General Information
How is Gray matter and white matter different in the brain vs the spinal cord?
In the brain, the gray matter is the cortex of the cerebrum & cerebellum (outer layer) & white matter are the deeper masses (inner layers). In the spinal cord, it is reversed.
How many membranes are there and what are they?
Three: Dura mater, arachnoid mater and pia mater
What are the two subdivisions of the hindbrain?
Myelencephalon (medulla oblongata) and metencephalon (Pons and cerebellum)
What is another name for the forebrain and what are the three main structures?
Diencephalon: Thalamus, hypothalamus and epithalamus.
What areas are responsible for cognition of spoken and written language and motor function of speech?
Wernicke's area: cognition
Brocas: motor, speech
What is the deep median groove that seperates the right and left hemispheres?
The longitudinal fissure.
What two layers does the cranial dura mater consist of?
Periosteal (outer layer) & Meningeal (inner layer)
What is the primary functions of the medulla oblongata?
Sensory: Hearing, equilibrium, touch, pressure, temperature, taste & pain.
Motor: Chewing, salvation, swallowing, gagging, vomiting, respiration, speech, coughing, sneezing, sweating, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal control, head, neck and shoulder movements.
What functions does the thalamus do?
Essentially a "gateway to the cerebral cortex" & filters information about what gets sent to the cortex. It serves in motor control by relating signals from the cerebellum to the cerebrum and providing feedback loops. Involved with memory and emotional functions in the limbic system.
Hippocampus
Cerebrum, cerebellum and the brainstem.
What are the four internal chambers of the brain? (hint: ventricles)
Two lateral ventricles, the third and fourth ventricle.
What functions are the pons responsible for?
Sleep, respiration, posture, taste, hearing, equilibrium, facial sensations, eye movement, facial expressions, chewing, swallowing, urination.
The hypothalamus is a major control center for what? (hint: which system?) What are the functions?
The endocrine and autonomic nervous system. Plays an essential role in the homeostatic regulation of almost all organs of the body. Hormone secretion, autonomic effects (BP, HR, etc.), thermoregulation, food and water intake, sleep and circadian rhythms, memory and emotional behavior and sexual response.
What are the two structures in the prefrontal cortex primarily responsible for emotions?
The hypothalamus and amygdala
What are the components of the brainstem?
The midbrain, the pons and medulla oblongata.
How does CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) produce and flow in the brain? (hint: list the steps)
1.) CSF is secreted by the choroid plexus in each lateral ventricle
2.) It then flows through interventricular foramina to the third ventricle.
3.)From the third ventricle, it flows down the cerebral aqueduct to the fourth ventricle.
4.) From the fourth ventricle it flows out of the two lateral apertures and one median aperture.
5.) CSF then fill the subarachnoid space.
6.) At arachnoid granulations, CSF is reabsorbed into venous blood of dural venous sinuses.
what are the cerebral peduncles?
Two stalks in the midbrain and pons that anchor the cerebrum to the brainstem. Each peduncle has 3 main components: tegmentum, substantia nirgra and cerebral crus.
What are the five lobes of the cerebrum and their primary functions?
Frontal:Judgment, decision-making, motivation, foresight, planning.
Parietal:Spatial perception, sensory integration, taste, language processing
Occipital: visual awareness & processing
Temporal: Hearing, smell, emotion, learning, language comprehension
Insula: Taste, pain, sensation, consciousness, cardiovascular homestasis
What are the 5 special senses and where are they received in the brain? (Hint:Think which cortex)
Vision: Primary visual cortex
Hearing: Primary auditory cortex
Equilibrium: Cerebellum
Taste & smell: Primary gustatory cortex (taste) & Primary olfactory cortex (smell)
What are the primary vesicles (3)? What are the secondary vesicles (5)?
(Hint: Mesencephalon is the midbrain)
Primary: Forebrain (prosencephalon), midbrain (mesencephalon) & hindbrain (rhombencephalon).
Secondary: Forebrain becomes Telencephalon & diencephalon. Midbrain is still mesencephalon. Hindbrain becomes metencephalon and myelencephalon.
What are the dural sinuses?
They are two layers of the dura are separated by the dural sinuses that are spaces that collect blood that has circulated through the brain. Superior sagittal sinus and Transverse sinus are two major ones.
What is the primary functions of the cerebellum?
What are the 3 types of tracts of the cerebrum and their functions?
1.) Projection tracts: extend vertically between higher and lower brain and spinal cord centers. Carry information between cerebrum and rest of body. Carry motor signals from cerebrum to brainstem and spinal cord.
2.) Commissural tracts: cross from one cerebral hemisphere to the other through "bridges". Majority pass thru corpus callosum. Enable both sides of brain to communicate with another.
3.) Association tracts: Connect different regions within the same cerebral hemisphere. Long fibers connect different lobes. Short connect different gyri within a single lobe.
What is the difference between the precentral gryus and postcentral gyrus in their functions?
Precentral gyrus: Also known as the primary motor cortex. The intention to contract a skeletal muscle start in the motor association area then transmitted here which then send to the brainstem and spinal cord to result in a muscle contraction.
Postcentral gyrus: Also known as the primary somatosensory cortex. Awareness of stimulation occurs here. Signals are relayed from the thalamus to this part of the brain.