Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary role of the Somatosensory Association Area?
What is the primary role of the Somatosensory Association Area?
Which area of the brain is primarily responsible for the understanding of speech and written language?
Which area of the brain is primarily responsible for the understanding of speech and written language?
What is a characteristic of Wernicke's Aphasia?
What is a characteristic of Wernicke's Aphasia?
Where is the Primary Visual Cortex located?
Where is the Primary Visual Cortex located?
Signup and view all the answers
Which cortex is involved in receiving and interpreting sound information?
Which cortex is involved in receiving and interpreting sound information?
Signup and view all the answers
What does the Vestibular Cortex regulate?
What does the Vestibular Cortex regulate?
Signup and view all the answers
Which area is responsible for visceral sensation such as a 'full' stomach?
Which area is responsible for visceral sensation such as a 'full' stomach?
Signup and view all the answers
What cognitive functions are predominantly associated with the Prefrontal Cortex?
What cognitive functions are predominantly associated with the Prefrontal Cortex?
Signup and view all the answers
What is primarily controlled by the primary motor cortex (M1)?
What is primarily controlled by the primary motor cortex (M1)?
Signup and view all the answers
Which area is primarily responsible for movement planning?
Which area is primarily responsible for movement planning?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the effect of damage to the primary motor cortex?
What is the effect of damage to the primary motor cortex?
Signup and view all the answers
Which statement about hemisphere dominance is TRUE?
Which statement about hemisphere dominance is TRUE?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary function of the frontal cortex and posterior association area?
What is the primary function of the frontal cortex and posterior association area?
Signup and view all the answers
Which area is known as the speech motor area?
Which area is known as the speech motor area?
Signup and view all the answers
Which structures are included in the limbic association area?
Which structures are included in the limbic association area?
Signup and view all the answers
The primary somatosensory cortex is responsible for which function?
The primary somatosensory cortex is responsible for which function?
Signup and view all the answers
What role do the basal nuclei primarily play in the brain?
What role do the basal nuclei primarily play in the brain?
Signup and view all the answers
What occurs if there is damage to Broca’s Area?
What occurs if there is damage to Broca’s Area?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main function of the thalamus in the diencephalon?
What is the main function of the thalamus in the diencephalon?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT true about brain hemisphere functions?
Which of the following is NOT true about brain hemisphere functions?
Signup and view all the answers
The hypothalamus is primarily involved in:
The hypothalamus is primarily involved in:
Signup and view all the answers
Which component of the basal nuclei is known as the striatum?
Which component of the basal nuclei is known as the striatum?
Signup and view all the answers
What emotional responses are primarily linked with the amygdala?
What emotional responses are primarily linked with the amygdala?
Signup and view all the answers
What is NOT a function of the limbic system?
What is NOT a function of the limbic system?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Central Nervous System
- The brain and spinal cord begin as a neural tube during embryonic development.
- The anterior end of the tube develops into the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain.
- These regions further differentiate into the cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon, and brainstem.
- The posterior end of the neural tube becomes the spinal cord.
- The central cavity of the neural tube forms the ventricles, which contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Brain and Spinal Cord Regions
- The superior portion of the brain constitutes 83% of the total brain mass.
- It is divided into right and left hemispheres, separated by a deep longitudinal fissure.
- The cerebrum is separated from the cerebellum by a transverse fissure.
- The brain has ridges (gyri) and grooves (sulci) to increase surface area and maximize communication.
- The brain is divided into four lobes (frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal) corresponding to the overlying cranial bones.
- The insula is a deep, interior lobe surrounding the diencephalon.
Basic Regions of Each Hemisphere
- Cerebral Cortex: The outermost layer of gray matter, divided into functional areas.
- White Matter: Internal to the cortex, containing neural tracts of the central nervous system.
- Basal Nuclei (Ganglia): Islands of gray matter within the white matter, primarily involved in motor control.
Functional Areas
- Motor: Control voluntary movement.
- Sensory: Receive and process sensory information.
- Association: Integrate information from different areas of the brain.
- Hemispheric activity largely corresponds to stimuli received from the opposite side of the body.
- With time, tasks often become lateralized to one hemisphere, although both sides are typically used. Dominant hemisphere is often correlated with handedness (right-handed people are typically left-hemisphere dominant).
Primary Motor Cortex
- Located in the precentral gyrus, anterior to the central sulcus.
- Responsible for precise and skilled skeletal muscle movements.
Premotor Cortex
- Anterior to the primary motor cortex.
- Involved in planning and executing complex or learned movements.
Broca's Area
- Located in the frontal cortex.
- Important for speech production.
Primary Somatosensory Cortex
- Located in the postcentral gyrus, immediately posterior to the central sulcus.
- Receives general sensory information (skin and proprioceptors).
- Aids in spatial discrimination (body position in space).
Somatosensory Association Area
- Located posterior to the primary somatosensory cortex, within the parietal lobe.
- Integrates sensory input to help with object recognition, size, texture and relationship of parts of an object.
Visual Association Area
- Located in the occipital lobe
Auditory Cortex & Auditory Association Area
- Located in the superior temporal lobe.
- Processes auditory information (pitch, volume, location.)
- Auditory Association stores this information.
Vestibular Cortex
- Insula and deeper portions of parietal lobe
- Receives and integrates information from the inner ear, to regulate balance.
Olfactory Cortex
- Medial temporal lobe
- Receives and integrates olfactory information.
Gustatory Cortex
- Insula deep to temporal lobe
- Receives information from tastebuds and works with olfactory cortex to taste perception.
Visceral Sensory Area
- Posterior to the gustatory cortex.
- Responsible for visceral sensations (e.g., fullness, bladder sensations).
Prefrontal Cortex (Anterior Association Area)
- A complex cortical area involved with higher-level cognitive functions (intellect, cognition, recall, personality, planning, judgment, reasoning, and persistence ) .
- Requires feedback from the social environment for full development.
- Damage to this can cause mental and personality disorders.
Frontal Cortex (Posterior Association Area)
- Large region encompassing parts of the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes.
- Integrates information from motor, sensory and visual cortices.
- Involved in language comprehension, decision-making, and complex tasks.
Limbic Association Area
- Includes parts of the diencephalon, encompassing parts of the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala.
- Involved in emotions and memories and establishes memories.
Basal Ganglia
- Includes the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus which make up the striatum.
- Lrgly involved in controlling movement.
- Functions overlap with those of the cerebellum.
- Important for initiating movements and regulating their intensity.
- Involved in cognition and emotion, including potentially filtering and modulating actions and responses.
Thalamus
- A major pathway for sensory information going to the cortex.
- It plays a critical role in sensory integration, motor activities, and the sleep-wake cycle.
- It is a key waypoint for sensory messages (involved in the coordination of motor functions and sensory information).
Hypothalamus
- Major visceral control center that helps maintain homeostasis.
- Regulates many vital functions including: blood pressure, heart rate, GI function, body temperature, hunger, satiety, hormone functions, emotional responses.
Epithalamus
- Contains the pineal gland, which secretes melatonin and regulates sleep-wake cycles.
Survival Control
- Specific areas within the brain control critical functions needed for survival (10/12 cranial nerve pairs).
- Midbrain, Pons, and Medulla Oblongata are involved/crucial to regulate and control critical functions including swallowing, coughing, and sneezing.
Cerebellum
- Located dorsal to pons and medulla, inferior to the cerebral cortex.
- Facilitates movement precision, coordination, and balance.
- Damage or disease can lead to problems with motor control.
Cerebral Ataxia
- Condition of inability to coordinate the movement due to disease/injury to cerebellum.
Cerebral Palsy
- Group of conditions that occur from damage in developing brain, commonly before birth, that affect movement and posture.
Coverings (Meninges)
- Protect the central nervous system
- Contain cerebrospinal fluid.
- Dura mater (superficial): tough, fibrous outer layer.
- Arachnoid mater (middle): web-like structure.
- Pia mater (deepest): delicate layer that closely adheres to the brain and spinal cord.
Ventricles and Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)
- CSF circulates in interconnected chambers called ventricles within the brain.
- CSF provides buoyancy, protection, and essential nutrients for the brain and spinal cord.
Strokes
- Ischemia is when tissue lacks blood causing death.
- Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) are brief episodes of ischemia.
Diseases resulting in Dementia
- Alzheimer's Disease (AD): Progressive and degenerative brain disease causing damage that results in memory loss, mood changes, confusion.
- Notable Case examples: Gene Wilder (actor), Barbara Walters (journalist).
Parkinson's Disease (PD)
- Disease results from degeneration of dopamine-releasing neurons in the substantia nigra of the brain.
- Notable Case examples:** Michael J. Fox (actor), Ian Holm (actor)
Spinal Cord
- Enclosed in the vertebral column, extends from the foramen magnum to the L1-L2 vertebrae.
- The terminating structure is the cone-shaped conus medullaris, which tapers down and extends to the coccyx
- Cauda equina: nerve roots arising from spinal cord.
Spinal Cord Grey Matter
- Mirrored on either side of the cord.
- Contains dorsal horns (sensory), ventral horns (motor), and dorsal root ganglia (sensory cell bodies).
Spinal Cord White Matter
- Composed of myelinated and unmyelinated fibers.
- Allows communication between different levels and other parts of the nervous system: - Ascending tracts (sensory information to brain), descending tracts (motor signals from brain), and transverse tracts (cross information between sides).
Spinal Cord Injuries
- Transection of the spinal cord at any level causes motor and sensory losses in inferior regions.
- Severed/damaged spinal cord (various severities) result in various damages depending on where/how severe damage is.
- Spinal shock: a temporary loss of function following a spinal cord injury that can last from a few hours to weeks.
- Paralysis: loss of motor function, Flaccid Paralysis, Spastic Paralysis
- Paresthesia: abnormal sensations (tingling, burning.)
Diseases of the PNS (Peripheral Nervous System)
- Polio: Virus infection, causing destruction of ventral horn motor neurons.
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS): Degeneration of ventral horn motor neurons.
Additional Information
- FAST is an acronym used to identify stroke symptoms: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, Time to call 911.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
