Nervous System + Brain Parts

Bell-Magendie Law

entering dorsal roots carry sensory information and exiting ventral roots carry motor information

dorsal root ganglion

clusters of sensory neuron cell bodies just outside the spinal cord

Sympathetic Nervous System features

fight or flight, increased breathing/heart rate, axons release acetylcholine and norepinephrine

Parasympathetic Nervous System features

Rest and Digest, increased digestive activity, both types of axons release acetylcholine

hindbrain (rhombencephalon)

Contains Medulla, Pons, Reticular Formation, Raphe System, and Cerebellum

Medulla

controls vital reflexes like breathing, heartbeat, digestion.

Pons

Area where many axons cross from one side of the brain to the other, important role in motor processing, critical in dreaming

Reticular Formation

Sends output to cerebral cortex increasing arousal and attention, critical in dreaming

Raphe System

Sends axons to much of the forebrain, increasing or decreasing the brain's readiness to respond to stimuli, sleep and waking, 5-HT

Cerebellum

Balance and coordination

Midbrain

contains substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, periaqueductal gray, Superior and Inferior colliculus

Tegmentum

a part of the midbrain that is involved in movement and arousal

Substansia Nigra

voluntary movements, produces dopamine, makes pathways to basal ganglia

ventral tegmental area

makes pathways to nucleus accumbens

periaqueductal gray

a midbrain region involved in pain perception

superior colliculus

receives visual sensory input

inferior colliculus

a midbrain nucleus in the auditory pathway

Diencephalon

thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland

Thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard

Hypothalamus

regulates homeostasis, circadian rhythms, temperature regulation, intake, aggression, sexual behavior

pituitary gland

Endocrine gland attached to the hypothalamus, regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Telencephalon

Basal forebrain, basal ganglia, limbic system, nucleus accumbens, nucleus basalis

basal ganglia

responsible for motor behavior, smooth movement

basal forebrain

Important in arousal, wakefulness, and attention

nucleus basalis

acetylcholine production

limbic system

emotional regulation and formation of memory

Hippocampus

memory (limbic system)

Amygdala

emotion (limbic system)

septal nuclei

involved with feelings of pleasure, pleasure-seeking behavior, and addiction