Nervous System Pt. 2

what are the divisions of the brain?

cerebrum, brainstem, diencephalon, cerebellum

what are the protective structures of the brain?

ventricles and meninges

what are ventricles?

cavities within the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid

what are the characteristics of dura mater?

anchored to the bone, fibers of the dura mater fuse with the skull slightly

what are gyri?

mountainous raised parts of the brain

what are sulci?

grooves, canyons of the brain

what are fissures of the brain?

even deeper groove of the brain

what is special about the left and right central sulcus?

it is the only sulci that goes from top to bottom, doesn’t meander

what is the transverse fissure?

separates the cerebrum from the cerebellum

what is the corpus callosum?

the internal part of the cerebrum

what is the corpus callosum made up of?

white fibers that connect both left and right sides of the hemispheres so they can communicate

what is the function of the frontal lobe responsible for?

higher executive functioning, reasoning, and decision making skills

what is parietal lobe responsible for?

receiving sensory information

what is the temporal lobe responsible for?

hearing and smell sensory information

what is the occipital lobe responsible for?

receive and interpret visual information

what is a primary area?

portion of the brain that allows for direct processing of primary input from the body, can be sensory or motor

what is an association area?

portion of the brain that associates with other lobes of the brain to be able to gather information

what is broca’s area?

area responsible for voluntary speech production, located in the frontal lobe

what is wernicke’s area?

area responsible for understanding speech, located in the temporal lobe

what is consciousness?

the state of being awake and aware of one’s surroundings

what does the medulla oblongata contain

tracts that ascend or descend between spinal cord and higher centers

what vital life sustaining operations are controlled by medulla oblongata?

hearbeat regulation, breathing, vasoconstriction, vomiting, coughing, swallowing, hiccuping,

what is the function of the pons?

pairs with medulla for regulation of heartbeat

what is the pons contain?

bundles of axons traveling between the cerebellum and other parts of the CNS

what is the midbrain?

a relay station for tracts passing between cerebrum and spinal cord or cerebellum

what is the function of the superior and inferior colliculi?

controls head and neck and movement at sudden visual or auditory stimuli

what reflex centers does the midbrain house?

visual, auditory, and tactile

what makes up the diencephalon?

hypothalamus, thalamus, epithalamus

what is the function of the hypothalamus?

maintains homeostasis, serves as the center for regulating basic body functions like hunger and sleep

what does the hypothalamus control?

the pituitary gland

what is special about the hypothalamus?

serves as the link between the endocrine and nervous systems

what is a neurosecretory cell?

a cell found in the hypothalamus that responds to nervous signals and produce hormones

what is the function of the thalamus?

relay station for all sensory impulses except smell! traveling to the brain

what is the function of the epithalamus?

houses the pineal gland!

what is the function of the pineal gland?

secretes melatonin and regulates sleep-wake cycle

what is the function of the cerebellum?

coordinates body movements, relays information to motor cortex, maintains balance and muscle tone

what is the function of the anterior and posterior lobes of the cerebellum?

receive information from the body trunk and influences motor actions of the trunk

what is the function of the vermis?

coordinate motor actions of limb movements

what is the function of the cerebellar peduncles?

connects cerebellum to the other parts of the brain

what is special about the limbic system?

connects the conscious and unconscious brain

what is the function of the limbic system?

to connect portions of frontal, temporal, thalamus, and hypothalamus

what is the function of the cingulate gyrus?

helps connect the lobes of the cerebrum

what is the function of the hippocampus?

serves as the relay center for memories, allows for the storage and retrieval of memories

what is the function of the amygdala?

responsible for rage and anger

what is the fornix?

bundle of nerve fibers that connect to the hippocampus

what is the function of the mamillary bodies?

assists with memory of smell, fibers project into the thalamus

what is the limbic system responsible for emotionally?

emotional aspects of behavior outcomes, stimulation of different areas cause a variety of emotional responses

what is the span of short term memory?

a few seconds

what is the span of long term memory?

hours to years

are memories stored in one location of the brain?

no!

what is the function of basal ganglia?

coordinates with cerebellum to regulate motor planning

what is the relationship between basal ganglia and the cerebral cortex?

basal ganglia has an inhibitory effect on the cerebral cortex, slows and controls precise movements

what is apraxia?

difficulty with motor planning, which results in rigid movements

what is the beginning and end of the spinal cord?

brainstem and conus medullaris

what are features that protect the spinal cord?

vertebral column, spinal meninges, csf, and filum terminale

what is the epidural space?

a space in spinal column between bone and dura mater, filled with adipose tissue to protect

what is the function of the filum terminale?

to anchor the spinal cord to the coccyx, specifically the conus medullaris

what is a spinal tap?

the removal of CSF in the spinal column space for testing

what region of the spine do they usually take a spinal tap from?

subarachnoid space inferior to L1

what is the function of white matter in the spinal cord?

it is the elevators of the spinal cord!

what is the gray commissure?

crossbar of gray matter in the middle

what is the functions of the anterior horn of the spinal cord?

aids in voluntary actions, and houses somatic motor neurons, also serves as a pathway for motor neurons

what is the function of posterior horns?

serves as a pathway for sensory neurons

lateral horns of the spinal cord are only at which level?

thoracic!

what do the lateral horns house, and what is its function?

autonomic sympathetic motor neurons, and carries motor information out to visceral organs

what is the function of somatic nervous system receptors?

to receive environmental stimuli, intimate nerve impulses towards the CNS

what is the function of somatic nervous system effectors

bring about reaction to stimulus in the PNS

what are sensory cranial nerves?

cranial nerves that only detect incoming information

what are motor cranial nerves

cranial nerves that only relay outgoing information

what are mixed cranial nerves

cranial nerves that have both sensory and motor neurons traveling together

what are special sensory cranial nerves

carry information responsible for special senses

what kind of nerve is the olfactory nerve

special sensory

what is unique about the olfactory nerve?

only cranial nerve that is attached to the cerebrum

what is the olfactory nerve responsible for?

sense of smell

what kind of nerve is the optic nerve?

special sensory

what is the optic nerve responsible for?

sense of sight

where do the optic nerves end

at the retinas of each eye

what kind of nerve is the oculomotor nerve

motor nerve

what is the oculomotor nerve responsible for?

movement of the eye, and pupil dialtion

what kind of nerve is the trochlear nerve

motor nerve

what is the trochlear nerve responsible for?

movement of the superior oblique muscle of the eye

what is special about the trigeminal nerve?

it has three branches!

what kind of nerve is the trigeminal nerve?

mixed

what is the opthalmic branch responsible for

sensation of skin on forehead, eyebrows, and upper part of nose

what is the maxillary branch of trigeminal nerve responsible for?

sensation of skin of the lower eyelids, upper lip, upper gums, and upper teeth

what is the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve responsible for

sensation of lower gums and lower teeth and lips, hot cold and pressure sensation on tongue and the motor movement of the muscles of masticaiton

what are the three branches of the trigeminal nerve?

opthalmic, maxillary, mandibular

what kind of nerve is the abducens?

motor

what is the abducens responsible for?

movement of the eye (lateral rectus) and abduction of the eye

what kind of nerve is the facial nerve?

mixed → sensory and motor

what is the facial nerve responsible for?

sensation of the tongue, taste on the anterior part of tongue, tear glands, and nasal mucous glands

what kind of nerve is the vestibulocochlear nerve?

special sensory

what is the vestibularcochlear nerve responsible for?

vestibular branch is responsible for balance and equilibrium, cochlear branch is responsible for hearing

what kind of nerve the the glossopharyngeal nerve?

mixed

what is the glossopharyngeal nerve responsible for?

sensory → taste on the posterior portion of the tongue, motor → muscles for swallowing, visceral motor →salivary glands

what kind of nerve is the vagus nerve?

mixed

what is the vagus nerve responsible for?

digestion, heart rate, sensation of digestive tract

what kind of nerve is the spinal accessory nerve?

motor

what is the spinal accessory nerve responsible for?

rotation of the head, movement of the upper shoulders

what kind of nerve is the hypoglossal nerve?

motor