Questions with Quality Answers.
Define rostral - Answer toward the nose
Define caudal - Answer towards the tail
Define cortex - Answer surface layer of grey matter
Define nuclei - Answer deeper masses of grey matter
Define tracts - Answer bundles of myelinated axons (white matter)
Compare the volume of the cerebrum and cerebellum - Answer The cerebrum is about 83% of
the total brain volume, but the cerebellum contains over half of all neurons.
List the components of the brainstem - Answer Diencephalon, midbrain, pons, and medulla
oblongata.
Locate the longitudinal fissure, central sulcus, gyri, and sulci - Answer Longitudinal fissure:
separates the hemispheres
Central sulcus: separates the frontal and parietal lobes
Gyri: folds
Sucli: shallow grooves
Compare and contrast grey and white matter - Answer White matter is myelinated axons that
are sending signals. Grey matter is unmyelinated axon bodies receiving signaling.m
Describe the meninges - Answer Made of three layers. Most superficial to deep: Dura mater,
arachnoid mater, and pia mater.
Describe each layer of the meninges - Answer Dura mater: creates supportive structure, tough
membrane
Arachnoid mater: spider web filamentous and shiny layer
Pia mater: thin, vascular layer, adheres to the contours of the brain
, Give symptoms and diagnostics of meningitis - Answer It is the inflammation of the meninges.
Patient will present with flu like symptoms with pain and stiffness in the neck. Diagnosed by
identifying viral or bacterial invasion in the CSF from a lumbar tap.
List the ventricles and canals of the brain - Answer Lateral ventricles: inside cerebral
hemispheres (total of two)
Third ventricle: a single vertical space under the corpus callosum
Cerebral aqueduct: runs through the midbrain
Fourth ventricle: small chamber between the pons and cerebellum
Central canal: runs through the spinal cord
What is CSF? How is it produced? - Answer Cerebral spinal fluid. It is made from ependymal
cells that line the ventricles and canals; they also contain choroid plexus that make CSF. It is
absorbed by arachnoid villi into venous sinus
Function of CSF - Answer Buoyancy, protection, and chemical stability.
Consequence of lack of blood flow to the brain - Answer 10 seconds can cause loss of
consciousness. 1-2 minutes could cause impairment of neurological function. 4 minutes or more
could cause irreversible brain damage
Define the Brain Barrier System(s) - Answer Two in total, work to prevent antibodies,
macrophages, bacterial toxins, and other damaging pathogens from entering and damaging the
brain
Define Blood-CSF barrier - Answer Made of capillaries of the choroid plexus, use ependymal
cells with tight junctions. Prevents CSF and blood from mixing
Define Blood Brain Barrier - Answer Created by using astrocytes that reach out and grab each
other to create a sturdy barrier. Also has endothelial cell tight junctions. Prevents blood from
entering the brain without proper filtration. Permeable to lipid-soluble materials
List components of the hindbrain - Answer Medulla oblongata, pons, and cerebellum
Describe the medulla oblongata and list its functions - Answer 3 cm extension of spinal cord,
contains ascending and descending nerve tracts. Controls heart rate and force, blood vessel
diameter, and the control of depth and rate of breathing, as well as reflexes.