Anaesthesia Fundamentals | Physiology | The Brain

The Brain
Session Overview
Description
 This session covers the functional physiological divisions of the brain, the regulation of blood flow and physiology of cerebrospinal fluid.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Identify the physiological and anatomical divisions of the brain
• Recognise cerebral blood flow autoregulatory graphs
• Identify the main determinants of intracranial pressure
• Identify the constituents of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and describe the circulation of CSF within the brain and spinal cord

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should complete:

• Capillary dynamics and interstitial fluid (001-0619)

The brain is the centre of the nervous system and is a highly complex organ. The cerebrum itself is divided by a longitudinal fissure into two hemispheres, each containing discrete lobes (Fig 1).

Although specific functions are attributed to each lobe, most activities require coordination of multiple areas in both hemispheres.

This session defines the topography of the brain by function. It also identifies the main determinants of intracranial pressure, the components of cerebrospinal fluid and its circulation.