Central Nervous System and Brain Structure Flashcards

Flashcards based on lecture notes about the central nervous system and brain structure.

What are the functions of the Cerebrum?

Performs higher mental functions, interprets sensory stimuli, plans and initiates movement.

What are the functions of the Diencephalon?

Processes, integrates, and relays information; maintains homeostasis; regulates biological rhythms.

What are the functions of the Cerebellum?

Monitors and coordinates movement; maintains homeostasis.

What are the functions of the Brainstem?

Controls certain reflexes; monitors movement; integrates and relays information.

What is cerebral gray matter composed of?

Unmyelinated axons, dendrites, and cell bodies found in the basal nuclei and cortex.

What are tracts (white matter) made of?

Myelinated axons within the CNS.

What do commissural tracts connect?

Connects right and left hemispheres.

What do association tracts connect?

Connect areas within a hemisphere.

What do projection tracts connect?

Connects upper and lower areas and forms the corona radiata.

What is a Sulcus (sulci)?

Depression or groove on the cerebrum.

What does the central sulcus separate?

Separates the frontal and parietal lobes.

What is a Gyrus (gyri)?

Ridge on the cerebrum.

Where is the pre central gyrus located?

Anterior to the central sulcus.

Where is the post central gyrus located?

Posterior to the central sulcus.

What are Fissures?

Deeper grooves on the cerebrum.

What does the longitudinal fissure separate?

Separates the left and right hemispheres of the cerebrum.

What is the frontal lobe responsible for?

Voluntary motor movements, and cognitive functions like foresight and personality.

What does the parietal lobe do?

Interprets information from the general senses as well as written and spoken languages.

What does the temporal lobe do?

Processes hearing and smell, and helps to integrate memories with sensations.

What does the occipital lobe do?

Receives and processes information about vision.

What does the insula do?

Processes taste (gustatory).

What are the Meninges?

Three layers of connective tissue that line the CNS.

What is the Dura mater?

Outer layer, dense irregular tissue of the meninges.

What is the Arachnoid mater?

Middle layer of the meninges, collagen and elastin fibers.

What is the Subarachnoid space?

Below arachnoid mater, CSF circulation.

What is the Pia mater?

Areolar connective, thin membrane of the meninges.

What is Meningitis?

Inflammation of the meningeal layers due to a virus or bacterial infection.

What are Ventricles?

Chambers lined by ependymal cells and filled with CSF.

What are the Lateral Ventricles?

In cerebral hemisphere, largest and paired ventricles.

Where is the Third Ventricle located?

Within the lower cerebral hemisphere.

Where is the Fourth Ventricle located?

Continuous with the third ventricle, and connects to the spinal cord.

What is the function of Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF)?

Fills the ventricles and the subarachnoid space.

Where does CSF form?

In the choroid plexus in the wall of the ventricles.

What is CSF made of?

Filtered blood at the choroid plexus (mass of capillaries).

Where does CSF circulate?

The ventricles out the apertures and into the subarachnoid space.

Where is CSF pushed out of the arachnoid layer?

At the arachnoid granulations into the sagittal sinus.

What is Hydrocephalus?

Occurs when there is a blockage in the flow of CSF.

What is the blood-brain barrier?

Around the capillaries in the brain, regulated by astrocytes.

What is the Cerebral cortex?

Outermost gray matter, area where everything you process consciously.

What do primary motor areas and primary sensory areas do?

Initiate movement and primary sensory areas receive stimuli.

Where is the primary motor cortex located?

In the frontal lobe and initiates voluntary movement in the upper motor neurons (interneurons).

What is Somatotopy?

Body is represented as an upside down map over a region of the brain (primary motor cortex).

Where is the premotor cortex located?

Anterior to the primary motor cortex and it helps to plan, guide and coordinate movement.

What are the frontal eye fields responsible for?

Responsible for lateral eye movements.

What is the primary somatosensory area for?

Received information from the somatic senses.

What is the Somatotopy of the primary somatosensory cortex?

Body is represented as an upside down map over a region of the brain.

What does the somatosensory association cortex do?

Interprets information from the primary somatosensory area.

Where is the primary visual cortex?

In the occipital lobe and receives visual input.

What is the visual association area for?

Interprets vision - processes color, object movement and depth.

Where is the primary auditory cortex?

In the temporal lobe and receives auditory stimuli.

What is the auditory association area for?

Interprets auditory stimuli.

What do the gustatory and olfactory cortex process?

Processes taste and the olfactory cortex processes smell.

What do multimodal areas do?

Process many tasks and are where thoughts, emotions and sensations become conscious.

What do Broca's area and Wernicke's area do?

Initiates speech and Wernicke's area integrates speech (allows understanding to words).

What does the prefrontal cortex do?

Most of the frontal lobe and processes modulating behavior, personality, learning working memory, and psychological state.

What is the limbic system?

Regulates our response to emotions.

What is the Limbic lobe?

Grey matter involved in memory formation, retrieval and learning.

What is the Hippocampus?

Grey matter involved in learning and memory.

What is the Amygdala?

Grey matter involved in expressing fear.

What are the Fornix?

Output tracts for the limbic system.

Where is the Thalamus located?

At the physical center of the brain, filters info.

What does the Hypothalamus do?

Regulates much of ANS, secretes hormones and connects to pituitary gland, regulates visceral functions.

What does the Epithalamus do?

Contains pineal gland (regulates wake-sleep) by hormone melatonin.

What does the Midbrain do?

Part of the brain stem and regulates startle reflexes.

What is the function of the Superior colliculi?

Visual tracking.

What is the function of the Inferior colliculi?

Auditory tracking.

What does the Pons do?

Part of the brain stem and connects, "bridge," and aids in breathing.

What does the Medulla oblongata do?

Part of the brain stem connects to spinal cord, contains the pyramids (decussation), maintains equilibrium.

What is the Arbor vitae?

Largest part of the hindbrain and helps to coordinate ongoing movement, white matter.

What are Folia?

Outer ridges of grey matter (lots of surface area).

What is the Vermis?

Worm-like bridge, separates hemispheres.

What does the cerebellum do?

Fine tunes skeletal muscle movements, contains a "blue print" of body position.

How does the cerebellum coordinate movement?

Receives info from motor areas about intent to move.

What does the reticular formation do?

Functions in sleep, pain transmission, mood, regulates breathing and blood pressure.

What do cranial nerves do?

Transmit info to and from the brain and can be sensory, motor, or both.

What are Basal nuclei responsible for?

Deep gray matter that inhibit involuntary movement and initiate voluntary movement and other functions.

What controls Sleep?

Cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, reticular formation.

How does the brain allow areas to communicate with one another?

The brain uses projections, commissures and association tracts.