Brain: Anatomy, Function, and Protection

Flashcards for reviewing brain anatomy, function, and protection mechanisms.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Composed of the brain and spinal cord; receives and processes sensory information to generate motor responses.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

All neural structures outside the brain and spinal cord; provides links to and from the external environment.

Neurons

Communicating cells within the nervous system.

Neuroglia

Supporting cells that protect the nervous system and provide metabolic support for neurons; found in the CNS and PNS.

Oligodendrocyte

Neuroglia in the CNS that insulate axons with myelin.

Astrocyte

Neuroglia in the CNS that support and anchor neurons to capillaries.

Microglial Cell

Phagocytic cell in the CNS involved in inflammatory responses.

Ependymal Cell

Neuroglia in the CNS that line interior cavities (ventricles).

Schwann Cells

Specialized glial cells which surround axons in nerves in the PNS.

Cerebral Hemispheres

Surface anatomy of brain; contains the cerebral cortex (outer layer).

Cerebellum

Surface anatomy of brain.

Brain Stem

Surface anatomy of brain.

Nuclei

Groups of neurons which perform similar functions (often called ganglia in the PNS).

Gyri

Elevated ridges on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Sulci

Grooves between gyri on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Fissures

Deeper grooves that separate larger regions of the brain.

Frontal Lobe

Controls voluntary movement, planning, attention, decision making, and personality.

Parietal Lobe

Deals with body sensation, language comprehension, and audiovisual integration.

Occipital Lobe

Responsible for visual processing.

Temporal Lobe

Involved in auditory processing.

Insula

The fifth lobe of the brain.

Motor Areas

Functional area of the cerebral cortex that controls voluntary movement.

Sensory Areas

Functional area of the cerebral cortex that is responsible for awareness of sensation.

Association Areas

Functional area of the cerebral cortex that integrates diverse information.

Primary Motor Cortex

Located in precentral gyrus; controls motor activity of limbs and speech.

Premotor Cortex

Controls learned, repetitious, or patterned motor skills.

Broca's Area

Speech area present in one hemisphere only (usually the left).

Frontal Eye Field

Controls voluntary eye movements.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Located in postcentral gyrus; receives info. from sensory receptors of skin and proprioceptors.

Somatosensory Association Cortex

Integrates sensory inputs to produce understanding of an object felt (size, texture, relationship of parts).

Primary Visual Cortex

Located posterior tip of occipital lobe; receives visual inputs from retina of eye.

Visual Association Area

Interprets visual input for recognition and location of visual objects using past visual experience.

Primary Auditory Cortex

Located next to lateral sulcus on temporal lobe; receives auditory information from hearing receptors of inner ear.

Auditory Association Cortex

Perception of the sound stimulus; associates with memorized sounds.

Wernicke's Area

Processes language/speech recognition, integrating with vision for reading.

Primary Olfactory Cortex

Smell receptors in nasal cavity send impulse along olfactory tracts to the olfactory cortex.

Gustatory Cortex

Perception of taste stimuli (located in insula lobe).

Association Fibers

Connect areas within the same cerebral hemisphere.

Commissural Fibers

Connect gray areas of the two cerebral hemispheres.

Projection Fibers

Connect lower brain or cord to both cerebral hemispheres.

Basal Nuclei (Ganglia)

Subcortical nuclei deep within cortical hemisphere; influence muscular activity and regulate attention/cognition.

Diencephalon

Central core of the forebrain, surrounded by cerebral hemispheres; consists of thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus.

Thalamus

Gateway and relay station for information coming into the cerebral cortex.

Hypothalamus

Visceral control center; important for homeostasis; controls autonomic nervous system, physical responses to emotion, body temperature regulation, etc.

Epithalamus

Most dorsal portion of the diencephalon; contains pineal gland (secretes melatonin) and choroid plexus (secretes CSF).

Midbrain

Contains visual (superior colliculi) and auditory (inferior colliculi) reflex centers.

Pons

Relays information from the cerebrum to the cerebellum; cooperates with the medullary respiratory centers to control respiratory rate and depth.

Medulla Oblongata

Contains visceral nuclei controlling heart rate, blood vessel diameter, respiratory rate, vomiting, coughing, etc.

Cerebellum

Processes information from cerebral motor cortex, proprioceptors, and visual and equilibrium pathways; responsible for proper balance and posture.

Limbic System

Deals with anger, danger, and fear responses, and memory processing.

Reticular Formation

Loose cluster of neurons which extends through the central core of the brain stem; RAS maintains cerebral cortical alertness.

Brain Waves

Continuous electrical activity measured with electroencephalogram (EEG).

Meninges

Three layers (dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater) that support the brain, spinal cord, and its blood vessels.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Protects brain and SC from trauma, brain floats in CSF, provides some nutrients to brain.

Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB)

Brain blood vessels have continuous tight junctions between endothelial cells, surrounded by basement membrane and wrapped by astrocyte processes.