VPT 321: Veterinary Neuropharmacology (2+1)

FUNCTIONS OF THE BRAIN REGIONS

• Cerebral cortex: two hemispheres – four regions—Process sensory information – higher functions of consciousness, thought, memory etc., overall supervision of ANS.
• Limbic system: hippocampus, amygdaloid, septum, hypothalamus, olfactory, basal ganglia,
  • thalamus – integrate emotional state with motor and visceral activities, recent memory ( hippocampus)
  • hypothalamus – temperature, water balance, metabolism, sexual and circadian rhythm, sleep and emotion, hormones of the pituitary.
• Midbrain and brain stem
  • Mesencephalon, pons and medulla oblongata
  • Connect higher centers to the lower areas
  • Bridge portion – consists of Reticular Activating System ( RAS) – for sleep and wakefulness and essential responses such as swallowing, vomition and that of Cardiovascular  and respiratory systems
• Cerebellum: – maintenance of appropriate body posture in space and also control of heart to maintain blood flow during postural changes
• Spinal cord
  • Relay center and also autonomic reflexes passage of information
  • Long hierarchial neuronal organizations
  • Sensory organ primary relay cells secondary relay cells sensory cortex motor cortex spinal cord end organ ( based on action potential mainly)
    • Local circuit neurons – connections within immediate vicinity (via neurotransmitter)
    • Long intercircuit neurons – connections between different regions of the brain (via neurotransmitter).