final review part 1 - neuroanatomy

What is the function of directional terms like dorsal, ventral, anterior, and posterior in neuroanatomy?

To describe the location of brain structures relative to each other.

What are the three common anatomical planes used to view the brain?

Sagittal, coronal, and horizontal.

What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?

Central Nervous System (CNS) and Peripheral Nervous System (PNS).

What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system and their functions?

Sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (rest and digest).

What are the meninges?

Protective membranes (dura mater, arachnoid, pia mater) surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

What are the three major divisions of the brain?

Forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain.

What is the main function of the cerebellum?

Coordination of voluntary movements and motor learning.

Which brain region controls breathing and heart rate?

Medulla (part of the brainstem).

Which lobe is involved in visual processing?

Occipital lobe.

Which lobe is involved in motor control and decision-making?

Frontal lobe.

What is the function of the parietal lobe?

Processes sensory input and spatial awareness.

Which lobe is key to memory, emotion, and auditory processing?

Temporal lobe.

What brain structure is crucial for forming new explicit memories?

Hippocampus.

What is the role of the amygdala?

Processes fear and emotional memories.

What happened to patient HM?

Removal of his hippocampus caused severe anterograde amnesia.

What is the role of the basal ganglia?

Regulates voluntary movement.

What causes Parkinson's disease?

Degeneration of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra.

What characterizes Huntington's disease?

Genetic degeneration of neurons in the striatum causing movement and cognitive symptoms.

What is the decussation of the pyramids?

Crossing of motor fibers in the medulla causing contralateral motor control.

What is REM atonia and its purpose?

Muscle paralysis during REM sleep to prevent acting out dreams.

What happens in "blindsight"?

Unconscious visual processing despite cortical blindness.

What initiates the fight or flight response?

The amygdala signals the hypothalamus to activate the autonomic nervous system.

What is the role of the HPA axis in stress?

Releases cortisol to help the body respond to stress.

What does the nucleus accumbens do?

Processes rewards and pleasurable stimuli.

What do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic do in the brain?

Reduce appetite and affect the reward system by modulating dopamine release.