01. Gross Brain (Dennis) Flashcards
What is the function of the anterior lobe of the cerebellum?
Receives afferents from the spinal cord and coordinates trunk and limb movements.
Where do the posterior rootlets enter the spinal cord?
Where do the anterior rootlets enter the spinal cord?
In the posterolateral sulcus.
In the anterolateral sulcus.
Where is the primary motor cortex housed?
In the precentral gyrus.
What levels’ motor neurons form the phrenic nucleus?
C3-5
(C3, 4, 5 keep the diaphragm alive.)
Where are the cell bodies for sensory axons?
In the dorsal root ganglia.
What structures perform the following functions?
Connect cortical areas within the same sulci/gyri
Connect cortical areas within the same hemisphere
Connect cortical areas within R/L hemispheres
Connect cortical areas within other body regions
- Arcuate fibers: connect cortical areas within the same sulci/gyri
- Longitudinal/association fasciculi: connect cortical areas within the same hemisphere
- Commissural tracts: connect cortical areas within R/L hemispheres
- Projection tracts: connect cortical areas within other body regions
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What is Lissauer’s tract?
White matter located between the substantia gelatinosa and the surface of the spinal cord.
Other than the functions of the postcentral gyrus and inferior parietal lobule, what is the function of the parietal lobe?
Spatial orientation and directing attention.
What is contained within white matter?
Axons, many covered with myelin.
Which lobe of the cerebellum is in charge of receiving afferents from the vestibular system, and is involved in controlling eye movements and postural adjustments?
The flocculonodular lobe
What are the transverse ridges of the cerebellum called?
Folia
What are the filum terminale?
Thin strands of pia mater that help anchor conus medullaris to the coccyx.
What is the circular sulcus?
The outer border of the insula.
What are lamina III through VI?
The body of the posterior horn.
What is the function of the inferior parietal lobule?
What lobe is it found in?
Involved in language comprehension
One hemisphere (usually left) of the parietal lobe.
What is the fasciculus cuneatus?
Fasciculus cuneatus (FC):
Bundle of axon fibers in
the posterior column - medial lemniscus
pathway of SC
Carries sensory
information from the
arms
Ascending tract relaying
information to
the brain via SC
What forms the sacral parasympathetic nucleus?
Cell bodies from S2 to S4 analogus to where the lateral horn would be (though there is not a fully formed lateral horn present in the sacrum).
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What are the 5 other names for the white matter?
Fasciculus
Funiculus
Lemniscus
Peduncle
Tract
What is contained within gray matter?
Cell bodies and dendrites.
What is lamina I of the spinal cord gray matter?
A thin layer of gray matter covering the substantia gelatinosa.
What structures are contained within the diencephalon?
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Epithalamus
Subthalamus
What is lamina IX of the spinal cord gray matter?
Clusters of motor neurons embedded in the anterior horn.
What is the function of the posterior lobe of the cerebellum?
Receives afferents from the cerebrum via the pons.
Involved in coordination of voluntary movements.
Where is the primary visual cortex located?
In the walls of the calcarine sulcus of the occipital lobe.
What is the role of the occipital lobe, other than the function of the primary visual cortex?
The occipital lobe - besides the primary visual cortex - is the visual association cortex.
What is the substantia gelatinosa?
What kind of information is conveyed in the substantia gelatinosa?
The area of grey matter that caps the posterior horn.
Pain and temperature info.
What is the primary funciton of the Thalamus?
Relay station for almost every
pathway carrying info to cerebral
cortex
• All sensory information (excluding
olfactory) stops in the thalamus
• Motor pathways btwn cerebellum
→ cerebral cortex or basal nuclei
→ cerebral cortex
• Limbic projections also traverse
the thalamus
Where is Broca’s area found?
In one hemisphere (usually left) of the frontal lobe.
What separates the lenticular nucleus from the thalamus and caudate nucleus?
The internal capsule
In what spinal levels do we have an intermediolateral cell column?
T1 - L3
What is the role of the superior surface of the temporal lobe?
It is the primary auditory cortex.
What white matter tract contains axons after they’ve entered the posterolateral sulcus, but before they’ve reached the substantia gelatinosa?
Lissauer’s tract.
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Where is Wernicke’s area located?
What is its function?
Posterior portion of the superior temporal gyrus on one hemisphere (usually left).
Important in the comprehension of language.
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On which side does pain information ascend in the spinal cord; ipsilateral or contralateral?
Contralateral side.
What is the general function of the cerebellum?
Functions in sensory information processing,
does influence motor neurons.
Where do we find the insula?
Buried in the lateral sulcus.
The limbic structures are primarily composed of what two gyri?
Parahippocampal gyrus
Cingulate gyrus
What is lamina II of the spinal cord gray matter?
The substantia gelatinosa.
What is Lamina VII of the spinal cord gray matter?
Lamina VII corresponds to the intermediate gray
matter (including Clarke’s nucleus), but also includes
extensions into anterior horn.
What is the function of the postcentral gyrus?
What lobe is it found in?
Postcentral gyrus corresponds to primary somatosensory cortex; controls w/
processing of tactile & proprioceptive information, sensory localization.
Parietal lobe.
What is lamina VIII of the spinal cord gray matter?
Interneurons of the anterior horn.
What is contained within the anterior horn?
Cell bodies of lower motor neurons supplying skeletal muscle.
What are the three divisions of the basal nuclei?
Caudate nucleus
Lenticular nucleus
(made of the putamen and globus pallidus)
Where is the amygdala found?
Beneath the uncus of the temporal lobe.
What are the putamen and globus pallidus?
They are the subdivisions of the lenticular nucleus.
What is the general funciton of the limbic lobe?
The limbic lobe is important in emotional
responses, drive-related behavior, & memory
What is lamina X of the spinal cord gray matter?
The zone of gray matter surrounding the central canal.
Where is Clarke’s nucleus found?
The intermediate gray matter from levels T1 to L2 — specifically lamina VII.
What is the role of the inferior surface of the temporal lobe?
Higher order processing of visual information.
What are the consequences of cerebellar damage?
Cerebellar damage results in abnormalities of
equilibrium, postural control, & coordination of
voluntary movements
What is the prefrontal cortex?
What is its role?
Occupies all of the frontal lobe which is not Broca’s area.
Executive functions, personality, decision
making, insight, & foresight
What do we call a ridge of cortical tissue?
What do we call a groove of brain tissue?
What do we call a deep groove of cortical tissue?
Ridge = gyrus
Groove = sulcus
Fissure = deep sulcus
What is the fasciculus gracillis?
Fasciculus gracilis (FG):
Bundle of axon fibers in
the posterior column - medial lemniscus
pathway of SC
Carries sensory
information from the
middle thoracic & lower
limbs of the body
Ascending tract relaying
information to the brain via
SC