Anatomy of the Cerebrum Flashcards
What is the cerebrum?
- Largest part of the forebrain
- Divided into two halves, the (cerebral hemipheres)
> which are separated by a deep median longitudinal fissure which lodges the falx cerebri - In the depth of the fissure, the hemispheres are connected by a bundle of fibers called the corpus callosum
Name the parts of the brain?
- Cerebral hemisphere
- Diencephalon
- Brain stem – midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata
- cerebellum
Name the older brain structures?
- The Brainstem
> Medulla
> Pons
> Reticular Formation - Thalamus
- Cerebellum
- The Limbic System
> Amygdala
> Hypothalamus
> Hippocampus
What is the cerebral cortex?
Superficial layer of grey matter
What is white matter?
Deeper to the cortex, contain axons to and from the cells of the cortex
What are basal ganglia?
Number of nuclear masses buried within the white matter
What is the lateral ventricle?
The cavity of hemisphere that stores CSF
Name the parts of the cerebral hemispheres?
- Cortical
- Medullary
- nuclear
Describe the function of the left hemisphere?
> Processes logical tasks (reading, writing, speaking, mathematics, and comprehension skills)
Controls the right side of our body
In the 1960s, it was termed as the dominant brain
Describe the function of the right hemisphere?
> Processes non-verbal tasks/perceptual (spatial relationships, musical/artistic ability and mental imagery)
Controls the left side of our body
May also be related to some negative emotions
What is the corpus callosum?
a wide band of axon fibers that connect the two hemispheres and allow them to communicate
Describe the 3 surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres?
- a convex one [the superolateral/antero/posterior]
- a base = the slightly concave inferior surface
- a flat medial surface
The cleft between the medial surfaces of the 2 hemispheres is called the?
longitudinal cerebral fissure
What is found at the bottom of longitudinal fissure?
the hemispheres are connected by a large bundle of transverse fibres = the corpus callosum
> splenium = posteriorly
> body and genu = anteriorly
> rostrum = ventrally
Name the 4 prominent sulci of the cerebral surface?
- Central sulcus (Sulcus of Rolando)
- Lateral sulcus (Fissure of sylvius)
- Parieto-occipal sulcus
- Cingulate sulcus
- Preoccipital notch
Name the 4 gyri that make up the lateral surface of the frontal lobe?
- Precentral – between central and precentral sulci
- Superior frontal
- middle frontal
- inferior frontal
What is the inferior frontal gyrus divided into?
- Orbital
- Opecular part
- Triangular part
What is the motor cortex?
the area at the rear of the frontal lobes that control voluntary movements
What is the sensory cortex?
the area at the front of the parietal lobes that receives information from skin surface and sense organs
Describe the functional areas of the frontal lobe?
- Primary motor cortex (precentral gyrus)
– involved in initiation of voluntary movement. - Premotor or supplementary motor area (precentral gyrus)
– involved in initiation of voluntary movement - Broca’s area (Opecular and triangular parts of inferior frontal gyrus)
– production of written and spoken language - Prefrontal cortex (remainder of frontal lobe)
– involved in personality, insight and foresight
What can the frontal lobe be functionally divided into and what does damage to these areas result in?
- motor - control of movement
> weakness/paralysis - premotor - integration of motor skills/learned action
> uncoordinated movements/impaired motor skills/speech - prefrontal - complex cognitive functions
> difficulties with planning/decision making/inhibition/memory/attention/ preservation/personality changes/aphasia
What is the function of the frontal lobe?
The frontal lobe is the area of the brain responsible for higher cognitive functions:
1. Problem solving
2. Spontaneity
3. Memory
4. Language
5. Motivation
6. Judgment
7. Impulse control
8. Social and sexual behavior
Consequences of lesions of premotor motor cortex?
clinical syndrome of apraxia
> Patients have normal reflexes and no muscle weakness
> patients have difficulty performing complex motor tasks such as tying shoelaces
Consequences of lesions in the most anterior parts of the frontal lobe?
They may affect the ability of someone to plan their future life
> The most anterior parts of the frontal lobe are concerned with the planning of movement and future actions
Describe the location of the temporal lobe?
- The convex anterior (the temporal pole)
> fits into the large lateral part of the middle cranial fossa. - The posterior part of the temporal lobe
> sits on top of the tentorium cerebelli
Lateral surfaces of the temporal lobes are composed of?
- Superior gyri
- Middle gyri
- inferior gyri
Describe the cortical regions of the temporal lobe and their functions?
- Primary Auditory Cortex – superior surface + superior temporal gyrus
> Responsible for hearing - Primary Olfactory Cortex –
> Interprets the sense of smell once it reaches the cortex via the olfactory bulbs (Not visible on the superficial cortex) - Wernicke’s Area – posterior portion of superior temporal gyrus
> For Language comprehension
> Located on the Left Temporal Lobe
What are the hallmark symptoms of Wernickes aphasia?
- Language comprehension is inhibited
- Words and sentences are not clearly understood
- sentence formation may be inhibited or non-sensical.
Describe the functions of the central auditory system?
- High-level auditory abilities
> “recognition, interpretation, integration”
e.g., speech recognition, speaker recognition, recognition of a familiar melody, etc. - plays a role in some more basic auditory abilities
e.g. sound localization and at least part of frequency analysis.
What is the arcuate fasiculus?
A white matter tract that connects Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area through the Temporal, Parietal and Frontal Lobes
> Allows for coordinated, comprehensible speech
Damage to the arcuate fasciculus may result in?
Conduction Aphasia
> Where auditory comprehension and speech articulation are preserved, but people find it difficult to repeat heard speech
Where do you usually find the lesions that cause conduction aphasia?
superior temporal or inferior parietal
1. conduction aphasia plus limb apraxia
> parietal lesions
2. conduction aphasia without apraxia
> temporal lesions
Lesions on arcuate fibers result in?
- conduction aphasia
- ideomotor apraxia
What is the Brocas area?
a motor speech area at the back end of the inferior frontal gyrus
- usually In one hemisphere: the left in right handed persons
> is the centre for motor control of speech [it sends impulses to the motor cortex]