NS 3- The brain

• Brain


  • Has 3 more or less distinct areas: the hindbrain, the midbrain, and the forebrain

  
• Hindbrain


  Made up of the cerebellum, the pons, and the medulla

  
• Brainstem


  The midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata
• All cranial nerves are situated in the brain stem
• Medulla oblongata


  The lowest part of the brain
• The Pons


  Involved in controlling autonomic body functions (internal organs such as the heart, stomach and intestines)
• The pons


  Helps to regulate the respiratory system by assisting the medulla oblongata in controlling breathing rate
• The raphe nuclei


  Located in the pons, the principal site of the synthesis of the serotonin
• Chemicals produced in the pons


  Help maintain our sleep-wake cycle
• The pons


  Activates inhibitory centers in the medulla in order to inhibit movement during sleep
• The cerebellum


  Divided into two hemispheres and handles certain reflexes
• The cerebellum


  • Responsible for sensorimotor functions
  • Plays a role in motor movement regulation and balance control
  • Coordinates gait and maintains posture, controls muscle tone and voluntary muscle activity but is unable to initiate muscle contraction
• Damage to the cerebellum


  Results in cerebral palsy [neurological conditions that affect movement and co-ordination]
• The brainstem


  Includes the midbrain, and the 2 components of the hindbrain: pons and medulla oblongata

  
• The midbrain nuclei

  • Substantia nigra
  • Ventral tegmental area
  • Periaqueductal gray

  
• Substantia nigra


  DA → Parkinson's disease
• Ventral tegmental area


  DA → Reward & Addiction
• Periaqueductal gray

  Opioid; GABA → Pain
• Raphe nuclei

  Located in the midbrain
• Midbrain


  • Controls many important functions such as the visual and auditory systems as well as eye movement
  • Crucial for hearing and sight
• Red nucleus and substantia nigra


  Control of body movement
• The brainstem includes the midbrain, and the 2 components of the hindbrain: pons and medulla oblongata

  
• Midbrain nuclei

  • Substantia nigra
  • Ventral tegmental area
  • Periaqueductal gray
• Substantia nigra


  DA -> Parkinson's disease
• Ventral tegmental area

  DA -> Reward & Addiction
• Periaqueductal gray


  Opioid; GABA -> Pain
• Major neuron nuclei in the Midbrain


  • Raphe nuclei
  • Locus coeruleus
• Raphe nuclei


  1. HT -> antidepressants
• Locus coeruleus

  NA -> arousal
• Telencephalon


  One of the two sections the forebrain is split into
• Diencephalon

  One of the two sections the forebrain is split into
• Telencephalon


  • Consists of the two cerebral hemispheres of the cerebrum and their interconnections
• Diencephalon

  • Contains two important structures, the thalamus and the hypothalamus

  
• Hypothalamus

  Connects with the pituitary gland
• Cerebral cortex

  The "gray matter" of the brain where most information processing occurs

  
• Gyri

  Bumps or bulges on the cerebral cortex
• Sulci

  Grooves on the cerebral cortex
• A gyrus is a ridge on the surface of the brain, each ridge is surrounded by fissures known as sulci