Review of Neuroscience for OCT3107 Enabling Occupation: Neurological Rehabilitation

A comprehensive set of questions and answers covering CNS/PNS organization, brain structures, functions, pathways, and clinical signs to aid review for the neuroscience portion of the course.

What are the two major divisions of the nervous system and what does each include?

CNS = brain and spinal cord; integrates and controls. PNS = cranial and spinal nerves; communication lines between CNS and the body.

What are the components of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?

Brain and spinal cord

What are the components of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?

Cranial nerves and spinal nerves that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.

What is white matter and what is grey matter?

White matter = dense collections of myelinated fibers; grey matter = mostly neuron cell bodies and nonmyelinated fibers.

List the major CNS subdivisions described.

Cerebrum, Cerebellum, Diencephalon, Brain stem (midbrain, pons, medulla).

What are the components of the Diencephalon?

Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Epithalamus, Subthalamus.

What is the primary function of the Thalamus?

Final relay point for most ascending sensory information (except smell); regulates consciousness and coordinates basal ganglia and cortex.

What is the role of the Hypothalamus?

Integrates autonomic control and endocrine responses to maintain homeostasis; regulates pituitary function and circadian rhythms.

What does the Epithalamus do?

Connects limbic system to other brain parts and is linked to the pineal gland, which produces melatonin.

What is the Subthalamus associated with?

Part of movement control circuits; involved in neural movement control.

What are the main features of the Midbrain (mesencephalon)?

Peduncles; superior colliculi (visual orientation); inferior colliculi (auditory processing); substantia nigra; contains RAS.

What is the function of the Pons?

Relay center that communicates with the medulla to regulate breathing rate and depth.

What is the function of the Medulla oblongata?

Contains vital cardiorespiratory centers and airway reflexes; decussation points for many motor pathways.

What is the Reticular Activating System (RAS)?

Keeps cortex conscious and alert; filters repetitive or weak stimuli; severe injury can cause coma.

Describe the structure of the Cerebellum.

Has a vermis dividing two hemispheres; three primary lobes: flocculonodular, anterior, and posterior.

What are the main functions of the Cerebellum?

Motor coordination and execution, balance, motor learning; supports cerebellar circuits.

Name the core components of the Basal Ganglia.

Caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus; input via the striatum and output via the pallidum.

List common signs of Basal Ganglia dysfunction.

Movement changes such as tremor, rigidity, difficulty initiating movements; increased muscle tone; altered speech or tics.

What are the major regions of the Frontal Lobe mentioned?

Primary motor cortex, Premotor cortex, Broca’s area, Frontal eye field, and Prefrontal cortex.

What is the function of the Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC)?

Executive functions: goal setting, planning, executing, monitoring; self-awareness and inhibition.

What are typical Frontal Lobe dysfunction signs?

Paralysis, disrupted sequencing, loss of spontaneity, inflexibility, perseverations, attention problems, emotional lability, social/personality changes.

What are the functions of the Parietal Lobe?

Primary somatosensory processing, S1 and S2; association cortex; processing of spatial relationships and problem solving.

What are common Parietal Lobe dysfunctions?

Inattentiveness to objects, anomia, agraphia, alexia, difficulty drawing, left-right confusion, dyscalculia, body-space awareness deficits.

What are the functions of the Occipital Lobe?

Visual processing; primary visual cortex (V1) and secondary areas (V2) for attaching meaning to seen information.

What are common Occipital Lobe dysfunction symptoms?

Visual field cuts; color agnosia; visual hallucinations/illusions; dyslexia; difficulty recognizing objects or words.

What are the functions of the Temporal Lobe?

Primary auditory cortex and auditory processing; Wernicke’s area; memory and language comprehension.

What is prosopagnosia and which lobe is it associated with?

Inability to recognize faces; associated with temporal lobe dysfunction.

Where is the Mirror Neuron System located and what is its role?

Predominantly in the inferior parietal lobule and inferior frontal gyrus; supports understanding goal directed action, imitation, empathy, and theory of mind.

Define Sensation and Perception as described.

Sensation: detection and basic processing of stimuli; Perception: interpretation and integration to form a perceptual map to guide motor plans.

What are the Primary Motor Cortex and its role?

Located in the frontal lobe; initiates voluntary movements.

What are the Major Descending (Motor) Pathways?

Direct (Pyramidal) pathways: Lateral and Ventral corticospinal tracts; Indirect pathways: Tectospinal, Vestibulospinal, Rubrospinal, Reticulospinal.

What is neuroplasticity and how does regeneration differ between the CNS and PNS?

CNS has limited fiber regeneration due to growth-inhibiting proteins from oligodendrocytes; mature neurons are amitotic. In the PNS, axons can regenerate with Schwann cells guiding regrowth.

What is the function of the Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)?

Maintains a stable brain environment by restricting many substances from entering the brain; allows nutrients via facilitated diffusion; limited for fat-soluble substances.