EXS 111 - Test 4 (The Brain)

Central Nervous System (CNS) consists of

brain and spinal cord

Brain controls:

heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, ANS, endocrine system, and is involved in innervation on the head through cranial nerves

Rostral

toward the nose/mouth

Caudal

toward the tail

Brain performs most complex neural functions

-intelligence
-consciousness
-memory
-sensory-motor integration
-emotion
-behavior
-socialization

Ventricles of the Brain

Expansions of the brain's central cavity
Filled with cerebrospinal fluid
Lined with ependymal cells
Continuous with each other
Continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord

gray matter (located centrally) contains:

contain neuronal cell bodies

white matter (located externally) contains:

contain axons

where is there an additional layer of gray matter where:

external to white matter

cortex where? Formed from what?

outer layer of gray matter located in cerebrum and cerebellum

Functions of the brainstem

passageway for all fiber tracts running between the cerebrum and spinal cord
heavily involved with the innervation of the face and head
produces automatic behaviors necessary for survival
integrates auditory and visual reflexes

four regions of the brain

-brain stem
-cerebellum
-diencephalon
-cerebrum

brain stem consists of

midbrain
pons
medulla oblongata

cerebrum parts

left and right hemispheres

brain stem has several functions:

•Passageway for all fiber tracts running between the cerebrum and spinal cord
•Heavily involved with the innervation of the face and head
•Produces automatic behaviors necessary for survival
•Integrates auditory and visual reflexes

medulla oblongata is inferior to the

pons

medulla oblongata is continuous with

spinal cord

Core of medulla oblongata contains

much of the reticular formation (nuclei influence autonomic functions)

visceral centers of the reticular formation include (medulla oblongata)

cardiac centers
vasomotor center
medullary respiration center
centers for hiccuping, sneezing, swallowing, and coughing

the pons is

a "bridge" between the midbrain and medulla oblongata

the pons contains

the nuclei of cranial nerves
--motor tracts coming from the cerebral cortex
--pontine nuclei

pontine nuclei (pons)

-Connect portions of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum
-Send axons to cerebellum through the middle cerebellar peduncles

The midbrain lies

between the diencephalon and the pons

superior cerebellar peduncles (midbrain) connect

connect midbrain to cerebellum

periaqueductal gray matter where

the region of the midbrain surrounding the cerebral aqueduct

periaqueductal gray matter 2 functions

-fight or flight reaction
-mediates response to visceral pain

corpora quadrigemina (midbrain)

The largest nuclei
Divided into the superior and inferior colliculi

superior colliculi (midbrain)

nuclei that act in visual reflexes

inferior colliculi (midbrain)

nuclei that act in auditory reflexes

the cerebellum is located

dorsal to pons and medulla

cerebellum functions

smooths and coordinates body movements
helps maintain equilibrium

the cerebellum consists of

lateral and medial hemispheres (+LOBES)(subdivided into the anterior, posterior, and flocculonodular lobes)

folia

surface folded into ridges of cerebellum

3 types of info the cerebellum receives to coordinate body movements

info on equilibrium
info on current movements of the limbs, neck, and trunk
info from the cerebral cortex

Higher cognitive functions of the cerebellum

-learning new motor skills
-participates in cognition (language, problem-solving, task-planning)

the diencephalon is composed of the

thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus

the diencephalon forms the

central core of the forebrain

the diencephalon is primarily composed of

gray matter (synapse)

the diencephalon is surrounded by the

cerebral hemispheres

the thalamus makes up

80% of the diencephalon

the thalamus contains how many major nuclei

approximately 12 major nuclei

the thalamus acts as

relay stations for incoming messages

Every part of the brain communicating with cerebral cortex relays signals through

thalamic nuclei

the thalamus sends axons to

regions of the cerebral cortex

afferent impulses converge on the thalamus and

synapse in at least 1 of its nuclei

the thalamus is the "gateway" to the

cerebral cortex

The hypothalamus lies

between the optic chiasm and the mammillary bodies

the pituitary gland projects _________ into _____

inferiorly

the hypothalamus contains

approximately 12 nuclei

the hypothalamus is

main visceral control center of the body

functions of the hypothalamus

-control of the ANS (fight/flight)
-control of emotional responses
-regulation of body temp
-regulation of hunger/thirst
-control of behavior
-regulation of circadian rhythm
-control of the endocrine system
-formation of memory

The epithalamus consists of

a tiny group of nuclei

the epithalamus includes the

pineal gland

epithalamus (the pineal gland is in it) secretes

-the hormone melatonin
-under the influence of the hypothalamus
-it aids in control of circadian rhythm

the cerebrum accounts for

83% of brain mass

fissures (cerebrum)

Deep grooves that separate major regions of the brain

transverse fissure (cerebrum)

separates cerebrum from cerebellum

longitudinal fissure

separates cerebral hemispheres

sulci (cerebrum)

grooves on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres
--deeper sulci divide the cerebrum into lobes!

gyri (cerebrum)

twisted ridges between sulci

prominent gyri and sulci are similar in who

all people

central sulcus separates

frontal and parietal lobes

the cerebral lobes are named for the

skull bones overlying them (frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal)

the cerebral cortex is the home of our

conscious mind

the cerebral cortex enables us to

-be aware of ourselves and our sensations
-initiate and control voluntary movements
-communicate, remember, and understand

the cerebral cortex folded, does what to size

triples its size

the cerebral cortex makes up approximately

40% of the brain's mass

the cerebral cortex contains what and describe it

brodmann areas (47 structurally distinct areas)

the cerebral cortex has 3 general kinds of what

functional areas:
sensory areas
association areas
motor areas

the primary somatosensory cortex is located

along the postcentral gyrus

the primary somatosensory cortex is involved with

conscious awareness

the primary somatosensory cortex has

spatial discrimination

spacial discrimination does what

precisely locates a stimulus

primary somatosensory cortex projection is

contralateral - receives sensory input from the opposite side of the body

the somatosensory association cortex

Lies posterior to the primary somatosensory cortex
Integrates different sensory inputs e.g., touch and pressure from somatosensory cortex to understand sensations
Draws upon stored memories of past sensory experiences e.g. ability to feel and recognize keys or coins in your pocket without looking at them

somatosensory association cortex lies where

posterior to the primary somatosensory cortex

somatosensory association cortex integrates what

different sensory inputs
-touch
-pressure

somatosensory association cortex draws upon

stored memories of past of past sensory experiences (able ot recognize keys or coins w/o looking at them)

the primary visual cortex is the _______ of all sensory organs

largest

what does primary visual cortex do?

receives visual info that originates on the retina
exhibits contralateral functions

the primary visual cortex is the first of a

series of areas processing visual input

the primary visual cortex surrounds the

primary visual cortex

visual association area does what

continues the processing of visual information
(analyzes color, form and movement)

visual ass. areas: complex visual processing extends where

into temporal and parietal lobes

the function of the primary auditory cortex

-conscious awareness of sound
-sound waves excite receptors in the inner ear

the location of the primary auditory cortex

superior edge of the temporal lobe

the auditory association area

lies posterior to the primary auditory cortex

what does auditory association area permit

evaluation of different sounds

what are there multiple of in the left cerebral cortex

multiple language areas

Wernicke's area

speech comprehension
coordination of auditory and visual aspects of language
initiation of word articulation
recognition of sound sequences

the primary and association areas of the vestibular system are responsible for

responsible for conscious awareness of sense of balance

the primary and association areas of the vestibular system are located in

located in the posterior part of the insula, deep to the lateral sulcus

gustatory complex involved in

conscious awareness of taste stimuli

gustatory complex is located where

in the insula

olfactory complex part of the what

rhinencephalon - "nose brain"

olfactory complex includes what

piriform lobe, olfactory tracts, olfactory bulbs

visceral complex function

receives general sensory input (pain, pressure, hunger)

visceral complex located within

lateral sulcus on the insula

anterior association area description

a large region of the frontal lobe
--has links to the limbic system

what does the anterior association area do?

-receives information from posterior association area
-integrates information with past experience
-initiates and plans motor movements