 23

maturation of neurons
clearance of metabolic waste
memory consolidation
healing
energy conservation
cognition

Question 24

Identify and describe the stages of sleep

Answer 24

1 . REM sleep :
dreams are remembered , movement is inhibited , and HR can be irregular
2- 4 .
Slow wave sleep :
restful ,
decreased HR, BP,
and BMR

Question 25

REM (paradoxical, desynchronized)

Answer 25

Dreaming
Inhibited muscle tone
Heart and respiratory rate can be irregular
Beta brain waves (similar to when awake)

Question 26

Slow-Wave Sleep

Answer 26

Stages 1-4 (theta and delta waves)
Restful
Decreased blood pressure, respiratory rate, and BMR
Dreams not usually remembered