the nervous system (the brain and spinal cord)

meninges

the outer covering of the brain and spinal cord; its purpose is to protect and cushion

dura mater

"tough mother," outermost layer of the meninges; composed of tough connective tissue; well supplied with blood vessels

subdural space

between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater

arachnoid mater

deep to the dura mater, delicate and web-like with no blood vessels

the subarachnoid space

between arachnoid mater and pia mater, this space is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

plasma-like clear fluid circulating in and around the brain and spinal cord, protects and serves as a shock absorber for the cerebrum and spinal cord

pia mater

"tender mother," the innermost layer of the meninges; composed of thin, delicate, and highly vascular (full of blood vessels) tissue that sticks to the grooves and convolutions of the brain and spinal cord

subdural hematoma

results in a build up of blood on the surface of the brain; occurs in the subdural space; usually caused by head trauma

subarachnoid hematoma

an accumulation of blood on the surface of the brain; occurs in the subarachnoid space

cerebral ventricles

spaces/cavities that are located deep within the brain; filled with CSF and it is also manufactured here; four of them (lateral ventricle x2, third ventricle, fourth ventricle)

interventricular foramen

connects the lateral ventricle to the third ventricle

cerebral aqueduct

connects the third and fourth ventricles, located in the midbrain

hydrocephalus

caused by excessive CSF or excessive pressure; can result in permanent brain damage unless it is diagnosed and treated promptly

cerbral cortex

the outer covering of the cerebrum, deep to the meninges, the "gray matter" comprised of neuron cell bodies, composed of 3-6 layers of neurons, very convoluted

gyri/gyrus

ridges/raised portions of the cortex

sulci/sulcus

the shallow depression of the cortex

fissures

deep grooves of the cortex

longitudinal fissure

divides left and right hemispheres

central sulcus

divides anterior and posterior parts of the brain

lateral sulcus

separates the brain into superior and inferior parts

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

left hemisphere

language center of the brain, contains Broca's and Wernicke's areas

right hemisphere

associated with cognitive skills, music, and nonverbal aspects of communication such as pragmatics, expression of emotions, etc.

frontal lobe

largest lobe; controls most volitional motor activity, language and speech in the left hemisphere, abstract functions such as reasoning and problem solving, personality, initiation and inhibition, and emotional control; motor strip is located here

precentral gyrus

motor strip/primary motor cortex, immediately anterior to the central sulcus, posterior boarder of the frontal lobe; the initiation point of most volitional movement, organized so that the control of specific body structures is located in specific places; the left hemisphere motor strip controls the right side of the body and visa versa

Broca's area

the lateral portion of the inferior part of the motor strip; critical to the production of speech

parietal lobe

responsible for: receiving and processing sensory information from the body and proprioception; located posterior to the frontal lobe, begin with the sensory strip on the post central gyrus

primary sensory cortex

located on the postcentral gyrus, receives sensory information from the body, left hemisphere sensory strip receives info from the right side of the body and visa versa

homunculus

neurons for specific tasks in the body are located on specific locations on the motor strip and sensory strip, the size of a body part does not indicate how many neurons will be involved in its function

temporal lobe

just inferior to the lateral sulcus; important for hearing (contains the primary auditory cortex), understanding/interpreting auditory information, contains Wernicke's area

Wernicke's area

in the left temporal lobe, critical for the comprehension of speech

arcuate fasciculus

nerve pathway that connects Broca's and Wernicke's areas

occipital lobe

most posterior part of the cerebrum, dedicated to the receiving and processing of visual information

brodmann's areas

in 1914, Dr. Brodmann divided and mapped out areas of the cerebral cortex according to structure and function, he assigned these areas numbers, identifying 52

subcortical structures

beneath the cerebral cortex, responsible for more automatic functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and digestive system; structures include: brainstem, cerebellum, thalamus, basal ganglia (nuclei), and the limbic system

brainstem

has three separate structures, immediately inferior to the cerebrum; connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord, site of many important reflexes such as swallowing and respiration, site of origin for 10 of the cranial nerves

midbrain

most superior part of the brainstem, important for reflexes such as the startle reflex to loud sounds

cerebral peduncles

located in the midbrain, house all the communicating pathways leading to and from the cerebrum

inferior and superior colliculi

located in the midbrain, grey matter which are important auditory centers

substantia nigra

produces the neurotransmitter dopamine; when it fails, it can lead to parkinson's disease, also part of the midbrain and basal ganglia

pons

connects the midbrain and the medulla; includes nerve pathways that bridge the cerebellum and the rest of the nervous system; essentially a pathway

the medulla

connects the spinal cord to the pons; the site of decussation of many of the motor tracts that descend through the brain stem; mediates many reflexes such as coughing, sneezing, and vomiting

decussate

to cross or intersect to form an "X"

internal capsule

a nerve tract that runs between the thalamus and the cerebral cortex

corona radiata

a continuation of the internal capsule up to the cerebral cortex

reticular formation

a series of nuclei (groups of neuronal soma) which are spread between the structures of the brainstem including the midbrain, pons, and medulla; regulates arousal and respiration

the spinal cord

a continuation of the brain stem, encased in protective meninges, protected by the bony vertebral column, contains 31 pairs of spinal nerves that run to all muscles of the body except for the head and neck

limbic system

made up of the most medial parts of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes

limbic system functions

memory, emotions, sense of motivation, fight-or-flight, and sense of pleasure

limbic system problems

disturbances could create anxiety disorder, panic attacks, and emotional imbalances

parts of the limbic system

hippocampus, amygdala, fornix, septal nuclei, mammillary bodies

subcortical grey matter areas

areas of grey matter deep within the brain, includes that basal ganglia (nuclei), thalamus, hypothalamus

basal ganglia include

caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, substantia nigra

basal ganglia functions

important for regulating motor control; have complex circuitry and interconnections between themselves and other parts of the CNS, essentially passes signals throughout the cerebrum to change/fine tune motor control; moderates movement in order to: control balance, maintain background muscle tone, control very precise voluntary movements through inhibition, refine signals that they get from the cerebral cortex

thalamus

called the "gateway to consciousness" or the "gateway to the mind" because all information traveling to the cerebral cortex (sensory information) except for smell passes through the thalamus; both sends information to the cerebral cortex and also receives information from the cerebral cortex; considered to be a relay station; helps us focus attention and/or determine which stimuli to filter out

hypothalamus

contains nuclei that are involved in sensory and motor control of unconscious functions such as hormones, body temperature, reproductive behaviors, hunger, sleep-wake, and blood pressure; connects with the limbic system, pituitary gland, and the brainstem

cerebellum structure

posterior to the brainstem and inferior to the cerebrum; connects to the brain stem by way of the cerebellar peduncles, has extensive connections to other motor centers; additionally, it receives extensive sensory input; has 2 hemispheres with a thick band of white matter (axons) connecting; the pons connects the cerebellum to the brain stem via the cerebellar peduncles

vermis

white matter band that connects cerebellar hemispheres

three lobes of the cerebellum

anterior, posterior, flocculonodular

arbor vitae

inner mass of cerebellum composed of branching white matter

cerebellum functions

it does not initiate movement but it does… mediate movement/fine tune motor movements, control and refine voluntary movements in terms of force and speed, address timing, control perception of body in space, receives info from the 8th cranial nerve

problems with the cerebellum

ataxia -> ataxic gait (walking pattern) and ataxic speech (dysarthria)

ataxia

loss of coordinated voluntary movement; symptoms could include poor balance, a wide-based gait, tremors, and/or imprecision with motor movements