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What is the Central Nervous System (CNS) composed of?
The CNS is composed of the brain and spinal cord.
What is cephalization?
Cephalization is the elaboration of the anterior portion of the CNS and an increase in the number of neurons in the head.
What are the two types of matter in the brain?
Gray matter and white matter.
What is the function of the cerebral cortex?
The cerebral cortex enables sensation, communication, memory, understanding, and voluntary movements.
What are the three types of functional areas in the cerebral cortex?
Motor areas, sensory areas, and association areas.
Where is the primary motor cortex located?
The primary motor cortex is located in the precentral gyrus.
What is the role of Broca's area?
Broca's area is a motor speech area that directs the muscles of the tongue and is active when preparing to speak.
What is the primary somatosensory cortex responsible for?
The primary somatosensory cortex is responsible for receiving information from general sensory receptors and proprioceptors.
What does the limbic system do?
The limbic system is responsible for emotional processing, including recognizing anger, fear, and danger.
What forms the blood-brain barrier?
The blood-brain barrier is formed by capillary walls and astrocytes.
What are the three layers of meninges?
The three layers of meninges are dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.
What is the role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
CSF helps nourish the brain, protects from trauma, and provides a liquid cushion for the CNS.
What major structures make up the thalamus?
The thalamus is a central core of the forebrain and consists of paired structures including the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus.
What regulates visceral activities in the body?
The hypothalamus regulates visceral activities such as blood pressure, heart rate, and digestive tract motility.
What are choroid plexuses?
Choroid plexuses are structures that produce cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and cleanse it by removing wastes.
What part of the brainstem connects the midbrain and the medulla oblongata?
The pons connects the midbrain and the medulla oblongata.
Explain the function of the medulla oblongata.
The medulla oblongata contains centers for cardiovascular control and respiratory control, as well as other reflexes.
What is lateralization of cortical function?
Lateralization refers to each hemisphere having abilities not shared with its partner, such as language control being primarily in the left hemisphere.
What is the significance of the arbor vitae?
The arbor vitae is the white matter of the cerebellum, involved in the coordination of movements.
Describe the general organization of gray matter in the spinal cord.
Gray matter in the spinal cord consists of sensory roots and ganglia in the dorsal half and motor roots in the ventral half.
What does the term 'homunculus' refer to?
Homunculus is the topographical representation of the sensory and motor cortexes.
How does age affect the CNS?
Age can bring cognitive declines which are not significant in healthy individuals until they reach their 80s.
