midbrain
what is the brainstem
a stalk-like part of the brain that connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord and cerebellum
what are the pons
bulging region on anterior brainstem that has sensory motor tracts connecting brain to spinal cord
what is cerebellum
The second largest brain area that functions in fine motor and "muscle memory"
what is the limbic system
aka emotional brain, it is composed of multiple cerebral and diencephalic structures that process and experience emotions.
how does sleep work
divided into two categories: REM (rapid eye movement; brain is active, eyes move) and non-REM (slow frequency brain waves)
adults need 7-8 hours per night, teens 8.5-9.5 hours, infants 17-18 hours.
what do the cerebral peduncles and medial lemniscus control?
1) cerebral peduncles- motor tracts, voluntary commands
2) medial lemniscus- sensory tracts leading to the thalamus
what are the key structures of the pons
1) middle cerebellar peduncles- transverse axons connecting pons to cerebellum
2) pontine respiratory center- helps regulate skeletal muscles of breathing. regulates inhale/exhale
3) superior olivary nuclei- sound localization
4) cranial nerve nuclei- nuclei for 4 different cranial nerves: trigeminal, facial, and vestibulocochlear nerves.
what are the three types of cerebellar peduncles and where do they connect?
1) superior cerebellar peduncles- connect cerebellum to midbrain
2) middle cerebellar peduncles- connect cerebellum to pons
3) inferior cerebellar peduncles- connect cerebellum to medulla oblongata
what are important limbic system components
cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, hippocampus, amygdaloid body, olfactory bulbs/tracts/cortex, fornix
what is cognition
mental processes of awareness, knowledge, memory, perception, and thinking.
Association areas of the cerebrum are responsible
what does the superior cerebellar peduncles and substantia nigra control
superior cerebellar peduncles: connect cerebellum to midbrain
substantia nigra: hosts neurons producing most of CNS' dopamine. also involved with movement, emotions, pleasure, and pain response
important pons functions
localization of sound
connection to cerebellum
cranial nerve origin
control of respiration
what are the functions of the cerebellum
coordinates and fine-tunes muscle movements
coordinates signals
ensures muscle activity follows a correct pattern
stores memories of previously learned movements
helps maintain equilibrium and posture
continuously receives motor plans and sensory feedback
regulate behavioral expression and cognitive skills
language processing and retrieval
what is reticular formation
loosely organized gray matter of the brainstem that is particularly important while sleeping or maintinaing "awakeness."
what are the three types of memory
1) sensory memory- associations based on sensory input that last for seconds
2) short-term memory (STM)- limited capacity, brief duration (seconds to hours)
3) long-term memory (LTM)- can be encoded from short-term memory if info repeated. may exist indefinitely, but can be lost if not retrieved occasionally
what does the tegmentum and cerebral aqueductt do
tegmentum- postural motor control
cerebral aqueduct- connects third and fourth ventricle
medulla oblongata key structures
cardiovascular center- cardiac center and vasomotor center
medullary respiratory center
nucleus cuneatus and nucleus gracilis
cranial nerve nuclei of medulla
what are the steps to the cerebellar pathway
1) cerebellum receives input from the cerebrum
2) cerebellum recieves input about motor signal from PNS
3) cerebellum integrates signals
4) cerebellum may correct or adjust motor signals
what structures are involved in reticular formation
reticular activating system (RAS)
motor component- spinal cord connections and brainstem connections
what structures are involved in emotion
Limbic system, particularly hippocampus and amygdaloid body.
what reflexes does the tectum control
auditory and visual reflexes
functions of medulla oblongata
cardiac control, respiration control, relay of somatic sensory signals to thalamus, origin of several cranial nerves and route for all connections between brain and spinal cord.
are you going to slay this exam
yes
what role does the limbic system and reticular formation play in the brain?
The limbic system manages emotions, motivation, and memory, while the reticular formation controls consciousness, arousal, and sleep cycles, filtering sensory input to maintain alertness.
sleep consolidates memories and processes emotions, emotions tag memories for importance, and memory stores this data, with all three interacting to regulate mood and cognitive function