Exam 1 - (1) Introduction neuroanatomy and gross brain Flashcards
What are three examples of neurotransmitters?
Small molecule neurotransmitters
Monoamines
Neuropeptides
What are three types of neurons?
Multipolar
Bipolar
Unipolar
What are the chemical means by which neurons communicate to each other/other structures?
Neurotransmitters
What are three examples of small molecule neurotransmitters and what effects do they have?
Glutamate - excitatory
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) - inhibitory
Acetylcholine (ACh) - ?
Give three examples of monoamine neurotransmitters and explain their functions.
Dopamine - excitatory
Norepinephrine (NE) & epinephrine - excitatory
Serotonin (5-HT) - excitatory
Give two examples of neuropeptides and explain their functions.
ACTH -
Substance P -
What does the cephalic flexure do in terms of neuroanatomy?
Changes the axis of the brain stem cord relative to the cerebrum
Dorsal: posterior -> superior
Ventral: anterior -> inferior
What are nerve cell bodies called in the PNS?
Ganglia
What are nerve cell bodies called in the CNS?
Nuclei
Name three terms for “axon” in the CNS.
Tract
Leniscus
Peduncle
What is an axon called in the PNS?
Nerve
Name/explain the terms that describe two sided orientation in the brain.
- Ipsilateral - same side of
- Contralateral - opposite side of
- Bilateral - both sides
- Decussation - connect dissimilar planes across midline (pyramidal decussation)
- Commissure - connects similar structures (corpus callosum)
What are the section planes used in neuroanatomy?
- Sagittal plane - midline
- Parasagittal plane - parallel to the midline
- Coronal/frontal - parallel to the long axis of the body
- Transverse/horizontal - perpendicular to the long axis of the body
What are the five lobes in a cerebral hemisphere?
- Frontal
- Parietal
- Occipital
- Temporal
- Limbic
About how many ft^2 of cortex is a brain surface?
2.5
Name the frontal lobe’s gyri/sulci/structures of note.
- Precentral gyrus and sulcus
- Frontal gyri
- superior
- middle
- inferior
- Orbital surface
- Orbital/Orbitofrontal gyri
- Gyrus rectus (only consists of orbital gyrus
- Olfactory sulcus - contains olfactory bulb and tract
Describe the functional aspects of the precentral gyrus.
Primary motor cortex, origin of the descending motor pathway, initiates voluntary movements
Describe the location of the premotor and supplemental motor areas:
part of the precentral, nearby portions of superior and middle gyri
Describe the location/function of Broca’s area:
- inferior frontal gyrus of one hemisphere (usually left)
- production of spoken and written language
Describe location/function of the prefrontal cortex:
- rest of the frontal lobe
- personality, foresight, insight
Name the parietal lobe’s sulci/gyri of note on the lateral surface and their approximate locations
- Postcentral gyrus: anterior portion of the parietal lobe, spanning the length of the central sulcus, just posterior to it on the entire lateral surface of one hemisphere (post central sulcus runs behind it)
- Superior parietal lobule: superior to the interparietal sulcus
- Inferior parietal lobule: made up of the submarginal (anterior) and the angular (posterior) gyri, it is underneath the interparietal sulcus
Name the parietal lobe’s sulci/gyri of note on the medial surface and their approximate locations
- paracentral lobule: the medial extension of the post/precentral gyri so it is technically part of the frontal and parietal lobes
- Precuneas: inferioposterior to the paracentral lobule, in is bordred by the
- subparietal sulcus and calcarine sulcus inferiorly
- marginal branch of cingulate sulcus anteriorly
- parieto occipital sulcus posteriorly
Describe the function of the Postcentral gyrus:
it contains the primary somatosensory cortex and is concerned with the initial processing of tactile and proprioceptive information
Describe the function of the (typically left hemispherical) Inferior parietal lobule:
language comprehension
Describe the function of the rest of the parietal cortex:
complex aspect of spatial orientation and directing attention
Name the temporal lobe’s sulci/gyri of note on the lateral surface and their approximate locations
- Superior temporal gyrus: just below the lateral sulcus spanning it’s length
- Middle temporal gyrus: just below the superior temporal gyrus
- Inferior temporal gyrus: just below the middle temporal gyrus, spanning it’s length and extending onto the inferior surface of the brain where it touches the fusiform gyrus medially
Name the temporal lobe’s sulci/gyri of note on the medial surface and their approximate locations
- the occipitotemporal/fusiform gyrus which takes up the remainder of the inferior surface of the temporal lobe. It is bordered by the inferior temporal gyrus laterally and the limbic lobe medially (separated by the collateral sulcus.)
- note: the occipitotemporal lobe is in the temporal AND occipital lobes
Describe the location/function of the primary auditory cortex:
the superior surface of the temporal lobe/part of the superior temporal gyrus / hearing
Describe the location/function of Wernike’s area
posterior aspect of one temporal lobe hemisphere (usually left) / language comprehension
Describe the function of much of the temporal lobe
higher order visual processing
Describe the function of the medial temporal lobe (which is technically part of the limbic lobe, but referred to as “medial temporal structures”)
learning and memory
What is the lateral surface of the occipital lobe termed?
because it has a variable configuration, lateral occipital gyri
What structures are on the medial surface of the occipital lobe?
- Cuneus: Latin for “wedge” between parietaloccipital and calcarine sulci
- Lingual gyrus: inferior to the calcarine sulcus, adjacent to the posterior aspect of the occipitotemporal/fusiform gyrus (separated by the collateral sulcus)
What is the occipital lobe’s function more or less?
visual
Where is the primary visual cortex?
in the banks of the calcimine sulcus and a bit of the surrounding cortex
Where/what is the visual association cortex?
the rest of the occipital lobe / higher order visual processing
What two structures does the limbic lobe primarily consist of?
- cingulate gyrus
- parrahipocampal gyrus
What is the function of the limbic system?
-involved in emotional responses, drive-related behaviors and memory
describe the course of the cingulate gyrus:
it is superior to the corpus callous and can be followed around it’s posterior edge, the splenium where it turns inferiorly and the isthmus where it becomes the parrahipocampal gyrus
Describe the orientation/structures of the parahippocampal gyrus
- uncus is a medial protrusion on the PHG’s ant. aspect
- amygdala is deep to the uncus
- superior border of the PHG is the hippocampal sulcus
- at the hippocampal sulcus you find the hippocampus which is a medial temporal structure
What/where is the insula?
-it is a structure buried deep in the lateral sulcus, covered by the parietal and temporal oppercula, and it overlies the site where the diencephalon and telencephalon fuse during development
What are the four divisions of the diencephalon?
- Thalamus - superior
- Hypothalamus-anterior
- epithalamus- pineal gland and some assc. structures
- subthalamus- deep and lateral
Describe the Thalamus:
Ovioid gray matter mass consisting of multiple nuclei which borders the 3rd ventricle (at the stria medullaris)
What is the massa intermedia?
area of thalamic adhesion across the midline (not seen in all brains)
Describe Thalamic functions:
- significant and central importance to most CNS functions
- No sensory information (except olfaction) reaches the cortex without a stop at the thalamus
- Thalamus involved in motor system neural circuits (loops that involve the cerrebellum and basal ganglia
- Limbic system projections to cortex also stop in the thalamus first
What separates the thalamus and the hypothalamus?
the hypothalamic sulcus in the wall of the third ventricle
What structures of the hypothalamus are visible on the base of the brain?
- mammillary bodies
- inferior surface of the hypothalamus
What structure connects the hypothalamus with the pituitary gland?
-infundibular stalk
Describe the basic functional role of the hypothalamus:
It is a major visceral control center that also has limbic functions
What are the three divisions of the brainstem?
1-midbrain
2-pons
3-medulla
What are three basic functional roles that the brainstem plays?
1-Convey’s information to and from the cerebrum
2-contains cranial nerve nuclei
3-other???
where are most of the cranial nerves attached?
the brainstem
The olfactory nerve (CN __) consists of a bundle of _____ that terminate in the ______ _______ at the anterior end of the ______ ______.
- I
- axons
- olfactory bulb
- olfactory tract
The optic nerves (CN ___) join to form the _____ _____ where half of the fibers ______ the midline giving rise to the _____ ______.
- II
- optic chiasm
- cross
- optic tract
Where does the optic tract run
originates at the optic chiasm, terminates into the thalamus
Because it is embryologically part of the diencephalon, what division of the nervous system is CNII considered?
CNS
The ________ nerve (CNIII) emerges from the ______ fossa. It is one of two CNs that originate in the midbrain, the other being the _______ nerve (CN___).
- oculomotor
- interpeduncular fossa
- Trochlear
- IV
Four cranial nerves emerge from the pons, they are:
- Trigeminal (CN V)
- Abducens (VI)
- Facial (VII)
- Vestibulocochlear (CN VIII)
The only CN to emerge from the dorsal aspect of the brainstem is the:
Trochlear nerve (CN IV)
Where doe the vestibulocochlear nerve (CN ____) emerge?
- VIII
- cerebellopontine angle
There are four CNs that are assc. with the medulla, they are:
- Glossopharyngeal (CNIX)
- Vagus (CNX)
- Accessory/Spinal accessory (CNXI)
- Hypoglossal (XII)
Accessory nerve (CN ___) emerges from the _____ cervical __________, _____ into the skull, and then reverses and goes back into the _____.
- XI
- upper
- spinal cord
- ascends
- neck
What are the main divisions of the cerebellum?
- vermis (midline structure)
- medial and lateral hemispheres (not structurally separated, but fake boundaries made based on functionality)
- flocconodular lobe (flocculus and nodule of vermis, connection lost during development and hidden by the brainstem)
what do the main structures of the cerebellum have?
-a vermal and hemispheric component
what is the flocconodular lobe’s funciton?
-mediating eye movement, heavily interconnected with the vestibular system
what are the lobes of the cerebellum?
- anterior (to the primary fissure)
- posterior
- flocconodular
What is the function of the anterior cerebellar lobe?
spinal cord input, trunk and limb movement
What is the function of the posterior cerebellar lobe?
input from cortex, coordinates voluntary movements
because of development, many structures within the brain have a ____ shape. Beware in sections of cutting them twice!
C
What are the basal ganglia?
Caudate
Putamen
globus pallidus
major components
What is the striatum?
caudate and the putamen
What is the lenticular nucleus?
putamen and globus pallidus
