Brain Anatomy Flashcards
What are the different planes of the brain.
Sagittal
Horizontal
Coronal
What are the major divisions of the CNS.
Forebrain
Midbrain
Hindbrain
What does the Forebrain include and do?
Cerebral Hemispheres
Diencephalon (Including hypothalamus and thalamus)
The forebrain controls body temperature, reproductive functions, eating, sleeping, and the display of emotions.
Cortex and higher cognitive functions.
What does the Midbrain include and do?
The midbrain or mesencephalon is the forward-most portion of the brainstem and is associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep and wakefulness, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation.
What does the hindbrain include and do?
The lower part of the brainstem, comprising the cerebellum, pons, and medulla oblongata.
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus (from Ancient Greek ὑπό, “under”, and θάλαμος, “chamber”) is a portion of the brain that contains a number of small nuclei with a variety of functions. One of the most important functions of the hypothalamus is to link the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.
Pons
The pons is a portion of the hindbrain that connects the cerebral cortex with the medulla oblongata. It also serves as a communications and coordination center between the two hemispheres of the brain.
Medulla oblongata
The medulla oblongata or simply medulla is a long stem-like structure which makes up part of the brainstem. It is anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involuntary) functions ranging from vomiting to sneezing.
Brain stem
The brainstem (brain stem) is the distal part of the brain that is made up of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. Each of the three components has its own unique structure and function. Together, they help to regulate breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and several other important functions. Axons project and regulate the segmental networks of spinal cord.
Thalamus
The thalamus is a small structure within the brain located just above the brain stem between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain and has extensive nerve connections to both. The main function of the thalamus is to relay motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex.
Cerebellum
The cerebellum (which is Latin for “little brain”) is a major structure of the hindbrain that is located near the brainstem. This part of the brain is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements. It is also responsible for a number of functions including motor skills such as balance, coordination, and posture. Recieves input from spinal cord, projects to brain stem and thalamus, improves movement accuracy.
Endocrine System
The endocrine system is a chemical messenger system comprising feedback loops of the hormones released by internal glands of an organism directly into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs. In humans, the major endocrine glands are the thyroid gland and the adrenal glands.
Corpus Callosum
The corpus callosum is a large, C-shaped nerve fiber bundle found beneath the cerebral cortex. It stretches across the midline of the brain, connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres. It makes up the largest collection of white matter tissue found in the brain
Draw a sketch of the brain.
Brain drawing.
What are the 4 lobes of the brain?
Frontal
Parietal
Occipital
Temporal
What lies either side of the Central sulcus?
Motor cortex and Sensory cortex.
Which lobe is the Lateral Fissure in? What is its other name?
Between Temporal lobe and Parietal lobe.
Sylvian Fissure
What and where is the Sensory Cortex?
Behind Central Sulcus.
Involved in conscious sensations.
What and where is the motor cortex?
In front of Central Sulcus.
Involved in voluntary movement.
Where is the frontal lobe and what does it do?
Thinking, planning, emotional expression.
Where is the parietal lobe and what does it do?
Visual spatial activity.
Where is the Occipital lobe and what does it do?
Primary visual cortex
Where is the temporal lobe and what does it do?
Auditory information and memory.
Where are Wernicke’s and Brocas area and what do they do?
Wernicke’s area is the region of the brain that is important for language development. It is located in the temporal lobe on the left side of the brain and is responsible for the comprehension of speech, while Broca’s area is related to the production of speech in the left lateral frontal region.
How do we know which areas do what? (5)
Strokes Tumours Post mortem Mechanical damage Imaging
What are symptoms of frontal lobe damage?
Impulse control
Emotions
Language
Social and sexual behaviour
Clinical correlates of frontal lobe damage.
FTD Schizo Traumatic brain injury Stroke Cerebrovascular disease
What are the symptoms of Temporal lobe damage?
Memory Hearing Language problems Face recognition Automatism - repetition of movement
Clinical correlates of temporal lobe damage.
Alzheimers Disease FTD Stroke Tumour Epilepsy
What are the symptoms of parietal lobe damage?
Body location
Body recognition
Apraxia - lack of purposeful movement
Clinical correlates of parietal lobe damage.
Alzheimers Disease Lewy body dementia Stroke Tumour Epilepsy
What are the symptoms of Occipital lobe damage?
Anything visual
Hallucinations
Movement recognitions
Object recognition
Clinical correlates of occipital lobe damage.
Alzheimers (PCA)
Stroke
Tumour
What are the symptoms of damage in the cerebellum?
Uncoordinated movement
Unsteady
Loss of muscle tone
Clinical correlates of cerebellar damage.
Ataxia Stroke Tumour MS CJD
Amygdala
Emotions
Fear response
Hippocampus
Memory
Caudate nucleus
These deep brain structures together largely control voluntary skeletal movement. The caudate nucleus functions not only in planning the execution of movement, but also in learning, memory, reward, motivation, emotion, and romantic interaction.
Putamen
The putamen (/pjutˈeɪmən/; from Latin, meaning “nutshell”) is a round structure located at the base of the forebrain (telencephalon). The putamen and caudate nucleus together form the dorsal striatum. It is also one of the structures that compose the basal nuclei.
Nucleus Accumbens
The nucleus accumbens definitely plays a central role in the reward circuit. Its operation is based chiefly on two essential neurotransmitters: dopamine, which promotes desire, and serotonin, whose effects include satiety and inhibition.
Globus pallidus
The main function of the globus pallidus is to control conscious and proprioceptive movements. The GPe is the intrinsic nucleus, whereas the GPi is the output nucleus. The intrinsic nucleus acts as a relay for information. The output nucleus, primarily, sends information to the thalamus.
Substantia Nigra
The substantia nigra (SN) is a basal ganglia structure located in the midbrain that plays an important role in reward and movement.
Olfactory bulb
The olfactory bulb transmits smell information from the nose to the brain, and is thus necessary for a proper sense of smell. As a neural circuit, the olfactory bulb has one source of sensory input, and one output.
Pituitary gland
The pituitary gland is called the ‘master gland’ as the hormones it produces control so many different processes in the body. It senses the body’s needs and sends signals to different organs and glands throughout the body to regulate their function and maintain an appropriate environment.
What is the role of sensory systems?
Provide CNS with model of external environment. Detects stimulus, converts to electrical signal and conduct to CNS via AP.
Sigt, sound, touch, smell, taste, pain, pressure, vibration, balance.
Integrates with limbic and regulatory influences. Calculate and execute appropriate response and correct if needed.
Quick spinal reflex or relayed to higher centres.
Ultimate destination is cortex in but graded response.
What is the role of limbic systems?
Group of structures that lie between cortical border between Cerebral cortex and hypothalamus. Limbus = margin.
Emotion, learning and memory.
What is the role of regulatory systems?
Influencing other systems both within and outside the CNS.
What is the role of motor systems?
Setting parameters of response, creating a response and determine appropriateness, correcting accordingly.
What is an example of a sensory system?
Vision. Detector = retina Conduction = optic nerve Relay = Thalamus Cortex = visual cortex
Also to hypothalamus and visuo motor areas to control eye movement ect.
Clinical correlations in limbic system.
Schizophrenia - affect, drive, attention
Depression - emotion, affect
Alzheimers - Memory, smell, emotion
What are regulatory systems?
Endocrine system - regulating sleep, stress, immune response (adrenal gland - heart rate, blood pressure and sugar).
Maintain internal balance of body - including limbic system.
What are Motor systems?
3 levels:
Spinal cord - primitive reflex
Brain stem - Integrating info
Cortex - Primary motor cortex.
Also modified by cerebellum and basal ganglia.
Basal ganglia
The “basal ganglia” refers to a group of subcortical nuclei responsible primarily for motor control, as well as other roles such as motor learning, executive functions and behaviours, and emotions.
Basal ganglia
Clinical correlates
The “basal ganglia” refers to a group of subcortical nuclei responsible primarily for motor control, as well as other roles such as motor learning, executive functions and behaviours, and emotions.
Receives input from all cortical areas, projects to thalamus and all areas or cortex involved in motor planning.
Hyperkinesia.
What does the Corticospinal tract do?
The corticospinal tract is a motor pathway that carries efferent information from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord. It is responsible for the voluntary movements of the limbs and trunk. The path starts in the motor cortex, where the bodies of the first-order neurons lie.
What parts are involved in the Corticospinal tract?
Cortex - Upper motor neurons Mid brain Pons Medulla Brain stem - Motor neurons controlling eyes, speech, swlallowing. Spinal cord -
What parts are involved in the Corticospinal tract?
And clinical correlates?
Cortex - Upper motor neurons Mid brain Pons Medulla Brain stem - Motor neurons controlling eyes, speech, swallowing. Pyramidal Decussation Lateral Corticospinal tract Spinal cord
MND
