MCAT Anki Master Study Deck

What comprises the central nervous system (CNS)?

brain and spinal cord

What comprises the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

all nerves in the body except the brain and spinal cord

sensory neurons (afferent neurons)

nerves sending information to the brain (arriving)

motor neurons (efferent neurons)

neurons conveying information from the brain (exiting)

these are quick and involuntary responses to environmental stimuli

reflexes. controlled by direct transmission between afferent and efferent neurons in the spinal cord.

the two subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system

somatic and autonomic

somatic nervous system (SNS)

responsible for voluntary movement of large skeletal muscles

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

controls the nonskeletal muscles (non conscious body functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and digestion)

the two subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system

sympathetic and parasympathetic

sympathetic nervous system

responsible for heightened state of physiological arousal

what system is associated with 'fight or flight response'?

sympathetic nervous system

what system returns the body to homeostasis after a fight or flight response?

parasympathetic nervous system

oldest part of the brain to develop

hindbrain

3 distinct regions of the brain

hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain

components of the hindbrain

cerebellum, medulla oblongata, reticular activating system, and pons

cerebellum

hindbrain, controls muscle tone and balance

medulla oblongata

hindbrain, controls involunatry actions, such as breathing, digestion, heart rate, and swallowing

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

hindbrain, controls arousal (wakefulness)

function of the pons

hindbrain, a waystation for passing neural information from one brain region to another

what part of the hindbrain is implicated in REM sleep?

Pons

function of the Thalamus

forebrain, relays sensory information, receives and directs sensory information from visual and auditory systems.

major components of the midbrain

tectum and tegmentum

the brain's roof

tectum

the brain's floor

tegmentum

governed by tectum and tegmentum

auditory and visual reflexes

two sections of the forebrain

limbic system and cerebral cortex

3 components of the limbic system

hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus

hippocampus function

forebrain, limbic system, involved in processing and integrating new memories.

amygdala

forebrain, limbic system, implicated in anger and frustration.

what is the function of the hypothalamus?

forebrain, limbic system, controls temperature and water of the body, hunger and sex drives, and the sympathetic and endocrine system activation.

the "on switch" for eating

lateral hypothalamus

the "off switch" for eating

ventromedial hypothalamus

wrinkled outer layer of the brain

cerebral cortex

hemisphere associated with language processing

left

damage to Broca's area results in?

loss of ability to speak

damage to Wernicke's area causes?

the inability to comprehend speech

hemisphere of the brain that processes visual and spatial information

right

corpus callosum

band of nerve fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain

function of the frontal lobe

higher level thought and reasoning. working memory, paying attention, solving problems, planning.

parietal lobe

somatosensory information

function of temporal lobe

auditory input

summarize the function of the occipital lobe

visual input. crosses the optic chiasma

what is the technique of extirpation

various brain parts are surgically removed and the consequences observed

what type of neurons are involved in reflex behavior?

interneurons

what is a reflex arc?

sensory neurons > interneurons > motor neurons. Avoiding the brain. Reflexes.

what is the thick sheath of connective tissue covering the brain?

meninges.

what is the function of meninges?

protect the brain, anchor it in the skill, and resorb cerebrospinal fluid.

what are the three layers of the meninges?

dura mater, arachnoid mater, and the pia mater

what is the most primitive region of the brain, including the hindbrain and the midbrain?

the brainstem.

what is the most recent evolutionary development of the brain?

the cerebral cortex

what is the rhombencephalon?

the hindbrain

during embryonic development, the rhombencephalon divides to form what two?

the myelencephalon and the metencephalon

what does the myelencephalon become?

the medulla oblongata

what does the metencephalon become?

the pons and the cerebellum

what would damage to the cerebellum cause?

clumsiness, slurred speech, loss of balance. The cerebellum is affected by alcohol.

what are the two colliculi of the midbrain?

the superior colliculus and the inferior colliculus

what does the superior colliculus receive?

visual sensory input

what does the inferior colliculus receive?

auditory sensory input

what part of the midbrain deals with reactions to loud noises?

the inferior colliculus

what is the prosencephalon?

the forebrain

what is the mesencephalon?

the midbrain

two components of the prosencephalon

telencephalon and diencephalon

what does the telencephalon form?

the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system

what does the diencephalon form?

the thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, and pineal gland

the four Fs of the hypothalamus

Feeding, Fighting, Flighting, and ****ing

When the Lateral Hypathalums (LH) is destroyed, what happens to one's hunger?

One Lacks Hunger (LH)

A lesion to this area of the hypothalamus could lead to obesity

ventromedial hypothalamus

Damage to the anterior hypothalamus could inhibit what?

sexual activity.

What does the posterior pituitary release? (hormones)

ADH (antidiuretic hormone), and oxytocin.

what hormone does the pineal gland release?

melatonin

what does the pineal gland regulate with melatonin?

circadian rhythms

Parkinson's disease is associated with damage to this area of the brain

basal ganglia

what is the function of the basal ganglia?

coordinate muscle movement and make us smooth.

this part of the limbic system is associated with pleasure and addictive behavior

the septal nuclei

long stem which the hippocampus uses to communicate with other parts of the limbic system

fornix

removal of this part of the brain could result in anterograde amnesia

hippocampus

two regions of the frontal lobe

the prefrontal lobes and the motor cortex

function of the prefrontal cortex

executive functions, supervision.

What is an association area of the brain?

An area that integrates input from diverse brain regions.

Is the prefrontal cortex an example of an association area?

yes

the contrast of an association area

a projection area

what does a projection area perform?

rudimentary perceptual or motor tasks

is the visual cortex a projection area or an association area?

a projection area

In which lobe and hemisphere is Broca's area?

frontal lobe, left (dominant) hemisphere

What is the function of the motor cortex?

Initiate voluntary motor movements

What projection area is contained in the parietal lobe?

the somatosensory cortex

what does the somatosensory cortex do?

destination for incoming signals of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.

What cortex is contained in the occipital lobes?

the visual (striate) cortex

What cortex is contained in the temporal lobes?

the auditory cortex

This hemisphere is usually dominant

left

this hemisphere is usually nondominant

right

this hemisphere is more analytic in function

dominant (left)

this hemisphere is associated with inuition and creativity

nondominant (right)

This hemisphere contains Broca's and Wernicke's area

dominant (left)

Behavior controlled with acetylcholine

voluntary muscle control, parasympathetic nervous system, attention, alertness

behavior controlled with epinephrine and norepinephrine

fight-or-flight responses, wakefulness, alertness

behavior associated with dopamine

smooth movements, postural stability

behavior associated with serotonin

mood, sleep, eating, dreaming

behavior associated with GABA and glycine

brain 'stabilization'

behavior associated with glutamate

brain excitation