3 sections: BRAINSTEM

The brain is covered in grooves and mounds

The Human Nervous System • Cerebrum P sits on top of the spinal cord and
mounds à gyri
1. CNS (Central Nervous System) • Brainstem serves as a conduit between the
grooves à sulci
2. PNS (Peripheral Nervous System) • Cerebellum rest of the brain and the spinal
Sulci separate the lobes of the brain (large-fissures)
cord.
Brain 20% of the blood supply from the body Composed of the 3 parts:
CEREBRUM
regulates all motor, sensory à midbrain
25% of the oxygen. P largest section of the brain
and cognitive processes à pons
P 2 hemispheres
à medulla oblongata.
Central fissure P Corpus callosum connects the 2
Precentral gyri (motor strip) hemispheres
3 major centers of the brainstem
Postcentral gyri (sensory strip) 1. The cardiac center-
Gray matter à neuron’s cell bodies
controls the heart
White matter à myelinated axons
Ventricles 2. The vasomotor center-
Cortex à the outermost covering of
à 2 Lateral ventricle (one in each controls the blood vessels
the cerebral hemispheres
hemisphere) 3. The respiratory center-
à Third ventricle (very center) controls breathing
à Fourth ventricle (down spinal tend to act like they are drunk if the
cord) cerebellum is damaged
CEREBELLUM
CNS Temporal Lobes:
P means “little brain”
P posterior to the frontal lobe but P It resides posterior to the brainstem
Frontal Lobe: inferior to the parietal lobe P regulating motor and muscular activity.
P Largest lobe. P Important for human language
P Most anterior part of the brain Includes coordinating motor movements,
because they contain the functions maintaining muscle tone, monitoring
Two key functions: for processing auditory movement range and strength and
à Activating and controlling both fine and complex motor activities. information and language maintaining posture and equilibrium
à Controlling executive functions (problem solving, planning, social comprehension.
awareness)

Broca’s area located in the left frontal lobe and is 6 lobes of 4 types: Wernicke’s area located in left Spinal Cord
responsible for the fine coordination of speech output à 1 Occipital Lobe temporal lobe—critical sight for carry sensory information from the
P Damage from a stroke à “Broca’s Aphasia” which is à 1 Frontal Lobe language comprehension. body to the brain (afferent) and
characterized by halting speech production. à 2 Temporal Lobes P Damaged by a stroke or other motor commands from the brain to
à 2 Parietal Lobes brain injury, exhibit significant the rest of the body (efferent).
Occipital Lobe: difficulty with processing and
Parietal Lobes: P extends 42 to 45 cm.
P posterior portion of producing coherent language in
P Organized into five segments
P posterior to the frontal lobe on the left and right both spoken and written form
the brain. paired with corresponding
sides (above the ears) P Fluent intelligible speech BUT
P It’s specialty is visual vertebrae.
P Key functions: perceiving and integrating sensory NOT MEANINGFUL à Cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral,
reception and
and perceptual information, comprehending oral P Difficulty understanding what and coccygeal
processing
and written language and calculating mathematics. they hear and read Numerous tracts run up and down the
spinal cord bring sensory information
in and motor information out.
 P The PNS is the system of nerves connected to
the brainstem and spinal cord.
PNS P The nerves carry sensory information to the
CNS and motor commands away from the CNS

Neural network – lots of neurons Autonomic nervous system

connected to each other
Transmission of Information
à Neuron axons
à The longer and larger are faster
Dendrite: hair-like projections that
RECIEVE the signals (chemical and
electrical process)à information
comes in the neuron
Myelin: a coating that speeds up the
signal
Axons: carry it AWAY from the cell
body and connect to other dendrites
Neuron receives information through
dendrites, travels down the axon, to the
axon terminal
Brain Injuries
u Don’t have to think about
breathing or swallowing.
Your body just does it.
u Don’t have to tell you brain
to make your heart beat.
u INVOLUNTARY SYSTEM
Neuron communication is a chemical process where
one neuron communicates to the dendrites of
another through synaptic cleft
Causes:
• Internal disease (dementia/stroke)
• External (TBI)
Extent:
• Focal: pin-point (GSW to the head)
• Diffuse: spread out, covers a larger area (TBI)
• Can have both
Damage:
• Primary: the actual injury (gun shot)
• Secondary: occurs secondary to the primary
injury (swelling)