The Nervous System
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The Nervous System The Brain
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The Nervous System. The Brain. Central Nervous System. Composed of the brain and spinal cord. Layers of the brain. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The Nervous System
The Nervous System
The Brain
Central Nervous System
Composed of the brain and spinal cord
The cranium The brain is protected by a bony covering called the cranium (which, along with the bones of the face, make up the skull). Inside the cranium, the brain is surrounded by the meninges. Meninges are membranes that cover the CNS. Their primary function, along with the cerebrospinal fluid is protection.
Layers of the brain
Layers of the brain: grey matter
The cerebral cortex covers the outer portion (1.5mm to 5mm) of the cerebrum. It is the layer of the brain often referred to as gray matter. The cortex (thin layer of tissue) is gray because nerves in this area lack the insulation that makes most other parts of the brain appear to be white. The cortex also covers the cerebellum.
Layers of the brain: white matter
White matter consists mostly of glial cells and myelinated axons that transmit signals from one region of the cerebrum to another and between the cerebrum and lower brain centers.Glial cells are non-neuronal cells that maintain homeostasis, form myelin, and provide support and protection for neurons in the brain and peripheral nervous system.
The brain is divided in right and left hemisphere
connected by the corpus callosum
The corpus callosum is a bundle of neural fibers deep in the center of the brain. The corpus callosum connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres to provide communication between the two sides of the brain.
The brain is made up of 3 parts
The midbrain (mesocephalon)
The forebrain: cerebrum, thalamus and hypothalamus (part of the limbic system
The hindbrain: the cerebellum, pons and medulla. Also known as the brain stem.
