Behavioral Neuroscience M3

Orientation in the Neuraxis

  • Terminology: Understanding directional terms is crucial in neuroanatomy. Key terms include:

    • Dorsal: Upper or back side

    • Ventral: Lower or front side

    • Rostral: Towards the nose or front

    • Caudal: Towards the tail or back

    • Medial: Towards the midline

    • Lateral: Away from the midline

Neuraxis

  • Human vs. Dog Anatomy: Differences between humans (bipedal) and dogs (quadrupedal) delineate specifics of their neuraxis.

    • Neuraxis Components: Comprises dorsal, rostral, caudal, ventral, and lateral views important to understanding animal neuroanatomy.

Body Orientation Terminology

  • Continues the exploration of anatomical orientations pertinent to understanding body positioning in relation to the nervous system.

Brain Orientation

  • Illustrates various brain orientations focusing on essential axis positions relating to the human and dog anatomical perspectives.

Laterality of Neural Structures

  • Definitions: Understanding of the terms related to the sides of the body as applied in neuroscience.

    • Unilateral: Referring to one side.

    • Bilateral: Referring to both sides.

    • Ipsilateral: Same side.

    • Contralateral: Opposite side.

Planes of Section

  • Key planes relevant to neuroanatomical study:

    • Axial: Horizontal section.

    • Sagittal: Divides body into left and right.

    • Coronal (Frontal): Divides into anterior and posterior.

Meninges & Central Nervous System (CNS)

  • Meningeal layers:

    • Dura Mater: Tough outer layer

    • Arachnoid: Mid-layer with subarachnoid space containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

    • Pia Mater: Inner layer closely adhering to the brain

  • Brain Functions: Protection and support for the CNS components.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) & Ventricles

  • Importance of CSF in brain function and structure, illustrated through ventricular spaces.

    • Types of Ventricles:

      • Lateral ventricles

      • Third ventricle

      • Fourth ventricle

Nervous System Overview

  • Division:

    • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Contains somatic and autonomic divisions.

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

    • Components: Forebrain, Midbrain, Hindbrain, sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.

Spinal Cord Anatomy

  • Composition of spinal cord with clear differentiation between white and gray matter.

  • White Matter: Myelinated axons

  • Gray Matter: Neuron cell bodies

Reflex Arc Mechanism

  • Explains the path of a reflex action, including the roles of sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons.

Brain Region Functions

  • Identification of primary sensory and motor areas by lobes:

    • Frontal Lobe: Cognition, planning, and voluntary movement

    • Parietal Lobe: Sensory perception and spatial orientation

    • Temporal Lobe: Auditory processing and memory

    • Occipital Lobe: Visual processing

Functional Areas of the Brain

  • Brain functional map emphasizes areas responsible for specific sensory and motor functions.

Damage to Specific Brain Areas

  • Consequences of damage:

    • Different brain areas correspond to sensory, motor, and cognitive functions. Damage can lead to specific deficits depending on the region affected:

      • Subcortical areas: Balance issues (Cerebellum), fear responses (Amygdala)

      • Occipital damage: Visual perception issues

      • Temporal damage: Auditory processing issues, speech comprehension

      • Parietal damage: Sensory integration issues, spatial neglect

      • Frontal damage: Executive dysfunction, motor control issues

Lateralization of Brain Function

  • Split-brain studies highlight lateralization of functions (language in the left hemisphere, spatial skills in the right).

Functional Areas Summary**

  • Integrated overview of specific brain regions contributing to overall function:

    • Motor and sensory integration influenced by various cortical areas and mediated through neural pathways.