Physiology Of Behavior - Chapter 3 - Structure Of The Nervous System

Front 1

What is the neuraxis?

Back 1

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.

Front 2

Define anterior.

Back 2

With respect to the central nervous system, located near or toward the head.

Front 3

Define posterior.

Back 3

With respect to the central nervous system, located near or toward the tail.

Front 4

Define rostral.

Back 4

"Toward the beak"; with respect to the central nervous system, in a direction along the neuraxis toward the front of the face.

Front 5

Define caudal.

Back 5

"Toward the tail"; with respect to the central nervous system, in a direction along the neuraxis away from the front of the face.

Front 6

Define dorasal.

Back 6

"Toward the back"; with respect to the central nervous system, in a direction perpendicular to the neuraxis toward the top of the head or the back.

Front 7

Define ventral.

Back 7

"Toward the belly"; with respect to the central nervous system, in a direction perpendicular to the neuraxis toward the bottom of the skull or the front surface of the body.

Front 8

Define lateral.

Back 8

Toward the side of the body, in a direction at right angles with the neuraxis and away from it.

Front 9

Define medial.

Back 9

Toward the neuraxis, away from the side of the body.

Front 10

Define ipsilateral.

Back 10

Located on the same side of the body.

Front 11

Define contralateral.

Back 11

Located on the opposite side of the body.

Front 12

What is a cross section?

Back 12

With respect to the central nervous system, a slice taken at right angles to the neuraxis.

Front 13

What is a frontal section?

Back 13

A slice through the brain parallel to the forehead.

Front 14

What is a horizontal section?

Back 14

A slice through the brain parallel to the ground.

Front 15

What is a sagittal section?

Back 15

A slice through the brain parallel to the neuraxis and perpendicular to the ground.

Front 16

What is the midsagittal plane?

Back 16

The plane through the neuraxis perpendicular to the ground; divides the brain into two symmetrical halves.

Front 17

What is the central nervous system (CNS)?

Back 17

The brain and spinal cord.

Front 18

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

Back 18

The nerves and ganglia located outside the central nervous system.

Front 19

What is the function of the vertebral artery?

Back 19

An artery whose branches serve the posterior region of the brain.

Front 20

What is the function of the internal carotid artery?

Back 20

An artery whose branches serve the rostral and lateral portions of the brain.

Front 21

What are the meninges (singular: meninx)?

Back 21

The three layers of tissue that encase the central nervous system: the dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater.

Front 22

What is the dura mater?

Back 22

The outermost of the meninges; tough, flexible, unstretchable.

Front 23

What is the arachnoid membrane?

Back 23

The middle layer of the meninges between the outer dura mater and inner pia mater. The subarachnoid space beneath the arachnoid membrane is filled with cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions the brain.

Front 24

What is the pia mater?

Back 24

The layer of the meninges adjacent to the surface of the brain.

Front 25

What is the subarachnoid space?

Back 25

The fluid-filled space between the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater.

Front 26

What is the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

Back 26

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.

Front 27

What is a ventricle?

Back 27

One of the hollow spaces within the brain, filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Front 28

What is a lateral ventricle?

Back 28

One of the two ventricles located in the center of the telencephalon.

Front 29

What is the third ventricle?

Back 29

The ventricle located in the center of the diencephalon.

Front 30

What is the cerebral aqueduct?

Back 30

A narrow tube interconnecting the third and fourth ventricles of the brain, located in the center of the mesencephalon.

Front 31

What is the fourth ventricle?

Back 31

The ventricle located between the cerebellum and the dorsal pons, in the center of the metencephalon.

Front 32

What is the choroid plexus?

Back 32

The highly vascular tissue that protrudes into the ventricles and produces cerebrospinal fluid?

Front 33

What is the arachnoid granulation?

Back 33

Small projections of the arachnoid membrane through the dura mater into the superior sagittal sinus; CSF flows through them to be reabsorbed into the blood supply.

Front 34

What is the superior sagittal sinus?

Back 34

A venous sinus located in the midline just dorsal to the brain, between the two cerebral hemispheres.

Front 35

What is obstructive hydrocephalus?

Back 35

A condition in which all or some of the rain's ventricles are enlarged; caused by an obstruction that impedes the normal flow of CSF.

Front 36

What is the forebrain?

Back 36

The most rostral of the three major divisions of the brain; includes the telencephalon and diencephalon.

Front 37

What is the cerebral hemisphere?

Back 37

One of the two major portions of the forebrain, covered by the cerebral cortex.

Front 38

What is the subcortical region?

Back 38

The region located within the brain, beneath the cortical surface.

Front 39

What is the cerebral cortex?

Back 39

The outermost layer of gray matter of the cerebral hemispheres.

Front 40

What is a sulcus (plural: sulci)?

Back 40

A groove in the surface of the cerebral hemisphere, smaller than a fissure.

Front 41

What is a fissure?

Back 41

A major groove in the surface of the brain, larger than a sulcus.

Front 42

What is a gyrus (plural: gyri)?

Back 42

A convolution of the cortex of the cerebral hemispheres, separated by sulci or fissures.

Front 43

What is the primary visual cortex?

Back 43

The region of the cerebral cortex whose primary input is from the visual system.

Front 44

What is a calcarine fissure?

Back 44

A fissure located in the occipital lobe on the medial surface of the brain; contains most of the primary visual cortex.

Front 45

What is the primary auditory cortex?

Back 45

The region of the cerebral cortex whose primary input is from the auditory system.

Front 46

What is the lateral fissure?

Back 46

The fissure that separates the temporal lobe from the overlying frontal and parietal lobes.

Front 47

What is the primary somatosensory cortex?

Back 47

The region of the cerebral cortex whose primary input is from the somatosensory system.

Front 48

What is the central sulcus?

Back 48

The sulcus that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Front 49

What is the primary motor cortex?

Back 49

The region of the cerebral cortex that contains neurons that control movements of skeletal muscles.

Front 50

What is the frontal lobe?

Back 50

The anterior portion of the cerebral cortex, rostral to the parietal lobe and dorsal to the temporal lobe.

Front 51

What is the parietal lobe?

Back 51

The region of the cerebral cortex caudal to the frontal lobe and dorsal to the temporal lobe.

Front 52

What is the temporal lobe?

Back 52

The region of the cerebral cortex rostral to the occipital lobe and ventral to the parietal and frontal lobes.

Front 53

What is the occipital lobe?

Back 53

The region of the cerebral cortex caudal to the parietal and temporal lobes.

Front 54

What is the sensory association cortex?

Back 54

Those regions of the cerebral cortex that receive information from the regions of primary sensory cortex.

Front 55

What is the motor association cortex?

Back 55

The region of the frontal lobe rostral to the primary motor cortex.

Front 56

What is the prefrontal cortex?

Back 56

The region of the frontal lobe rostral to the motor association cortex.

Front 57

What is the corpus callosum?

Back 57

The largest commissure of the brain, interconnecting the areas of neocortex on each side of the brain.

Front 58

What is the neocortex?

Back 58

The phylogenetically newest cortex including the primary sensory cortex, primary motor cortex, and association cortex.

Front 59

What is the limbic cortex?

Back 59

The phylogenetically old cortex, located at the edge ("limbus") of the cerebral hemispheres; part of the limbic system.

Front 60

What is the cingulate gyrus?

Back 60

A strip of limbic cortex lying along the lateral walls of the groove separating the cerebral hemispheres, just above the corpus callosum.

Front 61

What is the commissure?

Back 61

A fiber bundle that interconnects corresponding regions on each side of the brain.

Front 62

What is the limbic system?

Back 62

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.

Front 63

What is the hippocampus?

Back 63

A forebrain structure of the temporal lobe, constituting an important part of the limbic system.

Front 64

What is the amygdala?

Back 64

A structure in the interior of the rostral temporal lobe, containing a set of nuclei; part of the limbic system.

Front 65

What is the fornix?

Back 65

A fiber bundle that connects the hippocampus with other parts of the brain, including the mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus.

Front 66

What are the mammillary bodies?

Back 66

A protusin of the bottom of the brain at the posterior end of the hypothalamus, containing some hypothalamic nuclei.

Front 67

What are the basal ganglia?

Back 67

A group of subcortical nuclei in the telencephalon, the caudate nucleus, the globus pallidus, and the putamen; important parts of the motor system.

Front 68

What is the diencephalon?

Back 68

A region of the forebrain surrounding the third ventricle; includes the thalamus and the hypothalamus.

Front 69

What is the thalamus?

Back 69

The largest portion of the diencephalon, located abvoe the hypothalamus; contains nuclei that project information to specific regions of the cerebral cortex and receive information from it.

Front 70

What is a projection fiber?

Back 70

An axon of a neuron in one region of the brain whose terminals form synapses with neurons in another region.

Front 71

What is a nucleus (plural: nuclei)?

Back 71

An identifiable group of neural cell bodies in the central nervous system.

Front 72

What is the lateral geniculate nucleus?

Back 72

A group of cell bodies within the lateral geniculate body of the thalamus that receives fibers from the retina nd projects fibers to the primary visual cortex.

Front 73

What is the medial geniculate nucleus?

Back 73

A group of cell bodies within the medial geniculate body of the thalamus; receives fibers from the auditory system and projects fibers to the primary auditory cortex.

Front 74

What is the ventrolateral nucleus?

Back 74

A nucleus of the thalamus that receives inputs from the cerebellum and sends axons to the primary motor cortex.

Front 75

What is the hypothalamus?

Back 75

The group of nuclei of the diencephalon situated beneath the thalamus; involved in regulation of the autonomic nervous system, control of the anterior and posterior pituitary glands, and integration of species-typical behaviors.

Front 76

What is the optic chasm?

Back 76

A cross-shaped connection between the optic nerves, located between the base of the brain, just anterior to the pituitary gland.

Front 77

What is the anterior pituitary gland?

Back 77

The anterior part of the pituitary gland; an endocrine gland whose secretions are controlled by the hypothalamic hormones.

Front 78

What is a neurosecretory cell?

Back 78

A neuron that secretes a hormone or hormonelike substance.

Front 79

What is the posterior pituitary gland?

Back 79

The posterior part of the pituitary gland; an endocrine gland that contains hormone-secreting terminal buttons of axons whose cell bodies lie within the hypothalamus.

Front 80

What is the midbrain?

Back 80

The mesencephalon; the central of the three major divisions of the brain.

Front 81

What is the mesencephalon?

Back 81

The midbrain; a region of the brain that surrounds the cerebral aqueduct; includes the tectum and the tegmentum.

Front 82

What is the tectum?

Back 82

The dorsal part of the midbrain; includes the superior and inferior colliculi.

Front 83

What are the superior colliculi?

Back 83

Protrusions on top of the midbrain; part of the visual system.

Front 84

What are the inferior colliculi?

Back 84

Protrusions on top of the midbrain; part of the auditory system.

Front 85

What is the brain stem?

Back 85

The "stem" of the brain, from the medulla to the diencephalon, excluding the cerebellum.

Front 86

What is the tegmentum?

Back 86

The ventral part of the midbrain; includes the periaqueductal gray matter, reticular formation, red nucleus, and substania nigra.

Front 87

What is the reticular formation?

Back 87

A large network of neurla tissue located in the central region of the brain stem, from the medulla to the diencephalon.

Front 88

What is the periaqueductal gray matter?

Back 88

The region of the midbrain surrounding the cerebral aqueduct; contains neural circuits involved in species-typical behaviors.

Front 89

What is the red nucleus?

Back 89

A large nucleus of the midbrain that receives inputs from the cerebellum and motor cortex and sends axons to motor neurons in the spinal cord.

Front 90

What is the substantia nigra?

Back 90

A darkly stained region of the tegmentum that contains neurons that communicate with the caudate nucleus and putamen in the basal ganglia.

Front 91

What is the hindbrain?

Back 91

The most caudal of the three major divisions of the brain; includes the metencephalon and myelencephalon.

Front 92

What is the cerebellum?

Back 92

A major part of the brain located dorsal to the pons, containing the two cerebellar hemispheres, covered with the cerebellar cortex; an important component of the motor system.

Front 93

What is the cerebellar cortex?

Back 93

The cortex that covers the surface of the cerebellum.

Front 94

What are the deep cerebellar nuclei?

Back 94

Nuclei located within the cerebellar hemispheres; receive projections from the cerebellar cortex and send projections out of the cerebellum to other parts of the brain.

Front 95

What is the cerebellar peduncle?

Back 95

One of three bundles of axons that attach each cerebellar hemisphere to the dorsal pons.

Front 96

What is the pons?

Back 96

The region of the metencephalon rostral to the medulla, caudal to the midbrain, and ventral to the cerebellum.

Front 97

What is the medulla oblongata?

Back 97

The most caudal portion of the brain; located in the myelencephalon, immediately rostral to the spinal cord.

Front 98

What is the spinal cord?

Back 98

The cord of nervous tissue that extends caudally from the medulla.

Front 99

What is the spinal root.

Back 99

A bundle of axons surrounded by connective tissue that occurs in pairs, which fuse and form a spinal nerve.

Front 100

What is the cauda equina?

Back 100

A bundle of spinal roots located caudal to the end of the spinal cord.

Front 101

What is a caudal block?

Back 101

The anesthesia and paralysis of the lower part of the body produced by injection of a local anesthetic into the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the cauda equina.

Front 102

What is the dorsal root?

Back 102

The spinal root that contains incoming (afferent) sensory fibers.

Front 103

What is the ventral root?

Back 103

The spinal root that continas outgoing (efferent) motor fibers.

Front 104

What is the spinal nerve?

Back 104

A peripheral nerve attached to the spinal cord.

Front 105

What is an afferent axon?

Back 105

An axon directed toward the central nervous system, conveying sensory information.

Front 106

What is the dorsal root ganglion?

Back 106

A nodule on a dorsal root that contains cell bodies of afferent spinal nerve neurons.

Front 107

What is an efferent axon?

Back 107

An axon directed away the central nervous system, conveying motor commands to muscles and glands.

Front 108

What is a cranial nerve?

Back 108

A peripheral nerve attached directly to the brain?

Front 109

What is the vagus nerve?

Back 109

The largest of the cranial nerves, conveying efferent fibers of the parasympathetic division of autonomic nervous system to organs of the thoracic and abdominal activities.

Front 110

What is the olfactory bulb?

Back 110

The protusion at the end of the olfactory nerve; receives input from the olfactory receptors.

Front 111

What is the somatic nervous system?

Back 111

The part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the movement of skeletal muscles or transmits somatosensory information to the central nervous system.

Front 112

What is the autonomic nervous system (ANS)?

Back 112

The portion of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's vegetative functions.

Front 113

What is the sympathetic division?

Back 113

The portion of the autonomic nervous system that controls functions that accompany arousal and expenditure of energy.

Front 114

What are the spinal sympathetic ganglia?

Back 114

Sympathetic ganglia either adjacent to the spinal cord in the sympathetic chain or located in the abdominal cavity.

Front 115

What is the sympathetic ganglion chain?

Back 115

One of a pair of groups of sympathetic ganglia that lie ventrolateral to the vertebral column.

Front 116

What is a preganglionic neuron?

Back 116

The efferent neuron of the autonomic nervous 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 on postganglionic neurons in the autonmic ganglia.

Front 117

What is a postganglionic neuron?

Back 117

Neurons of the autonomic nervous system that form synapses directly with their target organ.

Front 118

What is the adrenal medulla?

Back 118

The inner portion of the adrenal gland, located atop the kidney, controlled by sympathetic nerve fibers; secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Front 119

What is the parasympathetic division?

Back 119

The portion of the autonomic nervous system that control functions that occur during a relaxed state.