Nervous System, Brain, and Sensory Perception

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from a lecture on the nervous system, brain structures, and sensory perception.

CNS

Brain and spinal cord

PNS

All other nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.

Gray matter

Cell bodies in the nervous system.

White matter

Axons with myelin in the nervous system.

Tract

Axon bundle in the CNS.

Nerve

Axon bundle in the PNS.

Nuclei

Cell bodies in the CNS.

Ganglia

Cell bodies in the PNS.

Nodes of Ranvier

Gaps in myelin for faster signal conduction.

Ependymal cells

CNS glial cells that make CSF.

Sympathetic

"Fight or flight" division of the autonomic nervous system.

Parasympathetic

"Rest and digest" division of the autonomic nervous system.

Enteric

The "gut brain," operating independently of the CNS.

Cortex

Outer gray matter of the brain.

Sulci

Grooves in the brain.

Gyri

Ridges in the brain.

Corpus callosum

Connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

Frontal Lobe

Located in the frontal lobe; relates to motor function, speech (Broca's area), memory, and personality.

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch (somatosensation).

Occipital Lobe

Processes vision.

Temporal Lobe

Processes hearing (auditory information).

Posterior Horn (Spinal Cord)

Sensory part of the gray horns in the spinal cord.

Anterior Horn (Spinal Cord)

Motor part of the gray horns in the spinal cord.

Lateral Horn (Spinal Cord)

Autonomic part of the gray horns in the spinal cord.

Circle of Willis

Formed by vertebral and internal carotid arteries.

Thalamus

Sensory relay center in the diencephalon.

Hypothalamus

Controls homeostasis and pituitary gland in the diencephalon.

Limbic System

Emotion and memory center of the brain.

Brainstem

Includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla; responsible for life support functions.

Dura mater

Outermost brain covering.

Arachnoid mater

Middle brain covering.

Pia mater

Innermost brain covering.

Subarachnoid space

Filled with CSF

Choroid plexus and ependymal cells

Produce CSF in the ventricular system.

Dermatomes

Skin areas connected to spinal nerves.

Mechanoreceptors

Receptors that detect touch and pressure.

Thermoreceptors

Receptors that detect temperature.

Nociceptors

Receptors that detect pain.

Chemoreceptors

Receptors that detect chemicals.

Proprioceptors

Receptors that sense body position.

Contralateral

Brain processes information from the opposite side of the body.

Ipsilateral

Same side processing (mostly cranial nerves).

Dorsal column-medial lemniscus

Touch and position sensory pathway.

Spinothalamic

Pain and temperature sensory pathway.

Decussation

Where pathways cross the midline.

Corticospinal

Controls body muscles; crosses in medulla.

Corticobulbar

Controls face muscles; doesn't cross.

Cranial nerves III, IV, VI

Cranial nerves related to extraocular muscle movement.

Rods

Night vision cells of the retina.

Cones

Color vision cells of the retina.

Fovea

Area of sharpest vision in the eye.

Areas 1,2,3

Somatosensory area

Area 4

Motor cortex

Area 17

Visual cortex

Area 22

Auditory area

Areas 39, 40

Wernicke's area (understanding speech)

Areas 44, 45

Broca's area (speech production)