ANS 2140L Central Nervous System

What is the endoderm and what does it form?

Inner most lining of cells. They form the gastrointestinal system, lungs, thyroid cells, pancreatic cells.

What is mesoderm and what does it form?

The middle of the three layers. Forms muscles, reproductive structures, bones, and connective tissues

What is ectoderm and what does it form?

The outside layer of the embryo. Gives rise to the epidermis and almost all of the nervous system

What are the two parts of the nervous system?

Somatic nervous system and autonomic system

What are the two elements of the autonomic nervous system and what do they do?

Parasympathetic: governs vegetative functions such as digestion and homeostatic maintenance. Sympathetic: governs fight or flight response

What is the gray matter of the brain?

Contains the cells bodies, nuclei and dendrites of nerve cells along unmyelinated axon. Forms cortex over the cerebrum as well as deeper masses

What is white brain matter?

Contains high concentrations of myelinated axon

What are the three parts of the brain?

Cerebrum, cerebellum, brainstem

What are the meninges?

Connective tissue membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

What do glial cells do?

They are supporting cells, provide nutrition, support, establish blood brain barrier, and make myelin sheath around axons of neurons

What is the cerebrum responsible for?

Higher mental functions contains both grey and white matter. Has thick folds/gyri separated by grooves called sulci.

What are the 5 cerebral lobes?

Frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital, insula

What is the frontal lobe responsible for?

Voluntary motor control, reasoning, planning, emotions, and social judgement

What is the parietal lobe responsible for?

Perceiving sensations from skin, muscle, tendons, and joint receptors.

What does the temporal lobe do?

Contains auditory centers that receive signals from ears. Important for memory

What does the occipital lobe do?

Vision and eye coordination

What does the insula do?

Integrates sensory info from viscera. Role in taste and language function

What does the corpus callosum?

Band of tissue that connects the two halves of the cerebrum. Carries nerve impulses between two cerebral hemisphere (2)

What does the thalamus do?

The relay center for all sensory info going to cerebrum (8)

What does the hypothalamus do?

Regulates many behaviors food, fight, fun (6)

What are the two parts of the pituitary gland?

Anterior and posterior

What does the anterior pituitary do?

Produces and releases GH, TSH, ACTH, FSH, LH, and prolactin

What does the posterior pituitary do?

Releases ADH and oxytocin.

What is the optic chiasm?

Point at which the optic nerves cross over on the way to the brain from the eyes

What is the limbic system?

The part of the forebrain that processes olfactory info and is the neural basis of emotional states

What does the cerebellum do?

Receives input from joint, tendon and muscle receptors and is responsible for coordination of movement (3)

What does the midbrain do?

Control of brain responses to stimuli, eye movements, and vocalization (7)

What does the pons do?

The pathway for nerve fibers passing through from the brain to spinal cord (5)

What does the medulla do and what are the three parts?

Regulation of several autonomic systems. Vasomotor center, cardioinhibitory center, and respiratory center (4)

What does the vasomotor center do?

Contraction or dilation of blood vessels. Regulates blood pressure

What does the cardioinhibitory center do?

Parasympathetic innervation of the heart. Regulates heart rate.

What does the respiratory center do?

Controls respiration rate

What does the cranial nerve do?

Run directly to the brain

What does the vagus nerve do?

Causes salivation, swallowing, and phonation

What does the optic nerve do?

Carries impulses from the eyes to the occipital lobe