Central Nervous System Flashcards
This very complex system spans across several different anatomical regions and
physiologically influences almost every _____ throughout the body
tissue
The surface layer of the cerebral cortex forms ridges called ____, which are separated by folds or grooves called ____
Gyri; Sulci
The _____ sulcus is the border
between the frontal and
parietal lobes
Central
The _____ sulcus separates the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobe
Lateral Sulcus (Sylvian
Fissure)
The Longitudinal Fissure, sometimes called the ______, is a large division that separates the two hemispheres of the brain
Superior Sagittal Sulcus
Three parts of the Brainstem
- The Midbrain (also known as the mesencephalon) is at the junction of the middle and posterior cranial fossae.
– The Pons is the middle part and sits anterior to the cerebellum.
– The Medulla Oblongata is the lower part, connects to the spinal cord
The _____ are protective coverings that consist of the external fibrous Dura
Mater, the thin intermediate Arachnoid Mater, and the delicate inner Pia Mater.
Meninges
The cranial meninges are continuous with the _____ of the spinal cord
meninges
Three parts of the meninges
Dura Mater
Arachnoid Mater
Pia Mater
The Dura Mater has two layers
- The Periosteal Layer is adherent to the internal surface of the cranium.
– The Meningeal Layer is adherent to the Periosteal Layer, except in a few key places where they separate to form important structures
The Periosteal Layer ends at the ____ and is not continuous with the spinal cord dura.
Foramen Magnum
The inner Meningeal Layer of the Dura also provides sheaths for the _____
cranial nerves
The Arachnoid Mater is a thin, ___, fibrous layer underlying the meningeal layer of the Dura
avascular
The _____, which is a thin,
highly vascular layer that tightly adheres
to the surface of the brain and follows its
contours
Pia Mater
The _____ is a potential space between the cranium and the dura
Epidural Space (epidural hematomas happen here)
The _____ is a potential space
between the dura and the arachnoid.
Subdural Space
The Arachnoid Mater is a thin, avascular, fibrous layer underlying the meningeal layer of the Dura, being pushed against the Dura by the cerebrospinal fluid found in the ______
Subarachnoid Space
The _____ is a vertical wall between the right and left cerebral hemispheres, attaching anteriorly at the crista galli and following the Sagittal Suture of the skull.
Falx Cerebri
The _____ is a small vertical partition between the cerebellar hemispheres
Falx Cerebelli
The _____ is a horizontal continuation of the Falx residing above the cerebellum
Tentorium Cerebelli
The Tentorium separates the_____ from the ____ in the posterior cranial fossa
occipital lobes of the cerebrum; cerebellar hemispheres
What matter is found more deep in the brain and more superficial in the spinal cord
White matter
_____ is the primarily the outer layer of the cerebral cortex and consists of aggregations of neuronal cell bodies
Gray Matter
_____ consists of the neuronal axons that are coated with myelin
sheath
White Matter
The ____ is an important gray
matter cortical structure that contains the cell bodies of upper motorneurons
Precentral Gyrus
The _____ is an important gray matter cortical structure that contains the cell bodies of somatosensory neurons.
Postcentral Gyrus
Neurons within the Paracentral Lobule
correspond with motor and sensory
function of the ______
lower extremities.
The Motor Homunculus and Sensory
Homunculus are very similar and are
_____ representations of the
distributions and number of neurons
dedicated to different body parts.
topographical
The _____ is an important white matter tract within each hemisphere that carries information into an out of the cerebral cortex.
Internal Capsule
The ______ is a strip of cerebral cortex located in the inferomedial cerebral
hemispheres, deep in the longitudinal fissure
Cingulate Gyrus
The Cingulate Cortex is considered part of the Limbic System and plays a role in
_____
emotion formation, emotional processing,
memory, learning, and autonomic responses
The _____ is a thick band of myelinated axons that connect the right and left cerebral hemispheres.
Corpus Callosum
There are four main parts to the corpus callosum: _____
Rostrum, Genu, Body, and Splenium
The ______ is another thick band of axons that is a major outflow tract of the hippocampus and is part of the limbic system
Fornix
The inferomedial gyrus of the temporal lobes is called the ______ and is a cortical region that surrounds and houses the Hippocampus
Parahippocampal Gyrus
Part of the Limbic System, this structure is vitally important for memory encoding and
retrieval.
Parahippocampal Gyrus
The anteromedial tip of the Parahippocampal Gyrus is called the ____
Uncus (Uncal herniation happens here)
The only Temporal Lobe gyri that run in a medial-lateral direction
Transverse Temporal Gyri
The _____ is a portion of the Parietal Lobe in the anterolateral area, near to the Temporal Lobe
Angular Gyrus
The angular gyrus makes meaning out of
visually perceived words by working with ____
Wernicke’s area (the speech reception
center of the brain)
The Inferior Frontal Gyri have multiple important functions, including the _____ (in Broca’s Area).
processing/production of speech and language
Broca’s Area and Wernicke’s Area are connected with a white matter tract known as the _____.
Arcuate Fasciculus
The _____ are a group of strongly interconnected deep gray matter structures that play a large role in _____
Basal Ganglia; initiation of smooth voluntary movements and control of postural adjustments associated with voluntary movements
The ____ is a comma-shaped region
of deep gray matter that runs along the lateral wall of the lateral ventricle
Caudate Nucleus
The ____ is the most lateral deep gray
matter in the Lentiform Nucleus
Putamen
The _____ is located between the
Putamen and the Internal Capsule, and has
lateral and medial segments.
Globus Pallidus
The _____ is the largest nuclear mass of the midbrain, composed of neuronal cells that contain melanin, resulting in a darker color of the nucleus.
Substantia Nigra
The ____ reside on the inferior surface of the hypothalamus
Mammillary Bodies
Two parts of the Diencephalon
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
The ____ is a collection of small
nuclei that have various metabolic
functions, including endocrine
Hypothalamus
Superior Colliculi of the quadrigeminal plate/tectum & their function
Use visual input to help direct tracking objects in the visual fields, participating in a number of rapid visual reflexes with nearby cranial nerves to the eye
Inferior colliculi of the quadrigeminal plate/tectum
act as a primary auditory relay center
for the brain. Appears to channel almost
all auditory signals and plays a role in frequency recognition, pitch discrimination, and the startle response to large, sudden sounds
The brain and spinal cord are suspended in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which is produced
by the _____, vascular complexes in the Ventricular System
Choroid Plexus
_____ are separated by a thin Septum Pellucidum
The two Lateral Ventricles
The Third Ventricle resides between the thalami and hypothalami, then drains via
the _____, that passes through the midbrain
Cerebral Aqueduct
The _____ collects the CSF from the Cerebral Aqueduct and resides between the Pons and the Cerebellum.
Fourth Ventricle
CSF drains from the Fourth Ventricle via
two _____ and one _____
Lateral Apertures (of Luschka); Median Aperture (of Magendie)
When CSF leaves the ventricles via the Median and Lateral Apertures, it enters the _____ and _____
subarachnoid space; subarachnoid cisterns
The Internal Carotids supply the ____ cerebral circulation, while the Vertebrals supply the _____ cerebral circulation
anterior; posterior
There is a highly important anastomosis in the brain called the Cerebral Arterial Circle, or the ______
Circle of Willis
The Circle of Willis is a common place for _____ to form
Berry Aneurysms (Cerebral aneurysms)
The Vertebral Arteries enter the skull through the Foramen Magnum and give off an early branch called the ______,
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery
The Basilar artery produces these 3 arteries: _____
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Arteries, the Pontine Arteries, and the Superior Cerebellar Arteries
The Basilar Artery terminates
by bifurcating into the two
_____
Posterior Cerebral Arteries
The cerebral part of the Internal Carotids terminate by bifurcating into the smaller
_____ and the larger _____
Anterior Cerebral Arteries; Middle Cerebral Arteries
What arteries complete the circle of willis?
Posterior Communicating Arteries
connect the anterior and posterior cerebral circulations by connecting the Posterior
Cerebral Arteries to the Internal Carotids, thereby completing the “Circle.
MCA strokes often cause contralateral
hemiparesis worse in the _____, dysarthria, and aphasia
arm and face,
ACA strokes cause contralateral hemiparesis worse in ____ and confusion.
the leg
____ strokes often cause visual deficits,
confusion, and memory loss
PCA
Most of the large veins of the brain,
skull, orbit, and inner ear drain through
______ that are created by the separation of the periosteal and meningeal layers of the dura
Dural Venous Sinuses
The Superior Sagittal Sinus and Straight Sinus meet at the _____ near the occipital pole
Confluence of the Sinuses
As the sinuses exit the jugular foramen, they become the ______
Internal Jugular Veins
_____ drain the lateral hemispheres and
empty into the cavernous sinuses.
Middle Cerebral Veins
____ drain the diencephalon and other deep structures
Internal Cerebral Veins
The Great Cerebral Vein merges with the Inferior Sagittal Sinus to form the
____
Straight Sinus
Cerebrospinal Fluid also drains through this system of ______
Dural Venous Sinuses
The spinal cord descends within the vertebral canal and terminates at the
____ adjacent to the ____vertebra
Conus Medullaris; L1
The Cervical Enlargement at ____ is related to the Brachial Plexus, which innervates the upper extremities
C4-T1
The Lumbosacral Enlargement at ____ is related to the Lumbosacral Plexus, which innervates the lower extremities.
T11-S1
A thin cord of Pia Mater called the _____ extends off the Conus Medullaris and attaches at the distal spine, tethering the cord down
Filum Terminale
The spinal cord consists of ___ Spinal Segments, each of which corresponds with a Spinal Nerve bilaterally and innervates a specific area of the trunk or limbs
31
The _____ is a transverse white matter tract that relates to transmission of pain sensation
Anterior White Commissure
The Posterior Horn of the Gray Matter of the spinal cord contains cell bodies related to _____.
sensation
The _____ of the spinal cord contains the cell bodies of the lower motor neurons
Anterior Horn
The ____ is present from about T1 to L1 spinal segments and contains the cell bodies of Preganglionic Sympathetic Neurons.
Intermediolateral Horn
____ are very small and delicate extensions of Pia Mater that come off the spinal cord and attach laterally to the inside of the Dura, providing lateral support
Denticulate Ligaments
What encases the proximal area of the spinal nerve roots?
Dura of the spinal column
