The Central Nervous System: Structure and Function

The Central NervousSystem......Page 1
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 6
A Bird’s Eye View of the Nervous System......Page 12
Studying the Structure and Function of the Nervous System......Page 13
PART I: MAIN FEATURES OF STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION......Page 18
Neurons and Their Processes......Page 20
Coupling of Neurons: Pathways for Signals......Page 27
The Cytoskeleton and Axonal Transport......Page 31
Glial Cells and Homeostasis......Page 34
Insulation and Protection of Axons......Page 38
Microglia and Reactions of the CNS to Injury......Page 41
Basis of Excitability......Page 43
The Action Potential......Page 49
Impulse Propagation......Page 51
How Nerve Cells Vary Their Messages......Page 53
Overview......Page 55
Neurotransmitter Handling at the Synapse......Page 56
Synaptic Potentials and Types of Synapses......Page 59
Synaptic Plasticity......Page 64
General Aspects......Page 68
Specific Neurotransmitters......Page 72
Actions of Drugs on the Nervous System......Page 85
Overview......Page 87
The Spinal Cord......Page 89
The Brain Stem......Page 95
The Cerebrum......Page 104
The Cerebellum......Page 110
The Meninges......Page 112
The Cerebral Ventricles and the Cerebrospinal Fluid......Page 114
Cerebral Microcirculation and the Blood–Brain Barrier......Page 119
Arterial System......Page 123
Venous System......Page 126
PART II: DEVELOPMENT, AGING, AND PLASTICITY......Page 130
Prenatal Development......Page 132
Mechanisms for Establishment of Specific Connections......Page 145
The Role of the Environment in Development of the Nervous System......Page 150
Age-Related Changes in the Normal Brain and Their Consequences......Page 154
Neurodegenerative Diseases and Dementia......Page 158
Brain Injuries and Possible Reparative Processes......Page 162
Brain Processes Underlying Recovery of Function......Page 165
Restitution after Damage in Early Childhood......Page 170
PART III: SENSORY SYSTEMS......Page 172
Sensory Units and Their Receptive Fields......Page 174
Transduction: The Translation of Stimuli to Action Potentials......Page 175
Properties and Classification of Receptors......Page 176
Receptors and Subjective Sensory Experience......Page 178
Overview......Page 180
Exteroceptors: Cutaneous Sensation......Page 181
Proprioceptors: Deep Sensation......Page 188
The Sensory Fibers and the Dorsal Roots......Page 198
Central Somatosensory Pathways......Page 205
The Somatosensory Cortical Regions......Page 215
Some Distinctive Features of Pain......Page 219
When the Pain System Gets Out of Control......Page 220
Central Control of Transmission from Nociceptors and Pain Sensation......Page 223
Placebo and Nocebo......Page 226
Modern Views on Pain and Pain Treatment......Page 228
The Eyeball and the Refracting Media......Page 230
The Retina......Page 233
Organization of the Visual Pathways......Page 242
The Visual Cortex and the Final Processing of Visual Information......Page 248
The Cochlea......Page 255
The Auditory Pathways......Page 262
The Auditory Cortex......Page 266
Structure and Function of the Vestibular Apparatus......Page 268
Connections of the Vestibular Nuclei......Page 271
Vestibular Reflexes: Control of Eye Movements and Bodily Posture......Page 274
Cortical Processing of Vestibular Signals......Page 278
The Olfactory System......Page 281
Gustatory System (The Sense of Taste)......Page 286
PART IV: MOTOR SYSTEMS......Page 290
Motor and Other Systems Are Mutually Dependent......Page 292
Classification of Movements......Page 293
Motoneurons and Muscles......Page 295
Reflexes......Page 303
Muscle Tone......Page 311
Injury of Peripheral Motor Neurons and Regeneration......Page 314
The Pyramidal Tract (The Corticospinal Tract)......Page 316
Indirect Corticospinal Pathways......Page 323
Control of Automatic Movements......Page 326
Motor Cortical Areas and Control of Voluntary Movements......Page 328
Symptoms Caused by Interruption of Central Motor Pathways (Upper Motor Neurons)......Page 334
Structure and Connections of the Basal Ganglia......Page 339
The Ventral Striatum......Page 351
Functions of the Basal Ganglia......Page 353
Diseases of the Basal Ganglia......Page 354
Subdivisions and Afferent Connections of the Cerebellum......Page 358
The Cerebellar Cortex and the Mossy and Climbing Fibers......Page 365
Efferent Connections of the Cerebellum......Page 369
Cerebellar Functions and Symptoms in Disease......Page 372
Movements of the Eyes and the Eye Muscles......Page 377
Brain Stem and Cerebellar Control of Eye Movements......Page 380
Cortical Control of Eye Movements......Page 384
PART V: THE BRAIN STEM AND THE CRANIAL NERVES......Page 386
Structure and Connections of the Reticular Formation......Page 388
Functions of the Reticular Formation......Page 396
Consciousness......Page 398
Sleep......Page 402
General Organization of the Cranial Nerves......Page 406
The Hypoglossal Nerve......Page 411
The Accessory Nerve......Page 412
The Vagus Nerve......Page 413
The Vestibulocochlear Nerve......Page 416
The Facial and Intermediate Nerves......Page 417
The Trigeminal Nerve......Page 419
The Abducens, Trochlear, and Oculomotor Nerves......Page 421
PART VI: THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM......Page 426
General Organization......Page 428
Peripheral Parts of the Sympathetic System......Page 433
Peripheral Parts of the Parasympathetic System......Page 437
The Enteric Nervous System......Page 439
Functional Aspects of the Autonomic Nervous System......Page 440
Neurotransmitters in the Autonomic Nervous System......Page 444
Visceral Receptors and Afferent Pathways......Page 447
Visceral Reflexes......Page 449
Visceral Pain......Page 451
Centers in the Brain Stem for Coordination of Behavior......Page 455
Structure and Connections of the Hypothalamus......Page 456
The Hypothalamus and the Endocrine System......Page 460
Functional Aspects......Page 464
The Hypothalamus and the Immune System......Page 469
The Hypothalamus and Mental Functions......Page 470
PART VII: LIMBIC STRUCTURES......Page 474
What Is the “Limbic System?”......Page 476
The Amygdala......Page 477
Some Aspects of Cortical Control of Autonomic Functions and Emotions......Page 483
Neuronal Groups in the Basal Parts of the Hemispheres: The Basal Forebrain......Page 485
The Hippocampal Formation......Page 488
Functional Aspects......Page 492
PART VIII: THE CEREBRAL CORTEX......Page 498
Structure of the Cerebral Cortex......Page 500
Connections of the Cerebral Cortex......Page 508
Association Areas......Page 515
Language Functions and “Speech Areas” of the Cerebral Cortex......Page 524
The Division of Tasks between the Hemispheres......Page 526
Sex Differences and the Cerebral Cortex......Page 530
Literature......Page 534
A......Page 584
B......Page 586
C......Page 587
D......Page 589
E......Page 590
G......Page 591
H......Page 592
I......Page 593
M......Page 594
N......Page 596
O......Page 597
P......Page 598
R......Page 600
S......Page 601
T......Page 604
V......Page 605
Y......Page 606