The Central Nervous system

Brain
Men 1600 grams Women 1450 grams Development - Folding of the neural tube 4th week - Expansion and constriction of neural tube gives rise to three regions = Primary brain vesicles - Prosencephalon - Mesencephalon - Rhombencephalon

Continued development
Secondary brain vesicles: Prosencephalon divides into two regions:
- (1) Telencephalon becomes cerebrum - (2) Diencephalon thalamus and hypothalamus

Mesencephalon remains unchanged Rhombencephalon becomes two regions

- (1) metencephalon pons and cerebellum - (2) myelencephalon medulla oblongata

Ventricles
Fluid filled cavities in brain Four ventricles Continuous with each other Lined by ependymal cells and filled with CSF Two lateral ventricles in each cerebral hemisphere Third ventricle lies in diencephalon Fourth ventricle lies dorsal to the pons Three openings 2 lateral and one medial aperture

Cerebral hemispheres
83% of brain mass Covered by ridges and folds Gyri are elevated folds of brain Sulci are shallow grooves that separate gyri Fissures are deep grooves longitudinal fissure separates the hemispheres Divides into 4 lobes

 Conscious part of the mind Six layers Three functional areas: - (1)Motor-(2)sensory-(3)association All neurons in cerebrum are interneurons Hemispheres are not equal in function Functions usually involve multiple areas Each hemisphere coordinates the other side of the body

Cerebral cortex gray matter

Motor areas
Control voluntary movement Primary motor cortex precise or skilled voluntary movements
Body represented spatially

Premotor cortex learned motor responses (patterned responses) Frontal eye field movement of eyes Brocas area (speech center)
Only in left hemisphere Motor speech

Sensory Areas
Primary somatosensory cortex - Spatial discrimination identify body region stimulated
- Receive info from receptors in body

Visual Auditory Olfactory Gustatory Vestibular specialized senses Somatosensory association cortex
- Integrate sensory input understand what is being sensed - damage = cant tell what you feel without looking

Association Areas
Communicate with motor cortex Many associated with sensory areas Prefrontal cortex most complex
- Abstract ideas, long term planning, judgment, conscious thought, intelligence and learning - Dependent on positive and negative feedback - Slow to develop major development during teens

Language areas comprehension and articulation

- Left hemisphere
- Right hemisphere deals with body language - Four major areas (1)Wernickes area (sound out unfamiliar words, (2)Brocas area and (3)lateral prefrontal cortex (language comprehension and word analysis and (4) naming objects and reading center

More association areas

General interpretation areas usually left hemisphere - Integrates sensory info into understanding of situation - Many inputs Visceral association conscious awareness of visceral functions(full tummy)

Cerebral dominance
Division of labor among the hemispheres = lateralization Left hemipshere logic, language and math Right hemisphere visual spatial skills, emotion, arts and music. Face recognition

Cerebral white matter

Internal portion of cerebrum (cortex is gray) Communication among the cerebrum and other parts of brain Three classes of communication fibers (1) Commissural fibers connects the hemispheres = corpus callosum (2) Association fibers connect parts of the same hemisphere (3) Projection fibers connect cerebrum to other parts of the brain

Diencephalon
Three paired structures - Thalamus - Hypothalamus - Epithalamus Enclose the third ventricle

Thalamus
Gateway to the cerebral cortex Receives all afferent impulses from body Thalamus sorts out information = editing

Hypothalamus
Autonomic control center Center for emotional response Body temp regulation Regulation of food intake Water balance and thirst Sleep wake cycles Endocrine control (Hormones)

Epithalamus
Pineal gland located here Pineal gland secretes melatonin sleep wake cycles Contains part of Choroid plexus secretes CSF

Brain stem
Consist of: - Mesencephalon - Pons - Medulla oblongata All function on producing actions for survival AKA the primitive brain

Midbrain
AKA mesencephalon Involved in auditory reflexes Substantia nigra dopamine production

Pons
The bridge Relay between cerebellum and motor cortex Pneumotaxic center regulate breathing

Medulla oblongata
Major role keep homeostasis Cardiovascular center Respiratory center Vomiting, swallow, coughing, sneezing

Cerebellum
Second biggest region of brain Coordinate body movement (muscle contraction) Receive info from position receptors

Cerebellar Processing
1) cerebral cortex notifies cerebellum of intent to move 2) Cerebellum receives info from receptors for body position 3) cerebellum coordinates force, direction and extent of muscle contraction to keep balance 4) It sends out instructions via the motor pathway

Functional systems
Limbic system - Functional rather than structural - Emotional center of brain - Two major regions
- Amygdala
- recognize facial expressions - assess danger - elicit fear response - Cingulate gyrus - expressing emotional gestures - resolving mental conflicts when frustrated

 Reticular formation - Awareness center - Sensory filter

Memory
Short term memory Long term memory Transfer of STM to LTM affected by - Emotional state - Rehearsal - Association

Protecting the brain

Meninges 3 layers
- Dura mater
- Two layers have a dural sinus in between - Dural septa (folds) form in some places act as seat belts for brain (limit movement) - Dural sinus collect venous blood from brain - Arachnoid

- Arachnoid villi absorb CSF into

venous blood

- Pia mater CSF buoyancy and cushion

- Makes brain lighter - Nourish brain - Made by the choroid plexus Blood Brain barrier

Brain hurt
Concussion slight and short lived Contusion brain tissue damage CVAs (strokes) cerebral vascular accidents
Ischemia blood supply interrupted

Brain diseases
Alzheimers - results in dementia Parkinsons loss of dopamine producing neurons in the substantia nigra Huntingtons - accumulation of a mutant protein that destroys brain tissue
hereditary

Spinal cord - anatomy

Protected by the meninges
Epidural space between bone and dural sheath

Subarchnoid space between arachnoid and pia mater

Filled with CSF Spinal (lumbar) tap below L1

Conus medullaris termination of spinal cord Filum terminale fibrous extension of pia mater anchor spinal cord Denticulate ligaments extensions of pia mater anchor cord laterally Spinal nerves 31 attach to spinal cord Enlargements cervical and lumbar Cauda Equina collection of nerves at end of spinal cord

Cross section anatomy

Anterior median fissure Posterior median sulcus

Gray Matter
Gray matter internal and butterfly shaped Posterior horns interneurons only
Afferent axons enter the dorsal root
Dorsal root ganglion enlargement of dorsal root cell bodies of sensory neurons

Anterior horns
Axons sent out via ventral roots

Lateral horns thoracic and superior lumbar

Autonomic motor neurons Axons leave via ventral root

Dorsal and ventral root fuse to form a spinal nerve

White matter
Allows communication axons that are myelinated and unmyelinated Three directions nerve fibers run
Ascending, descending and transverse

Pathways cross (decussate) at some point

Trauma and disorders

Paralysis loss of motor function Paresthesias loss of sensory function Transection of cord between T1-L1 = paraplegia lower limbs Transection in cervical region = quadraplegia Poliomyelitis viral infection destroys motor neurons in the anterior horn ALS amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis
AKA Lou Gehrigs disease Genetically based Destruction of the motor pathway Death in 5 years