The Central Nervous System Upload 9.10 Central Nervous System Notes 1.

The Central Nervous System

Upload 9.10 Central Nervous System Notes 1

Meninges

1. Definition: Protective membranes between

bone and nervous system soft tissues

2. Made of 3 layers

 a. Dura mater (tough mother)

  -outermost layer

 b. Arachnoid mater (spider mother)

  -middle layer

 c. Pia mater (delicate mother)

 -inner layer

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Read the definition. What structure of the nervous system is being described?

1.Definition: a clear watery liquid produced

in the ventricles of the brain.

Very Cool Demonstration

-Put a raw egg in a container that is just a litter larger then the egg.

-Cover and shake the container

What happens to the egg?

-Put a raw egg in a container full of water.

-Cover and shake the container.

What happens to the egg?

What did the water represent?

What functions of CSF were shown in the egg demo?

Protection and Buoyancy

Not shown: Removal of waste, Endocrine medium for the brain.

Fun Fact

Fun Fact: How much would a 165 lb person weigh if they were floating in CSF?

6 pounds

Spinal cord

1. Anatomy:

 a. bundle of neurons,

about 17" in length

b. made of 2 types of tissue

  1) gray matter- made of nerve cell bodies,   neuroglial cells and blood vessels

  2) white matter- made of axons

 c. consists of 31 segments-

  each segment gives rise to a pair of

spinal nerves

Draw the location of the nerve cell bodies and axons.

2. Physiology

  a. conducts nerve impulses

  b. serves as a center for spinal reflexes

Time for lab

Find the spinal cord

Structures of a vertebra

Structures of the CNS

THE BRAIN

Upload 9.12 Central Nervous System Notes 2

DEFINITION:

• The part of the CNS located within the skull

• composed of 100 billion neurons and even more glia cells

• weighs 3 pounds

FUNCTION

primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body

Can you put this in your own words?

Spinal cord

1. Brain stem:Responsible for basic life functions such as

• Breathing• Heartbeat• Blood pressure

Scientists say that this is the "simplest" part of human brains because a reptile’s (who appear early on the evolutionary scale) entire brain resembles our brain stem.

Spinal cord

2

1

Thalamus-interprets all senses except smell-synapses for voluntary movement

Hypothalamus-controls the autonomic nervous system-coordinates the nervous and endocrine systems

3

Cerebrum (7/8 of human brain)

Associated with higher brain functions such as thought and action.

Divided into 4 lobes

How do we know what each part of the cerebrum does?

• MRI• Surgery

Watch Amazing Medical Stories

The surface of the cerebrum is highly folded.

Ridges = gyri

Grooves = sulci

Deep grooves= fissures

What is the purpose of all these folds?

Folds increase surface area.Use the pictures to make an analogy.

Sometimes the right hemisphere is associated with creativity and the left hemispheres is associated with logic abilities.

The corpus callosum is a bundle of axons which connects these two hemispheres.

Left hemisphere

Right hemisphere

4

Cerebellum (Little brain)

-associated with regulation and coordination of movement, posture, and balance

What happens when our movements are not fine tuned? Link

Just for fun

Answer the rest of the questions on your sheet.

1. By the time you were born you lost _____ of the neurons you had as a fetus.

A. 10%

B. 25%

C. 50%

2. As a teenager you ( lose / gain ) neurons as your body streamlines itself for optimal function.

3. Your brain is an energy hog. It occupies 2% of your body but uses _____ of your energy when you are at rest.

A. 10% C. 50%

B. 20% D. 75%

4. The more you repeat something the more brain space is dedicated to it. For example, in musicians the part of the brain that controls fingers used to play an instrument is up to 130% larger than in a non-musician. True or False?

5. Once you learn a task your brain shuffles it to a lower level of consciousness to save energy. If you move it into a conscious level you may make a mistake. True or False?

6. Stress can shrink your brain.

True or False?

Brain Health

7. Caffeine

8. Glucose

9. A healthy breakfast

(whole grains, dairy, fruit)

10. Fish

11. Nuts and chocolate

12. Avocados and whole grains

13. Blueberries

A. Perform better than your peers by increasing short-term memory and attention

B. Eat 2 servings a week to gain omega 3 fatty acids for proper brain development and enhanced memory

C. Protect your brain from free-radicals and increase your ability to learn

D. Contain antioxidants that prevent cognitive decline

E. In small quantities can boost energy and help you focus

F. Get the blood flowing to the brain with these foods

G. Offers short-term boost to memory, thinking processes, and mental ability

In addition to eating healthy…

1. Get a good nights sleep

2. Stay hydrated

3. Exercise

4. Reduce stress