Week 19 Flashcards
describe the cerebrum
The cerebrum is the most dominating structure of the brain, divided into left and right hemispheres. These hemispheres are entirely seperate, but are connected by white matter tract (bundle of myelinated neuronal axons) called the corpus collosum which allows communication between the two hemispheres.
What is the cerebrum covered in and what do they do?
The cerebrum is covered in bumps called gyri and grooves called sulci. This sulci and gyrui increase the surface area of the brain, allowing more neurons to be contained within the capacity of the skull. The central sulcus seperates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe. Deeper grooves called fissures seperate particular segments of the brain.
describe the sensory areas of the cerebral cortex
- Primary somatosensory (somaesthetic) cortex: located on the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe; receives signals from somatic sensory neurons and determines the type, intensity and location of the sensation (sensory stimulus) using spatial discrimination.
- Somatosensory (somatosetic) association area: loacted posterior to the primary somatosensory cortex within the parietal lobe; integrates signals received from the primary sensory experience to generate a wider contexual understanding of the sensation (e.g. size, texture, familiarity, patterns).
describe the Special sense cortices (5)
- Visual cortex: located in the occipital lobe; interprets visual signals from eyes
- Auditory cortex: located on the temporal lobe, interprets auditory signals from the ears for hearing
- Vestibular cortex: located on the insula, interprets signals from the inner ear for balance/ equilibrium
- Gustatory cortex: Located on the insula, interprets signals from the taste buds
- Olfactory cortex: located on the medial aspects of the temporal lobe, interprets signals from the nose for smell
- Visceral sensory cortex: loacted on the insula, receives signals from the viscera of the body and provides conscious preception of visceral sensations such as feeling an upset stomach or menstrual cramps.
Describe the primary motor cortex
loacted on the precentral gyrus of the frontal lobe, sends signals down to the spinal cord towards skeletal muscles according to somatotroph.
Describe premotor cortex (area)
Located anterior to the primary motor cortex in the frontal lobe, planning of skeletal muscle movements of muscles related to speech
Describe frontal eye field
Another small area within the motor cortex that contracts the voluntary movements of the eye
Describe the prefrontal cortex- Anitorior
Most portion of the frontal lobe, responsible for deciding which skeletal muscle movements are required as part of motor cortex functioning in addition to a range of integrative cognitive/ higher cognitive functions include: Intelligence, cognition, recall and memory, reasoning and planning, task management and multi-tasking and personality
Describe posterior association area
Includes parts of the parietal, temporal and occipital lobes, associated with integrative functions related to recognition, sensation, attention to location of the body in space of sensations on the body and understand of language
Describe Basal ganglia
Collections of grey matter nuclei surrounding the diencephalon. The basal ganglia receive input from numerous areas of the brain and are linked up to the premotor cortex via motor loops to help in the planning of motor (skeletal muscle) movements, as well as the regulation of starting, stopping and intensity of skeletal muscle movements
Describe Diencephalon
Located medially to basal ganglia and just superior to the brainstem
- Thalamus
- Hypothalmus
Describe Thalamus
- Role in emotions
- Role in movement
- Relay station for incoming sensory information to cerebral cortex
Describe Hypothalamus
- control of appetite and thirst
- Autonomic NS control centre
- Endocrine control centres
- Control of sleep-wakes cycles
- Thermoregulation
- Emotional centre
Describe Limbic system
- Recognition of anger and fear in others
- Assessment of danger and regulation of the fear response
- Regulation of emotional responses
- Emotional memory recall (might be through smell)
- involvement on other memory processing activities
Describe Brainstem
- Pain suspression
- Roles in motor control
- regulation of ventilation
- Regulation of cardiac functions
- Regulation of automatic actions such as vomiting, coughing, sneezing, hiccupping ect.
- Maintains overall arousal and consciousness of the cerebrum while helping to prevent over-stimulation
