1. INTRODUCTION TO NERVOUS SYSTEM

• What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?

  Central and peripheral nervous systems
• What does the central nervous system consist of?

  Brain and spinal cord
• What are the components of the brain?

  Cerebrum, cerebellum, midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata
• What forms the brainstem?

  Midbrain, pons, and medulla
• What are cranial nerves?

  Nerves attached to the brain
• What are spinal nerves?

  Nerves attached to the spinal cord
• What do peripheral nerves supply?

  Skin, muscles, joints, and visceral structures
• What are the two major parts of the peripheral nervous system?

  Autonomic and somatic nervous systems
• What are the subdivisions of the autonomic nervous system?

  Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems
• What protects the brain?

  Skull
• What protects the spinal cord?

  Vertebrae
• When does the human nervous system start to form?

  Very early in embryo development
• What is the notochord?

  Elongated structure laid down during gastrulation
• What is neurulation?

  Process of nervous system development
• What are the three germ layers formed during gastrulation?

  Ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm
• What does the ectoderm generate?

  Skin and nervous tissue
• What does the mesoderm generate?

  Muscle, blood, and connective tissues
• What does the endoderm generate?

  Epithelial lining and glands
• What does the notochord signal during neurulation?

  Formation of the neural plate
• What forms the neural tube?

  Closure of the neural groove
• What are the openings left after neural tube closure?

  Anterior and posterior neuropores
• When does the anterior neuropore close?

  Around day 25
• When does the posterior neuropore close?

  Around day 28
• What does the rostral part of the neural tube develop into?

  Brain
• What does the caudal part of the neural tube develop into?

  Spinal cord
• What happens to the notochord after vertebrae develop?

  It disappears
• What are the three major brain areas formed from the neural tube?

  Prosencephalon, mesencephalon, rhombencephalon
• What does the forebrain split into?

  Telencephalon and diencephalon
• What does the hindbrain split into?

  Metencephalon and myelencephalon
• What can failure of neuropore closure cause?

  Neural tube defects
• What are the two most common neural tube defects?

  Spina bifida and anencephaly
• What is spina bifida?

  Incomplete closure of spinal column
• What is anencephaly?

  Absence of parts of brain and skull
• What are the main functions of the nervous system?

  Control and coordinate body activities
• Why is the autonomic nervous system significant?


  Regulates involuntary body functions
• What do neural crest cells develop into?

  Peripheral nervous system components
• What are the health implications of neural tube defects?

  Can lead to severe disabilities