Central Nervous System Lecture Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the Central Nervous System, brain anatomy, lobes, specialized structures, protection mechanisms, and clinical conditions based on lecture notes.

Anterior end of embryonic neural tube

The portion of the embryonic neural tube that develops into the brain.

Posterior end of embryonic neural tube

The portion of the embryonic neural tube that develops into the spinal cord.

Cerebral hemispheres (cerebrum)

The paired (left and right) superior parts of the brain that comprise the largest portion of the brain, weighing approximately $1450\,g$ in females and $1600\,g$ in males.

Gyri

Elevated ridges on the surface of the cerebrum.

Sulci

Shallow grooves on the surface of the cerebrum.

Fissures

Deep grooves that divide the cerebrum into different regions or lobes.

Frontal lobe

The lobe of the cerebrum that contains the primary (somatic) motor cortex and is responsible for precise or skilled voluntary movements and learned motor skills.

Temporal lobe

The lobe of the cerebrum housing the olfactory and auditory cortex.

Parietal lobe

The lobe involved in the reception and evaluation of sensory information, excluding smell, hearing, and vision.

Occipital lobe

The lobe of the cerebrum responsible for vision and the integration of visual input.

Contralateral control

The principle where the left primary motor cortex controls muscles on the right side of the body, and the right primary motor cortex controls muscles on the left side.

Left cerebral hemisphere

The hemisphere that typically has greater control over language, math, and logic; individuals dominant in this hemisphere tend to be right-handed.

Right cerebral hemisphere

The hemisphere involved in intuition, emotion, and artistic and musical skills; individuals dominant in this hemisphere tend to be left-handed.

Cerebral cortex (gray matter)

The outer layer of the cerebrum, about $2-4\,mm$ thick, composed mostly of interneuronal cell bodies and involved in higher brain functions like speech, memory, and consciousness.

Cerebral medulla (white matter)

The internal portion of the cerebrum containing myelinated nerve tracts responsible for communication between cerebral areas and lower CNS centers.

Corpus callosum

A dense band of myelinated nerve tracts that allows communication between the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Basal nuclei

Internal islands of gray matter dispersed in the inferior cerebrum, diencephalon, and midbrain that are important in controlling and modifying motor functions.

Parkinson's disease

A degenerative disorder resulting from the loss of dopamine-releasing neurons, leading to tremors at rest and overactive basal nuclei.

Thalamus

A bilateral egg-shaped nuclei in the diencephalon that serves as a relay station for sensory information and provides crude recognition of sensations as pleasant or unpleasant.

Hypothalamus

The main visceral control center of the body located under the thalamus; it regulates body temperature, food intake, water balance, and the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.

Epithalamus

The diencephalon structure that forms the roof of the 3rd ventricle and contains the pineal gland and choroid plexus.

Brain stem

A structure comprising only $2.5\%$ of brain mass that attaches to the spinal cord and includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Medulla oblongata

The most inferior part of the brain stem that functions as the autonomic control center for heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and swallowing.

Cerebellum

The part of the brain accounting for approximately $11\%$ of total brain mass that provides involuntary coordination, precise timing of skeletal muscle contraction, and agility.

Dura mater

The external layer of the meninges consisting of the periosteum and the meningeal layer.

Arachnoid mater

The middle layer of the meninges characterized by the subarachnoid space containing cerebrospinal fluid.

Pia mater

The innermost delicate membrane of the meninges that is attached directly to the CNS structures.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

A protective fluid cushion formed by the choroid plexus that provides buoyancy to the CNS, reducing brain weight by approximately $97\%Reference$.

Blood brain barrier

Tight junctions between endothelial blood vessel cells that prevent large molecules from entering the CSF while allowing lipid-soluble substances like nicotine and alcohol.

Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVAs)

Commonly known as strokes, these involve brain tissue death due to blood deprivation caused by hemorrhagic or ischemic events.

Alzheimer's Disease

A progressive degenerative brain disease characterized by beta-amyloid protein deposits and neurofibrillary tangles, leading to dementia.

Cauda equina

The collection of individual nerves extending below the L2 level where the spinal cord has ended.

Flaccid paralysis

Loss of muscle tone and voluntary/involuntary movement caused by severe damage to the ventral root or ventral horn cells.

Spastic paralysis

Jerky, uncontrolled movements caused by damage to the cerebral cortex, occurring while spinal reflexes remain intact.

Quadriplegic

Paralysis affecting all four limbs, usually resulting from spinal cord damage in the cervical area.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, a neuromuscular condition involving the progressive destruction of ventral horn motor neurons.

Cerebral angiography

A diagnostic procedure where dye is injected into blood vessels to take an x-ray of the brain's arteries.