Nervous System Significant Regulatory and control Structures

brain

receives and processes sensory info, initiates responses, stores memories, and generates thoughts and emotions

spinal cord

conducts signals to and from the brain; controls reflex activities

motor neurons

neurons that conduct info from the CNS to the muscles

sensory neurons

neurons that conduct info from the sensory organs to the CNS

somatic nervous system

controls voluntary movement

autonomic nervous system

controls involuntary responses

sympathetic nervous system

controls fight or flight

parasympathetic nervous system

controls rest or digest functions

oxygen

— passes freely across blood-brain barrier

15

Brain receives —% of blood pumped by heart

Brain

— responsible for about half of body’s glucose consumption

Membrane transporters

— move glucose from plasma into the brain interstitial fluid

hypoglycemia

Progressive — leads to confusion, unconsciousness, and death

excitatory, inhibitory

interneurons can be — or —

interneurons

— link other neurons together

Interneurons

— maintain homeostasis in the internal environment.

thalamus

the — is the sensory relay station

cerebellum

the — is responsible for fine motor control

reticular formation

The brain stem — is a primitive network specialized for various kinds of simple integration.

reticular formation

1^st neurons to mature during development

reticular formation

1^st neurons to be well developed in primitive vertebrates

bipolar, multipolar

reticular formation neurons have “primitive” shape:  simple — or —

75

About —% of the ATP in the brain goes to the sodium potassium pump

• We need the Na+/K+ ATPase to maintain the resting membrane potential

thalamus

 receives sensory information from all over the body

• decides what part of the brain to send the info to

pons

• Secondary respiratory control system (not the primary)

• Smooths out and regulates breathing (doesn't MAKE you breathe)

  • Modulation of breathing

medulla

• Primary respiratory control system (are you breathing or not)

• Cardiovascular control center (regulate heart rate

• Swallowing control center

  • Makes sure you don't swallow your tongue/keeps you from choking to death

• Vomiting control center

  • If there is a toxin that is dangerous to your body, your medulla makes you throw up

hypothalamus

monitoring homeostatic variables

• Endocrine functions

medulla

— contains the swallowing control center

• Makes sure you don't swallow your tongue/keeps you from choking to death

medulla

The — contains the vomiting control center

• If there is a toxin that is dangerous to your body, your medulla makes you throw up

medulla

Primary respiratory control system (are you breathing or not) is found in the —

medulla

Cardiovascular control center (regulate heart rate) is found in the —

diencephalon

the — contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary, and pineal gland

midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata

the brain stem contains the —, —, and —

midbrain

• Controls visual and auditory reflexes

• Contains cerebral peduncles and corpora quadrigemina

• Involved in eye movements and posture

medulla, pons, midbrain

the reticular formation has cell bodies in the —, —, and — (main regions of the brainstem)

forebrain, spinal cord

RF axons run long distances to the — and the —

behavioral states

The reticular formation sends axons to the forebrain to regulate —

sensory, motor

The reticular formation sends axons to the spinal cord to regulate — and — information

serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, acetylcholine

The reticular formation uses —, —, —, and — as neurotransmitters

• slow acting

ECF, modulatory

Some RF neurons do not appear to have well defined postsynaptic structures; just release transmitter into cerebral —

(suggested as a “—” function)

cardiovascular, respiration, pain sensitivity

RF functions:

• — reflexes

• organization of the pattern of —

• sensory integration: regulation of —

• alerting of the cerebral cortex (“state” control)

diffuse modulatory systems

Act as modulators of sensory and cognitive processes

Originate mainly in the reticular formation of the brainstem

Regulate:

• Attention and alertness

• Learning and memory

• Mood and arousal

• Sensory signal filtering

Noradrenergic, Serotonergic, Dopaminergic, Cholinergic

Four diffuse modulatory systems

• —

• —

• —

• —

locus coeruleus

noradrenergic neurons originate in the —

raphe nuclei

serotonergic neurons originate in the —

substantia nigra, ventral tegumentum

dopaminergic neurons originate in the — and —

cerebrum, pons, midbrain

cholinergic neurons originate in the —, —, and —

hypothalamus

• “Activates” nervous system

• Maintains body temperature

• Controls body osmolarity

• Controls reproductive functions

• Controls food intake

limbic system

The hypothalamus interacts with the — to influence behavior and emotions

hypothalamus

the — secretes trophic hormones that control release of hormones from anterior pituitary gland

hypothalamus

the — influences cardiovascular control center in medulla oblongata

hypothalamus, pons, medulla

autonomic control centers in the brain: —, —, and —