Spinal Cord
List 3 main sections of the spinal cord.
List 3 main divisions of the human brain.
cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem.
List the three parts of the brainstem.
midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata
How do spinal reflexes different from other types of reflexes?
they are processed entirely within the spinal cord, allowing for a much faster response by bypassing the brain
List the major structures of the limbic system. What is the overall function of this system?
1. amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, thalamus, and cingulate gyrus.
2. manage emotions, memory, motivation, and behavior,
What is a nerve plexus?
a network of interlaced nerves that form in various regions of the body.
What feature divides the left and right hemispheres? What feature divides separates the frontal and parietal lobe?
1. longitudinal fissure 2. Central Sulcus
Describe the major differences between the meninges of the spinal cord and the brain.
1. brain dura mater has 2 layers while the spinal cord has 1 layer
2. Brain has no epidural space, while the spinal cord does between the dura mater and vertebrae
List 3 types of spinal reflexes.
stretch reflex, the withdrawal reflex, and the crossed extensor reflex
What is the reticular system? What does it do?
complex network of neurons in the brainstem that regulates consciousness, alertness, and sleep-wake cycles
Where do sensory neurons enter the spinal cord? Where do somatic motor neurons exit?
1. Sensory neurons enter the spinal cord through the dorsal root(back) 2. Somatic motor neurons exit the spinal cord through the ventral root (front)
List all the lobes of the cerebrum.
frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital
What is the cortex of the brain? How is the pattern of white and gray matter in the brain
different from that in the spinal cord?
1. Outer layer of brain, composed of gray mater
2. gray matter forms the outer cortex while white matter is deeper inside (spinal cord)
List the three ascending spinal cord tracts.
Dorsal column tract, Spinothalamic tract, Spinocerebellar tract
What roles do the pineal gland and melatonin play in regulating sleep?
The pineal gland produces the hormone melatonin, which regulates sleep-wake cycles by increasing production in darkness to promote sleep and decreasing it in light
What is a spinal reflux?
an automatic, involuntary response to a stimulus that is processed at the level of the spinal cord without input from the brain
What are the main functions of the cerebellum?
coordinate voluntary movements, maintain balance and posture, and facilitate motor learning.
What are nuclei?
deep islands of gray matter
What is the function of the primary somatosensory cortex? Its association area?
processes basic sensory information like touch, temperature, and pain, while the somatosensory association area interprets and makes sense of this information by linking it to past experiences
List the cranial nerves
1. Olfactory (I), Optic (II), Oculomotor (III), Trochlear (IV), Trigeminal (V), Abducens (VI), Facial (VII), Vestibulocochlear (VIII) (also called Auditory), Glossopharyngeal (IX),Vagus (X),Accessory (XI),Hypoglossal (XII)
How does the pons aid the cerebellum?
acting as a relay station and bridge for signals, allowing the cerebellum to coordinate movement with the cerebrum
List the parts of the diencephalon
thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, subthalamus
What determines the relative amount of space a body part occupies on the somatic
sensory cortex? Somatic motor?
1. the density of its sensory receptors
2. the complexity and precision of the movements it controls