Chapter 3 - Structure and Function of the Nervous System

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Flashcards for Chapter 3 of Foundations of Behavioral Neuroscience
Lorann Kearney
Flashcards by Lorann Kearney, updated more than 1 year ago
Lorann Kearney
Created by Lorann Kearney over 7 years ago
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neuroaxis an imaginary line drawn through the center of the length of the central nervous system, from the bottom of the spinal cord to the front of the forebrain
anterior with respect to the CNS, located near or toward the head
posterior with respect to the CNS, located near or toward the tail
rostral with respect to the CNS, in a direction along the neuraxis toward the front of the face ("Toward the beak")
caudal with respect to the CNS, in a direction along the neuraxis away from the front of the face ("toward the tail")
dorsal with respect to the CNS, in a direction perpendicular to the neuraxis toward the top of the head or the back ("toward the back")
ventral with respect to the CNS, in a direction perpendicular to the neuraxis toward the top of the head or the back ("toward the back")
lateral toward the side of the body away from the middle
medial toward the middle of the body away from the side
ipsilateral located on the same side of the body
contralateral located on the opposite side of the body
cross section with respect to the CNS, a slice taken at right angles to the neuraxis
frontal section a slice through the brain parallel to the forehead
horizontal section a slice through the brain parallel to the ground
sagittal section a slice through the brain parallel to the neuraxis and perpendicular to the ground
midsagital plane the plane through the neuraxis perpendicular to the ground that divides the brain into two symmetrical halves
meninges (sing. meninx) the three layers of tissue that encase the CNS: the dura matter, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater
dura mater the outermost of the meninges that is thick and flexible
arachnoid membrane the middle layer of the meninges, located between the outer dura mater and the innter pia mater
pia mater the layer of the meninges that clings to the surface of the brain and is thin and delicate
subarachnoid space the fluid-filled space that cushions the brain that is located between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) a clear fluid, similar to blood plasma, that fills the ventricular system of the brain and the subarachnoid space surrounding the brain and spinal cord
ventricle one of the hollow spaces within the brain, filled with CSF
lateral ventricle one of the two ventricles located in the center of the telencephalon
third ventricle the ventricle located in the center of the diencephalon
cerebral aqueduct a narrow tube interconnecting the third and fourth ventricles of the brain, located in the center of the mesencephalon
fourth ventricle the ventricle located between the cerebellum and the dorsal pons, in the center of the metencephalon
choroid plexus the highly vascular tissue that protrudes into the ventricles and produces CSF
neural tube a hollow tube, closed at the rostral end, that forms from ectodermal tissue early in embryonic development that serves as the origin of the central nervous system
cerebral cortex the outermost layer of gray matter of the cerebral hemisphere
progenitor cells cells of the ventricular zone that divide and give rise to cells of the central nervous system
ventricular zone (VZ) a layer of cells that line the inside of the neural tube that contains progenitor cells that divide and give rise to cells of the central nervous system
symmetrical division division of a progenitor cell that gives rise to two identical cells; increases the size of the ventricular zone and hence the brain that develops from it
asymmetrical division division of a progenitor cell that gives rise to another progenitor cell and a neuron, which migrates away from the ventricular zone toward its final resting place in the brain
radial glia special glia with fibers that grow radially outward from the ventricular zone to the surface of the cortex that provide guidance for neurons migrating outward during brain development
apoptosis death of a cell caused by a chemical signal that activates a genetic mechanism inside the cell
neurogenesis the production of new neurons within the brain
forebrain the most rostral of the three major divisions of the brain; including the telecephalon and diencephalon
cerebral hemisphere one of the two major portions of the forebrain, covered by the cerebral cortex
subcortical region the region located within the brain, beneath the cortical surface
sulcus (plur. sulci) a groove, smaller than a fissure, in the surface of the cerebral hemisphere
fissure a major groove in the surface of the brain that is larger than a sulcus
gyrus (plur. gyri) a convolution of the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres, seperated by sulci or fissures
primary visual cortex the region of the posterior occipital lobe whose primary input is from the visual system
calcarine fissure a fissure located in the occipital lobe on the medial surface of the brain; most of the primary visual cortex is located along its upper and lower banks
primary auditory cortex the region of the superior temporal lobe whose primary input is from the auditory system
lateral fissure the fissure that separates the temporal lobe from the overlaying frontal and parietal lobes
primary somatosensory cortex the region of the anterior parietal lobe whose primary input is from the somatosensory system
sentral sulcus the sulcus that seperates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe
primary motor cortex the region of the posterior frontal lobe that contains neurons that control movements of skeletal muscles
frontal lobe the anterior portion of the cerebral cortex, rostral to the parietal and dorsal to the temporal lobe
parietal lobe the region of the cerebral cortex caudal to the frontal lobe and dorsal to the temporal lobe
temporal lobe the region of the cerebral cortex rostral to the occipital lobe and ventral to the parietal and frontal lobes
occipital lobe the region of the cerebral cortex caudal to the parietal and temporal lobes
sensory association cortex those regions of the cerebral cortex that receive information from the regions of primary sensory cortex
motor association cortex/premotor cortex the region of the frontal lobe rostal to the primary motor cortex
prefrontal cortex the region of the frontal lobe rostral to the motor association cortex
corpus callosum a large bundle of axons that interconnects corresponding regions of the association cortex on each side of the brain
neocortex the phylogenetically newest cortex, including the primary sensory cortex, primary motor cortex, and association cortex
limbic cortex phylogenetically old cortex, located at the medial edge of the cerebral hemispheres that is part of the limbic system
cingulate gyrus a strip of limbic cortex lying along the lateral walls of the groove separating the cerebral hemispheres, just above the corpus callosum
limbic system a group of brain regions including the anterior thalamic nuclei, amygdala, hippocampus, limbic cortex, and parts of the hypothalamus, as well as their interconnecting fiber bundles
hippocampus a forebrain structure of the medial temporal lobe, constituting an important part of the limbic system and is involved in learning and memory
amygdala a structure in the interior of the rostral temmporal lobe, containing a set of nuclei and is part of the limbic system
fornix a fiber bundle that connects the hippocampus with other parts of the brain, including the mammilary bodies of the hypothalamus and is part of the limbic system
mammillary bodies a protrusion of the bottom of the brain at the posterior end of the hypothalamus, containing some hypothalamic nuclei and is part of the limbic system
basal ganglia a group of subcortical nuclei in the telencephalon, the caudate nucleus, the globus pallidus, and the putamen that are important parts of the motor system
nucleus (plur. nuclei) an identifiable group of neural cell bodies in the CNS
diencephalon a region of the forebrain surrounding the third ventricle; including the thalamus and the hypothalamus
thalamus the largest portion of the diencephalon, located above the hypothalamus that contains nuclei that project information to specific regions of the cerebral cortex and receive information from it
projection fiber an axon of the neuron in one region of the brain whose terminals form synapses with neurons in another region
lateral geniculate nucleus a group of cell bodies within the lateral geniculate body of the thalamus that receives fibers from the retina and projects fibers to the primary visual cortex
medial geniculate nucleus a group of cell bodies within the medial geniculate body of the thalamus that recieves fibers from the auditory system and projects fibers from the auditory system and projects fibers to the primary auditory cortex
ventrolateral nucleus a nucleus of the thalamus that receives inputs from the cerebellum and sends axons to the primary motor cortex
hypothalamus the group of nuclei of the diencephalon situated beneath the thalamus that is involved in regulation of the autonomic nervous system, control of the anterior and posterior pituitary glands, and integration of species-typical behaviors
optic chaism an x-shaped connection between the optic nerves, located below the base of the brain, just anterior to the pituitary gland
anterior pituitary gland an endocrine gland located on the anterior part of the pituitary gland whose secretions are controlled by the hypothalamic hormones
neurosecratory cell a neuron that secretes a hormone or hormonelike substance
posterior pituitary gland an endocrine gland located on the posterior part of the pituitary gland that contains hormone-secreting terminal buttons of axons whose cell bodies lie within the hypothalamus
midbrain/mesencephalon the central of the 3 major divisions of the brain that surrounds the cerebral aqueduct and includes the tectum and the tegmentum
tectum the dorsal part of the midbrain that includes the superior and inferior colliculi
superior culliculi protrusions on top of the midbrain that are part of the visual system
inferior colliculi protrusions on top of the midbrain that are part of the auditory system
brain stem the "stem" of the brain, from the medulla to the diencephalon, excluding the cerebellum
tegmentum the ventral part of the midbrain that includes the periaqueductal gray matter, reticular formation, red nucleus, and substantia nigra
reticular formation a large network of neural tissue located in the central region of the brain stem, from the medulla to the diencephalon
periaqueductal gray matter the region of the midbrain surrounding the cerebral aqueduct that contains neural circuits involved in species-typical behaviors
red nucleus a large nucleus of the midbrain that receives input from the cerebellum and motor cortex and sends axons to motor neurons in the spinal cord
substantia nigra a darkly stained region of the tegmentum that contains neurons that communicate with the caudate nucleus and putamen in the basal ganglia
hindbrain the most caudal of the 3 major divisions of the brain and includes the metencephalon and myelencephalon
cerebellum a major part of the brain located dorsal to the pons, containing the two cerebellar hemispheres, covered with the cerebellar cortex and is an important component of the motor system
cerebellar cortex the cortex that covers the surface of the cerebellum
deep cerebellar nuclei nuclei located within the cerebellar hemispheres that receive projections from the cerebellar cortex and send projections out of the cerebellum to other parts of the brain
cerebellar peduncle one of the three bundles of axons that attach each cerebellar hemisphere to the dorsal pons
pons the region of the metencephalon rostral to the medulla, caudal to the midbrain and ventral to the cerebellum
medulla oblongata the most caudal portion of the brain that is located in the myelencephalon, immediately rostral to the spinal cord
spinal cord the cord of the nervous tissue that extends caudally from the medulla
spinal root a bundle of axons surrounded by connective tissue that occurs in pairs, which fuse and form a spinal nerve
cauda equina a bundle of spinal roots located caudal to the end of the spinal cord
caudal block the anesthesia and paralysis of the lower part of the body produced by injection of a local anesthetic into the CSF surrounding the cauda equina
dorsal root the spinal root that contains incoming (afferent) sensory fibers
ventral root the spinal root that contains outgoing (efferent)motor fibers
spinal nerve a peripheral nerve attached to the spinal cord
afferent axon an axon directed toward the central nervous system, conveying sensory information
dorsal root ganglion a nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of afferent spinal nerve neurons
efferent axon an axon directed away from the central nervous system, conveying motor commands to muscles and glands
cranial nerve a peripheral nerve attached directly to the brain
vagus nerve the largest of the cranial nerve, conveying afferent fibers of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system to the organs of the thoracic and abdominal cavities
olfactory bulb the protrusion at the end of the olfactory nerve that receives input from the olfactory receptors
somatic nervous system the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the movement of skeletal muscles or transmits somatosensory information to the CNS
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) The portion of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's vegetative functions
sympathetic division the portion of the autonomic nervous system that controls functions that accompany arousal and expenditure of energy
sympathetic ganglia Nodules that contain synapses between preganglionic and postganglionic neurons of the sympathetic nervous system
sympathetic ganglion chain one of a pair of groups of sympathetic ganglia that lie ventrolateral to the vertebral column
preganglionic neuron the efferent neuron of the autonomic system whose cell body is located in a cranial nerve nucleus or in the intermediate horn of the spinal gray matter and whose terminal buttons synapse upon postganglionic neurons in the autonomic ganglia
postganglionic neuron neurons of the ANS that form synapses directly with their target organ
parasympathetic division the portion of the autonomic nervous system that controls functions that occur during a relaxed state
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