Week 1 ELM 2: Cells in the Nervous System

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to the nervous system and brain anatomy.

Nervous System

A network of cells and fibers that transmits nerve impulses between parts of the body.

Nerve net

Sponges and jellyfish possess this simple nervous system structure.

Olfactory bulb, cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum, optic tectum, medulla oblongata

Brain divisions common to all vertebrates

Neocortex

The most recent part of the brain to evolve, particularly prominent in mammals.

Diencephalon and Telencephalon

The forebrain divides into these two sections.

Mesencephalon

The midbrain is also known as this.

Rhombencephalon

The hindbrain is also known as this.

Brain and spinal cord

This part of the CNS develops from the walls of the neural tube.

PNS

This part of the CNS derives from the neural crest.

Ectoderm

The outermost of the three primary germ layers of the embryo; gives rise to the nervous system and skin.

Spina bifida

A birth defect caused by the incomplete closure of the posterior neural tube.

Folic acid

Supplementing with this can reduce neural tube defect incidence by 90%.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Fluid that surrounds and cushions the brain and spinal cord.

Dorsal roots

Contain sensory, afferent neurons.

Ventral roots

Contain motor, efferent neurons.

Grey Matter

Consists primarily of neuron cell bodies.

White Matter

Consists primarily of myelinated axons.

Pons

Part of the brainstem is important for relay between the cortex and cerebellum.

Medulla

Damage to this part of the brainstem can cause respiratory arrest.

Diencephalon

Contains the thalamus and hypothalamus.

Cerebellum

A movement control center located in the hindbrain.

Cerebral cortex

Controls voluntary actions, cognition, and perception/awareness.

Neocortex

Mammals have a more complex 6-layer structure of the cortex called this.

Cortical folding

Increases surface area in the brain.

Frontal lobe

Cortical lobe responsible for somatomotor control.

Parietal lobe

Cortical lobe responsible for somatosensory processing.

Gyri

Raised ridges on the cortical surface

Sulci

Grooves on the cortical surface.

Frontal lobe

Lobe involved in reasoning, planning, and problem-solving.

Parietal lobe

Lobe responsible for processing sensory information such as touch, temperature, and pain. Somatosensory cortex

Occipital love

Lobe primarily responsible for visual processing. It interprets visual stimuli from the eyes.

Temporal lobe

Lobe associated with processing auditory information and memory. It plays a key role in language comprehension and emotional responses. Somatomotor cortex

Hommunculus

A visual representation of the areas of the brain associated with specific body parts, illustrating the proportional relationship between brain regions and sensory or motor functions.