6.0 Key Brain Regions

Define cephalization

development of an anterior head where sensory organs and nervous tissues are concentrated

Define nerve nets

loose mesh of neurons found in radially symmetrical organisms

Define nerve cords

bundle of nerves which extend from the central ganglia to rest of body

Define ganglia

cluster of neurons

Bilateral organization of nervous system, such as paired nerves linking lobes in brain to specific muscles and receptors, allows for ______________

sophisticated sensory processing

Bilateral symmetry enabled animals to

have coordinated, rapid movement to hunt prey and avoid predators

What does cadherin stand for?

calcium dependent adhesion molecules

What role does cadherin play in neural tube formation?

ensures cells are bound together and depends on calcium

The blood brain barrier is

a separation of circulating blood and cerebrospinal fluid

The blood brain barrier occurs along all ____________ and consists of tight junctions in the capillaries that do not exist in __________ circulation

capillaries, normal

The endothelial cells in the blood brain barrier restrict the diffusion of _____________ ex. _________ and large/hydrophilic molecules

microscopic objects, bacteria

Cells of the brain barrier actively transport metabolic products such as ___________

glucose

What are the meninges?

layers of connective tissue that protect brain and spinal cord

What are the three layers of the meninges?

pia, arachnoid, dura mater

What are the functions of the menginges?

provide structural support for blood vessels and serve as pad between brain and skull

What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

clear liquid produced in choroid plexus (complex of ependymal cells)

CSF circulates __________________ and removes _________

nutrients and chemicals; waste

CSF occupies the _______________ and the _____________ system

subarachnoid space, ventricular

What are the functions of CSF?

- protects brain from hitting skull when head is jolted

- provides buoyancy to brain, allows to float

- allows brain to attain decent size and weight without resting on floor of skull, killing nervous tissue

What is the ventricular system?

cavities in the brain filled with CSF

What are the four ventricles in the brain?

2 lateral ventricles, third ventricle, fourth ventricle

The forebrain forms the ______________ which has left and right _____________

cerebrum; hemispheres

Each hemisphere in the brain responds to sensory stimuli and controls movements on the ____________ side of the body

opposite

The hemispheres are connected by thick axons bundles called the ___________ ______________ which allows for exchange between the two hemispheres

corpus callosum

The left hemisphere is associated with

focusing on details, speech, math

right hemisphere is associated with

intuitive thinking, music, art

Laterization is the difference in function between the ______________________________________

left and right hemisphere

The cerebral cortex is

outermost thin layer of grey matter comprised of 6 layers of neurons

What does the cerebral cortex cover?

white matter

The cerebral cortex has __________ to increase surface area

folds

The cerebral cortex regulates __________________ such as

cognitive functions; thinking, learning, speaking, making decisions

What does the primary somatosensory area of the cerebral cortex do?

receives and integrates sensory info

What does the primary motor area of the cerebral cortex do?

involved in planning, control, and execution of voluntary movements

The cerebral cortex has other associated areas that ______________________

integrate sensory info, formulate responses, and relay responses to motor area

What are the four lobes of the cerebrum?

frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital

The frontal lobe is involved in executive functioning, ex. ____________________________

- thinking

- problem solving

- memory

- attention

- movement

The parietal lobe deals with perception and integration from the __________

senses

The occipital lobe is involved with ___________

vision

The temporal lobe is involved in sense of __________ and __________ and the formation and storage of ______________

smell and sound; memories

The cerebellum is responsible for

coordinating movement

The cerebellum receives sensory input from:

- receptors in muscles and joints

- balance receptors in inner ear

- touch, vision, and hearing receptors

The cerebellum compares sensory input with signals from cerebrum that control ____________________________

voluntary body movement

The brain is composed of

the medulla, pons, and midbrain

The brainstem connects the ______________ with the ___________ _______

forebrain with the spinal cord

The pons and medulla control

the respiratory systema and the cardiovascular system

The midbrain is the _____________ region of the brain and acts as a relay station for ___________ and ___________ information and controls eye movement

smallest; auditory and visual

A key part of the midbrain is the ventral tegmental area which has _____________ and ________________ producing neurons and is involved in the ______________ pathway

serotonin and dopamine; pleasure

The substantia nigra is a part of the midbrain involved in control of __________________________

body movement

The reticular formation is a network of __________ in the brainstem that connect the _____________ to the _________ _____

neurons; thalamus to the spinal cord

The job of the reticular formation is to

integrate and filter incoming sensory info

The reticular formation consists of more that _________ small neural networks and consists of _____ divisions

100; 2 divisons (ascending and descending)

The ascending reticular formation sends signals to ___________ to activate the _________ ___________

thalamus; cerebral cortex

The ascending reticular formation produces different levels of _______________ or ____________________, and _________ incoming stimuli to get rid of irrelevant background stimuli

alertness or consciousness; filters

Abnormalities in the ascending reticular formation can result in a ______

coma

The descending reticular formation receives

information from the hypothalamus

The descending reticular formation connects with interneurons of the _________ _______ that control ___________________________

spinal cord; skeletal muscle contraction

The thalamus is located between the __________ __________ and the ___________

cerebral cortex and midbrain

The functions of the hypothalamus are to

relay signals from the special senses and sends signals to the cerebral cortex

The thalamus regulates _____________, _______, and ___________

consciousness, sleep, and alertness

The hypothalamus is located below the thalamus and synthesizes and secretes ____________. ex. ____________

neurohormones. ex. antidiuretic hormone

The hypothalamus links the nervous system and the endocrine system via the __________ ______

pituitary gland

The hypothalamus controls

- temperature

- hunger/thirst

- fatigue

- circadian rhythm

The hypothalamus triggers ___________, _________ and monitors the ___________ _____________ of the blod

sweating, shivering; osmotic balance

What is the basal nuclei/ganglia

group of nuclei in brains of vertebrates that act as a cohesive functional unit

The basal nuclei surround the ______

thalamus

The basal nuclei are involved with _________________

voluntary movement

The basal ganglia includes the ______________ _______ and damage to this can lead to __________________________

substantia nigra; Parkinson's

The limbic system includes the ____________, _________________, and ________________ _____

amygdala, hippocampus, olfactory bulbs

The limbic system is involved with emotional behavior:

fear, anger, motivation, satisfaction

In Alzheimer's the __________ is one of first regions of the brain to suffer damage

hippocampus

add in brain diagram + brain circuit

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