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What Is the Nervous System’s Functional Anatomy?

  • Chapter 2 Introduction to Brain and Behavior by Bryan Kolb, Ian Q. Whishaw, and G. Campbell Teskey, Sixth Edition

Research Focus: Agenesis of the Cerebellum

  • Agenesis: Failure of brain regions, such as the cerebellum, to develop.

  • Research Opportunity: Studying brain organization and function through individuals with cerebellar agenesis.

  • Brain Plasticity: Compensation in cerebral cortex function due to early life changes.

  • Symptoms: Heterogeneous symptoms, including behavioral deficits and autism.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 1)

  • Primary Function: Produce behavior (movement).

  • Information Processing:

    • Receiving sensory information about the world.

    • Integrating that information to create perception.

    • Producing muscle control commands.

  • Evolutionary Adaptation: Species evolve views and abilities to survive based on brain function.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 2)

  • Neural Organization:

    • Plasticity: Neural tissue adapts by modifying its functional organization.

    • Neuroplasticity: Sensory inputs influence the structure.

    • Phenotypic Plasticity: Behavioral changes due to environmental influences.

    • Epigenetic Factors: Influences from outside the gene itself impacting development.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 3)

Anatomical Organization

  • Central Nervous System (CNS): Includes the brain and spinal cord.

  • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):

    • Somatic Nervous System: Transmits sensory information and controls movement.

    • Autonomic Nervous System: Regulates involuntary functions (e.g., heart rate).

    • Enteric Nervous System: Manages the gastrointestinal system.

Functional Organization

  • Afferent (incoming) and Efferent (outgoing) pathways relate to CNS activity.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 4)

  • Directional Flow: Afferent information enters CNS while efferent information exits the CNS.

Basics of Understanding Brain Orientation

  • Nomenclature Issues: Lack of coherence and multiple terminologies.

  • Brain-Body Orientation: Reference frames include human face and body parts.

  • Anatomical Orientation: Relies on the perspective from which the brain is viewed.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 5)

Orientation Terms

  • Medial: Toward brain's midline.

  • Lateral: Toward sides.

  • Anterior: Front; Posterior: Back.

  • Dorsal: Top of brain; Ventral: Bottom.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 6)

  • Neural Information Flow:

    • Incoming (afferent) and outgoing (efferent) information distinguished.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 7)

  • Planes of Section:

    • Coronal Section: Vertical, yielding frontal view.

    • Horizontal Section: Seen from above; a dorsal viewpoint.

    • Sagittal Section: Lengthwise from front to back, viewed from the side.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 8)

  • Protection of the Brain: Triple-layered meningeal covering with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for cushioning.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 9)

Cerebral Geography

  • Each hemisphere is divided into four lobes:

    • Frontal: Executive function, decision making.

    • Parietal: Sensory integration.

    • Temporal: Auditory functions, memory.

    • Occipital: Vision.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 10)

  • Cortex Structure:

    • Cerebrum, cerebellum, gyrus (bumps), sulcus (cracks), various fissures defining brain structure.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 11)

  • Internal Features:

    • Gray Matter: Cell bodies and dendrites.

    • White Matter: Myelinated axons.

    • Corpus Callosum: Connects hemispheres.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 12)

  • Cerebral Circulation: Major arteries supply blood; relevance of blood flow to brain function.

Overview of Brain Function and Structure (Part 13)

  • Neurons: Basic units of the nervous system connected by axons.

    • Tracts and Nerves: Collection of nerve fibers in CNS and PNS.

The Conserved Pattern of Nervous System Development (Part 1)

  • Complexity of the Human Brain: Retains features of less complex mammals.

  • Behavioral Involvement: Most behaviors arise from multiple brain regions.

The Conserved Pattern of Nervous System Development (Part 2)

  • Nervous System Structure:

    • Various layers, hierarchically and functionally complex, influencing behavior.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 1)

  • Spinal Cord:

    • Controls body movements; reflex actions independent from the brain (e.g., knee-jerk reflex).

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 2)

  • Brainstem: Interfaces with the spinal cord; controls sensory information and motor output.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 3)

  • Medial View: Shows relationship of brainstem to hemispheres.

    • Structure Analogy: Resembles a fist for size comparison.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 4)

  • Hindbrain: Evolutionarily ancient; comprises cerebellum and control centers for crucial life functions (breathing, movement).

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 5)

  • Principal Hindbrain Structures: Integrate both voluntary and involuntary movements.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 6)

  • Midbrain: Essential for orienting movements and responses to stimuli.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 7)

  • Diencephalon: Integrates sensory and motor data; contains thalamus and hypothalamus.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 8)

  • Major Thalamic Functions: Information processing for sensory systems.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 9)

  • Hypothalamus/Pituitary: Coordinates many physiological processes and behaviors.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 10)

  • Forebrain Structures: Integrate higher cognitive processes like memory, language, and emotions.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 11)

  • Cerebral Cortex: Contains allocortex and neocortex, supports complex thought processes.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 12)

  • Allocortex: Composed of three- and four-layer structures, linked to emotional and memory functions.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 13)

  • Neocortex: Differing cell density by layer, correlating to functional specialization

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 14)

  • Cortical Layer Specialization: Differences between sensory and motor cortex structures.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 15)

  • Neocortex and Hemispheres: Symmetrical structure; differences in functional consequences of damage.

The Central Nervous System: Mediating Behavior (Part 16)

  • Basal Ganglia: Located beneath neocortex, controls voluntary movements and implicated in disorders.

Somatic Nervous System: Transmitting Information (Part 1)

  • SNS: Controlled by CNS; involves cranial and spinal nerves.

Somatic Nervous System: Transmitting Information (Part 2)

  • Cranial Nerves: Twelve pairs managing sensory and motor functions.

Somatic Nervous System: Transmitting Information (Part 3)

  • Spinal Nerves: Segments relate to body regions, managing coordinated movements.

Somatic Nervous System: Transmitting Information (Part 4)

  • ** fibers**: Dorsal fibers for sensory input; ventral fibers for motor functions.

Autonomic and Enteric Nervous Systems: Visceral Relations (Part 1)

  • ANS: Regulates internal functions through sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

    • Sympathetic: Activates fight-or-flight response.

    • Parasympathetic: Reverses sympathetic actions.

Autonomic and Enteric Nervous Systems: Visceral Relations (Part 2)

  • Enteric Nervous System: Controls gut functions through extensive neuronal network.

Autonomic and Enteric Nervous Systems: Visceral Relations (Part 3)

  • Gut Microbiome: Influences health and behavior via interactions with the ENS and CNS.

Ten Principles of Nervous System Function (Part 1)

  • Functional Basis: The nervous system adds to perceptual and motor experience.

  • Neuroplasticity: Fundamental principle aiding adaptation and function.

Ten Principles of Nervous System Function (Part 2)

  • Hierarchy and Parallelism: Multiple pathways exist to streamline processing, yet maintain a unified experience.

  • Functional Localization: Allows effective processing while accounting for distributed functions.

Ten Principles of Nervous System Function (Part 3)

  • Excitation vs. Inhibition: Balancing neural activity underscores nervous system operation.