Nervous system II

nervous system function

sensation, integration, response

sensation

information gathered from internal and external sensors

integration

the information is processed along with memories and reasoning to formulate a response

response

the response is executed

organization of nervous system

nervous system, CNS + PNS, sensory + motor, somatic + automatic, sympathetic + parasympathetic

meninges

protects cns, forms blood brain barrier, three layer structure (Dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater)

Dura mater

outter most layer of meningies, “tough mother”, thick layer with gap in the middle where cns and blood are collected

arachnoid matter

similar to spider web, where csf exchanges materials with blood

Pia mater

“gentle mother” a thin layer, envelops entire brain, goes deep in folds

regions of the brain

cerebrum, cerebellum, diencephalon, brainstem

PNS

all other nervous tissue, responsible for sensation and response, consists of ganglia and nerve

CNS

composed of brain and spinal cord, both components are composed of grey and white matter, responsible for integration, consists of nuclei and tracts

grey matter

neuron cell bodies

white matter

myelinated axons

Cerebrum

largest of the four, consists of two hemispheres connected by the corpus callosum

corpus callosum

location of all higher brain functions, including motor control, will emotions, memory, speech, personality

cerebral cortex (within cerebrum)

outermost wrinkled portion composed of grey matter

nuclei (within cerebrum)

within the cerebrum are concentrated regions of grey matter

ventricles

cavities within the brain filled with csf

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

modified blood plasma, exchanges materials with blood

csf is used for

buoyancy (brain mostly floats), protection, transfer of waste

prefrontal cortex

personality, critical thought, planning

parietal lobe

primary somatosensory cortex, sensory association area

temporal lobe

primary auditory, auditory association

occipital lobe

primary visual, visual association

cerebellum

responsible for motor coordination, formulates appropriate motor response

diencephalon

consists of thalamus, hypothalamus, pineal gland

thalamus

processes and relays sensory information to cerebral cortex

hypothalamus

major control centers for autonomic control system, synthesizes hormones and controls release

brain stem

composed of midbrain, pons, and medulla oblong

midbrain

hand eye coordination, awareness of pain

pons

sensory information from face, coordinates chewing, swallowing, eye movement

medulla oblonga

reflex center for swallowing, coughing, vomiting, gagging, sneezing. also control center for heart rate, ventilation rate, blood pressure

pineal gland

produces melatonin, involved with d/night rhythms