Brain and Spinal Cord Flashcards

Meninges

three connective tissue membranes that envelop the brain

Where do the meninges lay?

between nervous tissue and bone

What are the three layers of meninges?

1. dura mater

2. arachnoid mater

3. pia mater

What do the meninges do?

they protect the brain and provide structural framework for its arteries and veins

Cerebrospinal fluid:

a clear, colorless liquid that fills the ventricles and canals of the CNS and bathes the outer surface of the brain and spinal cord.

How does the production of cerebrospinal fluid begin?

with the filtration of blood plasma through the capillaries of the brain. Specifically, ependymal cells modify the filtrate, so CSF has more Na+ and Cl- than plasma, but less K+, Ca+2, and glucose

What are the three functions of the cerebrospinal fluid?

1. buoyancy

2. protection

3. chemical stability

How does the Cerebrospinal fluid allow for buoyancy?

it allows the brain to attain considerable size without being impaired by its own weight

How does the Cerebrospinal fluid protect the brain?

its thicker consistency protects the brain from striking the cranium when the head is jolted

How does the Cerebrospinal fluid allow for chemical stability in the brain?

the flow of CSF rinses away metabolic wastes from nervous tissue and regulates its chemical environment

The brain is only 2% of the adult body weight, and receives ____ percent of the blood.

15%

What happens if blood flow is interrupted for 10 seconds?

loss of consciousness may occur

What happens if blood flow is interrupted for 1-2 minutes?

significant impairment of neural function may occur

What happens if blood flow is interrupted for 4 minutes?

irreversible brain damage may occur

What are the six sections of the brain?

• frontal lobe

• temporal lobe

• brainstem

• parietal lobe

• occipital lobe

• cerebellum

What is the Frontal Lobe responsible for?

• motor control

• problem solving

• speech production

What is the Temporal Lobe responsible for?

• auditory processing (hearing)

• language comprehension

• memory retrieval

What is the Parietal Lobe responsible for?

• touch perception

• body orientation and sensory discrimination

What is the Occipital Lobe responsible for?

• sight

• visual reception and interpretation

What is the Cerebellum responsible for?

balance and coordination

What is the brainstem responsible for?

involuntary responses

Cerebral lateralization

the difference in the structure and function of the cerebral hemispheres

What does the left hemisphere of the brain specialize in?

• spoken and written language

• sequential and analytical reasoning (math and science)

• breaks info into fragments and analyzes it in a linear way

What does the right hemisphere of the brain specialize in?

• perceives information in a more integrated holistic way

• imagination and insight

• musical and artistic skill

• perception of patterns and spatial relationships

• comparison of sights, sounds, smells, and taste

Reticular Formation

loosely organized web of grey matter than runs vertically through all levels of the brainstem