The Nervous System Anatomy Flashcards
What are ventricles
Cavities filled with CSF and communicate with each other and with spinal cord canal
What are nuclei in neurons
Compact groups of nerve cell bodies
Types of nerve fibers
A
B
C
Where are enlargements on the spinal cord and what do they do
Cervical and lumbosacral
origins of nerves of upper and lower extremities
What are neuroglia
Support cells that don’t transmit signals
important for myelin and neuron production
maintenance of K+ levels
Two parts of thalamus
Sensory nuclei
Motor nuclei
What do projection neurons do
Carry impulses to other parts of CNS
are A fibers fast and large
A fibers are fast and large
What do Anterior horns contain
Efferent (motor) neurons
What does dura mater form
Falx tentorium
What does medulla oblongotta do
Connects spinal cord
to
pons
What is the dura mater
Outer layer
Tough, fibrous membrane
Attached to inner surface of the cranium
Where does the spinal cord run
Foramen magnum
to
lower border of first lumbar vertebra in conus medullaris
What is the arachnoid meninge
Delicate and vascular membrane
What do projection fibers do
Connect cerebral hemispheres with other portions of the brain and spinal cord
What do association fibers do
Connect different portions of the cerebral hemispheres (allowing cortex to function as an integrated whole)
What do posterior horns contain
Afferent (sensory)
What is periaqueductal gray important for
Endorphin-producing cells
descending autonomic tracts
What do alpha motor neurons do
Affect muscles
What do sensory nuclei do (thalamus)
Integrate and relay sensory info from body, face, retina, cochlea, and taste receptors to cerebral cortex and subcortical regions
What is the postcentral gyrus
Primary sensory cortex for integration of sensation
Three types of white matter
Transverse fibers
Projection fibers
association fibers
What is Wernicke’s area
Language comprehension
The primary visual cortex is in…
Occipital lobe
What does the central sulcus separate
Frontal lobe
from
parietal lobe
What is the inferior colliculus important for
Relay station for hearing and auditory reflexes
The percent real gurus, prefrontal cortex, and Brock’s area are in…
Frontal lobe
Where is the 4th ventricle
Pons and medulla
What do other nuclei in the thalamus do
Assist in integration of visceral and somatic functions
What is basal ganglia
Masses of gray matter deep within the cerebral hemisphere
What does prefrontal cortex do
Controls emotions and judgements
What is the exception for sensory nuclei
Smell
Are C fibers large, myelinated, fast
C fibers:
Smallest
Unmyelinated
Slowest conducting
What is the substantia nigra important for
Motor control and muscle tone
What do pons do
Connect medulla oblongata
to
midbrain
What does the longitudinal cerebral fissure separate
Two hemispheres
what does the third ventricle communicate with and how
Communicates with Fourth Ventricle
via Cerebral Aqueduct
What do synapses do
Allow communications between neurons (chemical/electrical signals passed)
four types of A fibers and what do they don
Alpha - proprioception, somatic motor
Beta - touch, pressure
Gamma - motor to muscle spindles
Delta - pain, temperature, touch
What do cell bodies do
Receptive surface area to receive information via synapses
What does hypothalamus do
Integrates and controls ANS
maintains homeostasis
Wernicke’s area is in…
Temporal lobe
What does the limbic system do
Instincts and emotions contributing to preservation of the individual (feeding, aggression, emotions, endocrine aspects of sexual response)
What do both lateral ventricles communicate with and how do they get there
communicates with third ventricle
via Foramen of Monro
The postcentral gyrus is in…
Parietal lobe
What does the lateral central fissure separate
Temporal lobe
from
frontal & parietal lobes
What is the precentral gyrus
Primary motor cortex for voluntary muscle activation
Are A fibers myelinated
Yes
What do transverse fibers do
Interconnect the two hemispheres
What are motor nuclei
Relay motor info from cerebellum and globus pallidus to precentral motor cortex
What does the subthalamus do
Control of several functional pathways for sensory, motor, and reticular function
How many meninges are there and what are they
3
Dura Mater
Arachnoid
Pia Mater
Three main portions of neurons
Cell bodies (with dendrites)
Axons
Synapses
how many ventricles are there
4
What is the pia mater
Thin, vascular membrane that covers brain surface
Are B fibers large, myelinated, and fast
B fibers:
Small
Myelinated
Conduct less rapidly
What are nuclei in the PNS called
Ganglia
What is the subarachnoid space
formed by, contains
Formed by arachnoid and pia mater
contains CSF, cisterns, major arteries
What does Broca’s area do
Controls motor aspects of speech
What is white matter
Myelinated nerve fibers located centrally
What does habenular nuclei do
Integrates olfactory, visceral, and somatic afferent pathways
Where is the insula and what does it do
Deep within lateral sulcus
associated with visceral functions
What do axons do
Conduct impulses away from cell body
Describe the central gray matter in the cord
Two anterior (ventral) horns
two posterior (dorsal) horns
United by gray commissure with central canal
Two types of efferent neurons in Anterior horn
Alpha
Gamma
What does midbrain do
Connect pons to cerebrum
The primary auditory cortex is in…
Temporal lobe
What does the pineal gland do
Secrete hormones that influence the pituitary gland and several other organs
Circadian rhythm
What do gamma motor neurons do
Muscle spindles
how many segments in the spinal cord and how are they dividided
30 total
8 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral
a few coccygeal segments
Two parts of epithalamus
Habenular nuclei
Pineal gland
What is the superior colliculus important for
Relay station for vision and visual reflexes
