Class notes
Med Surg 102 Neurological System Notes
- Course
- Med Surg
- Institution
- Lincoln Technical Institute
This is a comprehensive and detailed note on Neurological System for Med Surg 102. *Essential Study Material!!
[Show more]
Content preview
UNIT 4 Neurological SystemBottom Line! → INCREASED IntraCranial Pressure = BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!
ICP goes up Mean Arterial Pressure is going down...
Anatomy and Physiology of the Brain and Spinal Cord
Central Nervous System
● Consists of the Nervous System Division that includes:
● the Brain
● the Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System
● Consists of the Nervous System Division that includes:
● The Nerves that extend to the outlying parts of the body
The brain is divided into 3 major areas: the cerebrum, the brainstem, and the cerebellum.
Cerebrum
● The great longitudinal fissure that separates the cerebrum into the right and left hemispheres
● Sensory perception, willed movements, consciousness and memory are mediated here
● Each hemisphere receives sensory information from the opposite side of the body and controls the
skeletal muscles of the opposite side
● Governs sensory and motor activity
● Governs thought and learning
● Cerebral Cortex consists of -
● Outer gray layer
■ It is divided into four lobes
■ responsible for the conscious activities of the cerebrum
Cerebral Cortex (4 Lobes) KNOW THE LOBES AND FUNCTIONS
● Frontal lobe – EXECUTIVE FUNCTION: concentration, abstract thought, information storage or
memory, and motor function.
● Broca’s area for speech
● Prefrontal lobe controls morals, emotions, affect, judgment, personality, and inhibitions
● Injuries to frontal lobe → behavioral issues
● Parietal Lobe - Interprets pain, touch, temperature, and pressure
● Analyzes sensory information and relays the interpretation of this information to other
cortical areas
● Essential to a person’s awareness of body position in space (proprioception), size and shape
discrimination, and right–left orientation
● Temporal Lobe - Auditory center, Wernicke's area for sensory and speech
● Occipital Lobe - Visual Area.. very back.. When people fall backwards they may see stars…
Basal ganglia
1
, ● Cell bodies in white matter
● Assists the cerebral cortex in producing smooth, voluntary movements
● Ataxia is a problem with the basal ganglia
Diencephalon
● Thalamus
● Sensory relay station from various body areas to the cerebral cortex; also involved with
emotions and alerting and arousal mechanisms
● Relays sensory impulses to the cortex
● Provides a thalamic pain gate: increase pain when open
● When opiate receptor sites are activated they close the pain gates stops the
signal
● Prostaglandin 2 one of the main pain gate prostaglandins - affected by Nsaids
● Part of the reticular activating system
● Hypothalamus - MASTER GLAND
● Regulates body temperature, water balance, sleep-wake cycles, appetite, and sexual
arousal , master gland -regulates water balance and temp… people with head injuries
have problems with water balance (SIADH AND DI)
● Regulates autonomic responses of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous
● systems
● Regulates stress response and emotions
● Responsible for the production of hormones secreted by the pituitary gland and
hypothalamus
● APeople with increased ICP have trouble with water balance → diabetes insipidus
Brain Stem
● Midbrain
● Part of the brainstem that contains relays for visual and auditory impulses
● Responsible for motor coordination
● Visual reflex and auditory relay centers
● Pons
● Part of the brainstem that is a conduction pathway between areas of the brain and
body; influences respirations
● Contains respiratory centers → Regulates breathing -- autonomic nerves system
● Medulla Oblongata
● Part of the brainstem that contains cardiac, respiratory, vomiting, and vasomotor centers
● Contains all afferent and efferent tracts
● Efferent motor tracts → away from the brain signals to the muscles
● Afferent sensory tracts → towards the brain; pain, temp touch
● Controls heart rate, respiration, blood vessel diameter, sneezing, swallowing, vomiting,
and coughing
Cerebellum
● Regulates muscle coordination, maintenance of equilibrium and posture
■ Source of balance, makes us stand up right
● Coordinates smooth muscle movement
2
, ● Coordinates posture, equilibrium, and muscle tone
The Spinal Cord
● Carries messages to and from the brain to the rest of the body; also mediates reflexes
■ Arc reflexes: touch hot stove pull away immediately.. Skips the brain
■ Other reflexes: go up spinal cord and back down
● Provides neuron and synapse networks to produce involuntary responses to sensory
stimulation
● Allows for control of the number of pain impulses that pass through the spinal cord on their way
● Extends from the first cervical to the second lumbar vertebra
● Protected by the meninges, cerebrospinal fluid, and adipose, tissue
Horns
■ Inner column of gray matter contains two anterior and two posterior horns
● Posterior horns connect with afferent (sensory) nerve fibers
● Anterior horns contain efferent (motor) nerve fibers
Nerve tracts
● White matter contains the nerve tract
● Ascending tract (sensory pathway)
● Descending tract (motor pathway)
Meninges
● Dura mater is the tough and fibrous membrane covers the outside of the brain
● Arachnoid membrane is the thin, delicate membrane and contains subarachnoid fluid
(resembles spider web)
● Pia mater is the vascular membrane, innermost and extends into every fissure and fold and
vascular
● Subarachnoid space is formed by the arachnoid membrane and the pia mater
Cerebrospinal fluid
● Secreted in the ventricles (at the center) and circulates through the ventricles to the
subarachnoid layer of the meninges where it is reabsorbed
● Circulates in the subarachnoid space
■ Normal pressure is 60 to 180 mmH2O
■ Normal volume is 125 to 150ml
● Acts as a protective cushion for brain and spinal cord
● Aids in the exchange of nutrients and wastes throughout brain and spinal cord
● Bad when there is not enough or too much (hydrocephalus (water on the brain) → VP shunt)
Ventricles
● Four ventricles
● Communicate between the subarachnoid space
● Produce and circulate cerebrospinal fluid
Blood Supply
3
, ● Right and left internal carotids
● Right and left vertebral arteries
● These arteries supply the brain via an anastomosis at the base of the brain called the circle of
Willis
● In there is an aneurysm if will usually happen in the circle of Willis
Neurotransmitters → no questions about these
● Acetylcholine
● Norepinephrine
● Dopamine
● Serotonin
● Amino acids
● Polypeptides
Neurotransmitter Release ….or this
● Preganglionic Axons of the Parasympathetic Nervous System -
● release the neurotransmitter
● Acetylcholine
● Postganglionic Axons of the Parasympathetic Nervous System -
● release the neurotransmitter
● Acetylcholine
Neurotransmitter Release…. or this
● Preganglionic Axons of the Sympathetic Nervous System -
● release the neurotransmitter
● Acetylcholine
● Postganglionic Axons of the Sympathetic Nervous System -
● release the neurotransmitter
● Norepinephrine
Autonomic Nervous System
● Consists of Nerves (motor neurons) that conduct Impulses to
● Cardiac Muscle
● Smooth Muscle
● Glandular epithelial tissue
● Regulates involuntary functions
● Consists of the Parasympathetic and Sympathetic Nervous System … KNOW WHAT THE RESPONSES
ARE...
● Sympathetic (adrenergic) fibers dilate pupils, increase heart rate and rhythm, contract blood
vessels, and relax smooth muscles of the bronchi increase glycogenesis in the liver, shuts
down GI tract,
■ Fight or Flight (sympathetic)
● Parasympathetic (cholinergic) fibers produce the opposite effect of sympathetic
■ Peace (parasympathetic)
4
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller anyiamgeorge19. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $13.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
73918 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now