Untitled Flashcards Set

Flashcards: The Brain and Nervous System

Chapter 12: The Central Nervous System (CNS)

Q: What are the four main parts of the brain?
A: Cerebrum, Diencephalon, Brainstem, Cerebellum

Q: What is the cerebrum responsible for?
A: Thinking, problem-solving, memory, and voluntary movement

Q: What does the diencephalon do?
A: It acts like a switchboard, sending messages around the brain

Q: What are the three parts of the brainstem?
A: Midbrain, Pons, Medulla Oblongata

Q: What does the cerebellum help with?
A: Balance and coordinated movement

Q: What protects the brain?
A: Skull, meninges, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood-brain barrier

Q: What is the function of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
A: It cushions the brain and removes waste

Q: What happens in a stroke?
A: Blood supply to the brain is blocked, causing brain damage

Q: What is Alzheimer’s disease?
A: A disorder that causes memory loss and cognitive decline

Q: What part of the brain helps with emotions?
A: The limbic system (includes the hippocampus and amygdala)

Chapter 13: The Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Q: What are the two main parts of the PNS?
A: Sensory (afferent) and Motor (efferent) divisions

Q: What do sensory nerves do?
A: Carry messages to the brain about touch, pain, and temperature

Q: What do motor nerves do?
A: Send messages from the brain to muscles to make them move

Q: How many pairs of cranial nerves are there?
A: 12 pairs

Q: How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?
A: 31 pairs

Q: What is a reflex?
A: An automatic response to a stimulus

Q: What are the five steps of a reflex arc?
A: 1) Sensory receptor, 2) Sensory neuron, 3) Interneuron, 4) Motor neuron, 5) Effector (muscle/gland)

Q: What are mechanoreceptors?
A: Nerve endings that detect touch and pressure

Q: What are photoreceptors?
A: Nerve endings in the eyes that detect light

Q: What are nociceptors?
A: Nerve endings that detect pain

Q: What happens if a spinal nerve is damaged?
A: It can cause numbness, weakness, or paralysis

Q: What is paralysis?
A: Loss of ability to move part of the body due to nerve damage

These flashcards will help you memorize key terms and concepts for your midterm! 😊