Central Nervous System Flashcards

Flashcards covering the central nervous system, including its structure, function, and protection.

What is nervous tissue made up of?

Made up of neurons and glial cells.

What two structures make up the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

Brain and spinal cord

What is the main role of the CNS?

Receiving, integrating, and sending information using neurons.

What are the four main structures found in the brain?

Cerebrum, cerebellum, diencephalon, and brainstem.

What is the cerebrum?

The uppermost part of the brain.

What are the four main lobes of the cortex?

Frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes.

What structures protect the CNS?

Meninges, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), ventricular system and the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

What is meningitis?

Inflammation of the meninges, potentially life-threatening.

In the CNS, what is a bundle of fibers called?

A bundle of fibers (axons) is called a 'tract'.

What is the corpus callosum?

The major tract linking the left and right brain.

What is the function of ascending and descending tracts in the spinal cord?

Ascending tracts take sensory information up to the brain while descending tracts carry signals down and out to the body.

What are the four main areas of the spinal cord?

Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral.

What is the difference between white and grey matter in the CNS?

White matter is mostly myelinated axons, grey matter is composed of neuronal cell bodies and dendrites.

Which two areas of the spinal cord are wider and contain the neurons for the upper and lower limbs?

The cervical and lumbosacral areas.