CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Chapter 1: Introduction: Broca's Aphasia

  • James suffered a stroke at the age of 45

  • The stroke damaged Broca's area in his brain, causing Broca's aphasia

  • Broca's aphasia resulted in an inability to produce intelligible words, but he could still understand speech

  • James regained some ability to communicate through singing, as singing uses a different region of the brain

Chapter 2: Central Nervous System Structure & Function

  • The nervous system is divided into the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

  • The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, while the PNS consists of the nerves coming out of the CNS

  • The CNS integrates sensory information and coordinates conscious and unconscious activity

  • The brain carries out complex functions like thinking and remembering, while the spinal cord conducts signals between the brain and the body

Chapter 3: Brain Development: Neural Tube

  • The central nervous system starts as a neural tube in a developing embryo

  • The tube stretches out to form the spinal cord and expands into three primary brain vesicles: prosencephalon, mesencephalon, and rhombencephalon

Chapter 4: Brain Development: 3 Primary Vesicles

  • By the fifth week of development, the three primary vesicles start morphing into five secondary vesicles

  • These secondary vesicles form the roots of the adult brain structures

Chapter 5: Brain Development: 5 Secondary Vesicles

  • The prosencephalon divides into the telencephalon and diencephalon

  • The rhombencephalon forms the metencephalon and myelencephalon

  • The mesencephalon remains undivided

  • These secondary vesicles develop into major adult brain regions: brainstem, cerebellum, diencephalon, and cerebral hemispheres

Chapter 6: Brain Development: Major Adult Brain Regions

  • Each of the five vesicles grows differently to form the major adult brain regions

  • Some regions develop more than others

Chapter 7: Brain Development: Cerebellum & Brain Stem

  • The mesencephalon, metencephalon, and myelencephalon form the cerebellum and brainstem

  • The cerebellum coordinates muscular activity

  • The brainstem regulates basic vital functions and relays information between the body and the higher regions of the brain

  • The brainstem consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata

Chapter 8: Brain Development: Reptilian Brain

  • The diencephalon contains the thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and mammillary bodies

  • The diencephalon regulates homeostasis, alertness, reproductive activity, and emotions

  • This area is sometimes referred to as the "reptilian brain" as it is shared with reptiles and focuses on instinctual pursuits

  • The telencephalon dominates the brains of birds and mamma