The Human Brain Flashcards
What connects the two hemispheres
Corpus callosum
What does the substantia nigra secrete
dopamine
Why is the substantia nigra black
melanin
What are the four brain divisions?
brainstem, cerebellum, cerebrum and diencephalon
What makes up the brainstem?
medulla oblongata, pons, mesencephalon
Where do most of the cranial nerves originate
the brainstem
What are the tracts in the brainstem
ascending, descending, fibre tracts and house keeping nuclei
What is decussation and where does it occur
crossing over - brainstem
Where is the medulla oblongata located
brainstem
What is located in the medulla oblongata
olives, nerve roots, nuclei that control respiration
What does the pons connect to
cerebellum via peduncles
What is located in the pons
fibre tracts, respiratory centres
Describe the cerebellum
made of folia, deep nuclei, lots of folds
What are the roles of the cerebellum?
co-ordination, motor error, maintain muscle tone
Name a disorder of the cerebellum
cerebellar ataxia
What are the symptoms of cerebellar ataxia
loss of cerebellar neurones, jerky imprecise movements
Where is the mesencephalon located
brainstem
What is located in the mesencephalon?
cerebral peduncles, tectum, substantia nigra, nucleus ruber
What does the tectum contain
superior (visual) and inferior (auditory) colliculi
What colour is the nucleus ruber
red
What is the function of the nucleus ruber
motor co-ordination
What disease is associated with the substantia nigra
Parkinson’s
What is the function of the mesencephalon
regulation of movement
What is located in the reticular formation?
brainstem neurone clusters, cardiovascular centres, reticular activating system
What is the reticular activating system involved in
circadian rhythm, alertness, emotion
What is located in the diencephalon
thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland
What does the diencephalon link
midbrain and cerebrum
What is the diencephalon part of?
forebrain
What is the thalamus?
processing and relay centre
What is/are the function/s of the thalamus
motor role, arousal, emotion, higher functions
What is the pineal gland
endocrine organ
What does the pineal gland secrete
melatonin, serotonin
What is the function of the hypothalamus
sexual behaviour, autonomic nervous system function, eating and drinking
Name the lobes of the cerebrum
frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, central, limbic
How many layers are there of the neocortex
6
What is the first layer of the neocortex
external granular layer
What is the second layer of the neocortex
external pyramidal layer
What is the third layer of the neocortex
internal granular layer
What is the fourth layer of the neocortex
internal pyramidal layer
What is the fifth layer of the nexocortex
fusiform layer
What is the 6th layer of neocortex
white matter
How was the cortex mapped
diret stimulation and lesions
What area is damaged in Broca’s aphasia
left frontal lobe
What are the symptoms of Broca’s aphasia
expressive aphasia, impaired speech
What area is damaged in Wernicke’s Aphasia
posterior temporal lobe
What are the symptoms of Wernicke’s aphasia
inappropriate words, fluent
What are the modern mapping techniques of the cortex
PET scanning, functional MRI, Regional blood flow
Function of the left hemisphere
speech, calculation, analysis
Function of the right hemisphere
spatial, conceptual, artistic
Name the basal ganglia
Globus pallidus, sub-thalamic nucleus, substantia nigra
Where are basal ganglia located
deep within the nucleus
What makes up the limbic system
hippocampus, amygdala, fornix, limbic lobe, thalamus, hypothalamus
What is the function of the limbic system
memory, emotions
What are the three types of cerebral tract fibres
association, commissural, projection
function of association fibres
connect structures within hemispheres
function of commissural fibres
connect between hemispheres
example of commissural fibre
corpus callosum
function of projection fibres
link to non-cortical areas
