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Questions and Answers
Which part of the nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord?
Which part of the nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord?
What main function is associated with the cerebrum?
What main function is associated with the cerebrum?
What is the function of the corpus callosum?
What is the function of the corpus callosum?
Which area of the brain is primarily responsible for sensory signal relay?
Which area of the brain is primarily responsible for sensory signal relay?
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What is the estimated weight of the human brain?
What is the estimated weight of the human brain?
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What is one function of cerebrospinal fluid?
What is one function of cerebrospinal fluid?
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Which functional area is NOT associated with the cerebrum?
Which functional area is NOT associated with the cerebrum?
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What separates the two hemispheres of the cerebrum?
What separates the two hemispheres of the cerebrum?
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Which part of the brain is involved in motor coordination and balance?
Which part of the brain is involved in motor coordination and balance?
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Which of the following is NOT a main area of the brain?
Which of the following is NOT a main area of the brain?
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What role does the hypothalamus primarily play in the body?
What role does the hypothalamus primarily play in the body?
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Which structure is directly responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movement?
Which structure is directly responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movement?
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What is the primary function of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
What is the primary function of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
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Which structure is involved in processing basic forms of sensory information?
Which structure is involved in processing basic forms of sensory information?
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Where does the spinal cord begin?
Where does the spinal cord begin?
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What are proprioceptors responsible for?
What are proprioceptors responsible for?
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What is the primary role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in relation to the brain?
What is the primary role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in relation to the brain?
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How does the buoyancy provided by the cerebrospinal fluid affect the brain's weight?
How does the buoyancy provided by the cerebrospinal fluid affect the brain's weight?
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What is the approximate length of the spinal cord?
What is the approximate length of the spinal cord?
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What does the one-way flow from the CSF to the blood primarily accomplish?
What does the one-way flow from the CSF to the blood primarily accomplish?
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Which function does the medulla oblongata NOT primarily control?
Which function does the medulla oblongata NOT primarily control?
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What are the main components found in cerebrospinal fluid?
What are the main components found in cerebrospinal fluid?
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Which function is primarily associated with the sympathetic nervous system?
Which function is primarily associated with the sympathetic nervous system?
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What is the main function of the parasympathetic nervous system?
What is the main function of the parasympathetic nervous system?
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Which brain structure connects the cerebrum to lower parts of the brain and spinal cord?
Which brain structure connects the cerebrum to lower parts of the brain and spinal cord?
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How many cranial nerves are there, and where do they originate?
How many cranial nerves are there, and where do they originate?
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Which statement accurately describes spinal nerves?
Which statement accurately describes spinal nerves?
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What determines the naming convention of spinal nerves?
What determines the naming convention of spinal nerves?
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What is a key characteristic of the autonomic nervous system?
What is a key characteristic of the autonomic nervous system?
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Study Notes
The Central Nervous System
- Composed of the brain and spinal cord
- Brain weighs approximately 1.4kg
- Brain sits within the cranial cavity
- Brain comprises eight areas:
- Cerebrum
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Midbrain
- Pons
- Medulla Oblongata
- Cerebellum
The Cerebrum
- Largest part of the brain
- Three functional areas associated with:
- Mental Activities: memory, intelligence, problem solving, reflection, judgment, thinking, reasoning, initiative, inhibition, moral sense of responsibility, and learning
- Sensory Perception: perception of pain, temperature, and touch
- Initiation and control of voluntary muscle contraction
The Cerebral Cortex
- Highly wrinkled which increases surface area for more neurons to fit inside
- Deep furrow divides the cerebrum into two hemispheres: left and right
- Corpus callosum connects the two hemispheres
- Located above the brainstem
Thalamus
- Located between the cerebral cortex and midbrain
- Extensive nerve connections to both
- Main function: relays sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex
- Receives information about touch, pain, and temperature from sensory receptors in the skin and viscera
- Input from the special sense organs travel here
- Involved in arousal, processing of some emotions and complex reflexes
Hypothalamus
- Situated within the cerebrum
- Attached to the pituitary gland
- Controls the output of hormones
- Controls the autonomic nervous system:
- Emotional reactions
- Hunger and thirst
- Body temperature
- Biological clocks
Midbrain
- Contains nuclei and nerve fibers connecting the cerebrum with the lower parts of the brain and the spinal cord
- Nuclei act as relay stations for ascending and descending nerve fibers
- Important roles in auditory and visual reflexes
Pons
- Contains nerve fibers forming a bridge between the two hemispheres of the cerebrum
- Processes information from several cranial nerves
Medulla Oblongata
- Continuous with the spinal cord
- Coordinates voluntary muscle movement
- Important for posture and balance and smooth movements
- Receives impulses from the proprioceptors (sensory receptors that receive stimuli from within the body, especially position and movement)
- Controls vital senses of the body:
- Cardiovascular center
- Respiratory center
- Reflex centers: coughing, vomiting, sneezing, swallowing
Spinal Cord
- Nerves conveying impulses from the brain to various organs descend through the spinal cord
- Starts in the medulla oblongata
- Descends through the spinal column
- Surrounded by meninges and cerebrospinal fluid
- Approximately the thickness of a little finger
- Approximately 45 cm long
Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Clear colorless fluid that:
- Occupies the subarachnoid space in the brain
- Acts as a cushion or buffer for the cortex
- Renewed four times daily
- Contains proteins, glucose, and lymphocytes
Functions of Cerebrospinal Fluid
- Protection: Cushions the brain to reduce impact
- Buoyancy: Reduces the weight of the brain
- Excretion of waste products: Removes metabolites, drugs, and other substances from the brain
- Endocrine medium for the brain: Transports hormones to certain areas of the brain
Peripheral Nervous System
- Voluntary and involuntary (heart rate, digestion)
- Contains the autonomic nervous system which includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
- Sympathetic nervous system: activated in a "fight or flight" response during threat or perceived danger; needed for short term survival
- Parasympathetic nervous system: restores the body to a state of calm ("rest and digest" phase); needed for long term survival
Cranial Nerves
- Twelve pairs
- Originate on the inferior surface of the brain, mainly the brain stem
- Some are sensory, some motor, and some mixed
- Names suggest their distribution or function and generally relate to the head and neck
Spinal Nerves
- Thirty-one pairs
- Leave the spinal canal through the intervertebral foramina (small opening between each vertebrae)
- Named according to the associated vertebrae
- Eight cervical
- Twelve thoracic
- Five lumber
- Five sacrum
- One coccyx
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Description
This quiz covers the essential components of the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Explore the structures within the brain, such as the cerebrum and thalamus, and their functions in mental activities and sensory perception. Test your knowledge on this vital aspect of human anatomy.
