Neuroscience: Meninges, Brain Structures, and Functions

What are the three layers of the meninges?

Dura Mater (outermost), Arachnoid Mater (middle), and Pia Mater (innermost).

What is the function of the Dura Mater?

It is a tough protective layer that contains blood vessels.

What role does the Arachnoid Mater play?

It provides cushioning and contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

What is the function of the Pia Mater?

It closely adheres to the brain and spinal cord, containing blood vessels.

What is found in the subarachnoid space?

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which acts as a shock absorber and provides nutrients.

Which layers of the meninges contain blood vessels?

The Dura Mater and Pia Mater.

What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and where is it located?

CSF is found in the subarachnoid space between the Arachnoid Mater and Pia Mater.

What are the functions of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

It cushions the brain, maintains intracranial pressure, and provides buoyancy.

Where is cerebrospinal fluid produced?

In the ventricles of the brain.

What does Gray Matter consist of?

Neuron cell bodies, dendrites, unmyelinated axons, and synapses.

What is the primary function of White Matter?

To facilitate rapid communication between different brain regions and between the brain and spinal cord.

Where is Gray Matter located in the brain?

In the cerebral cortex, while White Matter is located beneath it.

What is the largest part of the brain and its primary function?

The Cerebrum, responsible for higher brain functions such as thought, action, and emotion.

What is the role of the Corpus Callosum?

It connects the two hemispheres of the brain, facilitating communication between them.

What are the functions of the Frontal Lobe?

Involved in motor speech, planning, problem-solving, and voluntary muscle control.

What does the Parietal Lobe process?

Sensory information, understanding speech, and spatial awareness.

What is the primary function of the Occipital Lobe?

Responsible for visual processing, image recognition, and color recognition.

What functions are associated with the Temporal Lobe?

Auditory processing, memory formation, and emotional responses.

What are the four regions of the spinal cord?

Cervical, Thoracic, Lumbar, and Sacral.

What body parts does the Cervical region of the spinal cord control?

Head, neck, arms, and diaphragm.

What is the role of the sensory areas in the cerebral cortex?

They receive and process sensory information.

What do association areas in the cerebral cortex do?

Integrate sensory inputs with memory and emotions, involved in reasoning and decision-making.

What is the function of the primary motor cortex?

It sends signals to muscles to initiate voluntary movement.

What is the primary function of the Motor Cortex?

The Motor Cortex generates signals for voluntary body movements.

Where is the Somatosensory Cortex located and what does it do?

The Somatosensory Cortex is located in the parietal lobe and is responsible for sensations of touch, pressure, temperature, and pain.

What are reflex arcs and why are they important?

Reflex arcs are essential for quick responses to stimuli, allowing reactions to bypass the brain for faster response times.

Where are the integrating centers for reflex arcs located?

Integrating centers for reflex arcs are located in the spinal cord for touch and in the midbrain for visual and auditory reflexes.

What are the major components of the limbic system?

The major parts of the limbic system include the Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Amygdala, and Hippocampus.

What role does the limbic system play in the brain?

The limbic system regulates emotional responses and is involved in forming memories.

What is quadriplegia?

A condition resulting from spinal cord injury above T1, affecting all four limbs.

What is paraplegia?

A condition resulting from spinal cord injury below T1, affecting the lower body.

What characterizes lissencephaly?

A rare brain malformation with a smooth brain surface lacking normal ridges.

What are common symptoms of lissencephaly?

Intellectual disabilities and seizures.

How is lissencephaly diagnosed?

Typically through MRI and genetic testing.

What is meningitis?

An inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, often caused by infections.

What are common symptoms of meningitis?

Fever, headache, stiff neck, chills, nausea, vomiting, and light sensitivity.

How is meningitis diagnosed?

Through a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to analyze cerebrospinal fluid.

What is a hemispherectomy?

A surgical procedure involving the removal of one hemisphere of the brain, often used for severe epilepsy.

What structures make up the diencephalon?

The thalamus and hypothalamus.

What is the function of the thalamus?

Acts as a relay station for sensory information.

What role does the hypothalamus play?

Regulates vital functions such as temperature, hunger, and circadian rhythms.

What is the function of the amygdala?

Crucial for emotion and memory, influencing feelings of fear, anger, and pleasure.

What does the hippocampus do?

Responsible for consolidating short-term memories into long-term storage and spatial navigation.

What is anterograde amnesia?

Difficulty forming new memories after a specific event, often linked to hippocampal damage.

What is retrograde amnesia?

Loss of memories formed before a specific point in time, associated with hippocampal dysfunction.

What is Broca's area responsible for?

Speech production; damage can cause expressive aphasia.

What is Wernicke's area involved in?

Language comprehension; damage can lead to receptive aphasia.

What are the main parts of the brainstem?

Midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

What is the function of the midbrain?

Connects the spinal cord to higher brain regions; involved in reflexes and sensory processing.

What does the pons regulate?

Unconscious processes like sleep-wake cycles and breathing.

What does the medulla oblongata control?

Autonomic functions; where corticospinal tracts cross over.

What is the role of the reticular formation?

Regulates wakefulness and arousal; decreased activity can lead to drowsiness or coma.

What is the difference between a concussion and CTE?

A concussion is a temporary brain injury, while CTE is a progressive condition from repeated head trauma.

How is CTE detected?

Using PET scans to visualize brain activity and fluid-based biomarkers for associated proteins.