Specialized Physiology of the Central Nervous System
17 topics with brief breakdowns: definitions, key facts, and class questions.
Special physiology of the central nervous system studies the functions of specific structures of the nervous system and their contribution to body control. Here we examine in detail exactly how different "floors" of the brain receive, process, and transmit signals.
This section consistently covers all levels: from the physiology and reflexes of the spinal cord to brainstem structures (medulla oblongata, midbrain, pons) and the cerebellum. Next, we move on to subcortical integrative centers—the thalamus, hypothalamus, reticular formation, basal ganglia, and limbic system. The apex of the hierarchy is the cerebral cortex, including the frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, and associative lobes, where complex behavior and learning mechanisms are formed.
During colloquia, professors most often "fail" students on the mechanisms of muscle tone and posture regulation (recall decerebrate rigidity), the classification of thalamic nuclei, and the role of the reticular formation. Pay special attention to the interaction of the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and motor cortex—understanding these connections will save you at the exam.
The law states that the dorsal roots of the spinal cord perform only a sensory function (signal input), while the ventral roots perform exclusively a motor function (command output).
What is reflex time?
This is the time interval from the application of a stimulus to the receptor until the onset of the working organ's (effector's) response.
What are "bulbar animals"?
These are animals in which the brain is transected along the anterior border of the pons. They retain independent breathing and stable blood pressure, but lose the ability to thermoregulate and move independently.
What is the difference between a mesencephalic animal and a spinal animal?
A mesencephalic animal retains the ability to maintain normal muscle tone and body position in space, whereas a spinal animal loses these functions.
How does muscle tone change in animals when the head is raised?
When the head is raised, the nervous system redistributes tone: tension increases in the extensor muscles of the forelimbs and the flexor muscles of the hindlimbs.
What is the difference between climbing and mossy fibers?
Climbing fibers originate from the inferior olives and directly excite Purkinje cells. Mossy fibers originate from brainstem nuclei and activate Purkinje cells indirectly via granule cells.
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