Gross Brain, Brainstem, and Spinal Cord Flashcards

1
Q

What is the CNS vs PNS?

A

CNS: brain and spinal cord

PNS: spinal and cranial nerves with branches from CNS

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2
Q

What is the forebrain composed of?

A

Cerebral hemispheres and diencephalon

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3
Q

Where is the brainstem located?

A

Between the forebrain and spinal cord

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4
Q

What is gray matter?

A

Areas containing neuronal/glial cell bodies and dendrites

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5
Q

What are nuceli?

A

Collection of cell bodies w/ common function

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6
Q

What is the cortex?

A

Layers of gray matter over other parts of the CNS (cerebral and cerebellar cortices)

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7
Q

What is white matter?

A

Areas where there is a collection of axons; many covered with myelin

Other terms for white matter include fasciculus, funiculus, lemniscus, peduncle, and tract

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8
Q

Most tract have 2 part names. What is the 1st part? What is the 2nd part?

A

1st Part: location of neuronal cell bodies from which axons originate

2nd Part: site the axons terminate

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9
Q

What is a gyrus?

A

Ridge of cortical tissue

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10
Q

What is a sulcus?

A

Groove located between gyri

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11
Q

What is a fissure?

A

Particularly deep sulci

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12
Q

What is the purpose of gyri and sulci?

A

Increases the total cortical area and total number of cortical neurons

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13
Q

What are the 4 prominent sulci?

A

Central sulcus, lateral sulcus, parietooccipital sulcus, and cingulate sulcus

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14
Q

What is the corpus callosum?

A

Huge fiber bundle that joins the 2 hemispheres

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15
Q

What makes up the lateral surface of the frontal lobe?

A

Precentral gyrus and superior/middle/inferior frontal gyri

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16
Q

Where is the primary motor cortex found?

A

Precentral gyrus

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17
Q

Where are the premotor and supplementary motor areas located?

A

Remainder of precentral gyrus and portions of frontal gyri

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18
Q

What is Broca’s area?

A

Important in motor aspects of written and spoken language; usually found on the left

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19
Q

What is the prefrontal cortex?

A

Occupies rest of frontal lobe; involved with executive functions, personality, decision making, insight, and foresight

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20
Q

What makes up the parietal lobe?

A

Postcentral gyrus and superior/inferior parietal lobules

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21
Q

What are the functions of the parietal lobe (3)?

A

1) Postcentral gyrus corresponds to primary somatosensory cortex; processes tactile and proprioceptive information and sensory localization
2) Inferior parietal lobule is involved in language comprehension
3) Remainder of parietal cortex has aspects in spatial orientation and directing attention

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22
Q

What makes up the temporal lobe?

A

Superior/middle/inferior temporal gyri; inferior surface is made up of the occipitotemporal (fusiform) gyrus; also the supramarginal and angular gyri

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23
Q

What are the functions of the temporal lobe (4)?

A

1) Superior surface, continuing as a small area of the superior temporal gyrus, is the primary auditory cortex
2) Wernicke’s area, usually on the left, is important in language comprehension
3) Inferior surface is involved in higher-order processing of visual information
4) Most medial part is involved in learning and memory

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24
Q

What makes up the limbic structures?

A

Cingulate and parahippocampal gyri

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25
What is the uncus?
Anterior end of the parahippocampal gyrus that hooks backwards on itself
26
Where is Wernicke's area found?
Posterior portion of superior temoral gyrus, typically on the left
27
Where is the amygdala found? What is its function?
Beneath the uncus of the temporal lobe; functions in fear
28
What is the insula? Where is it found?
Additional area of cerebral cortex not included in the 5 lobes; lies buried in lateral sulcus
29
What is the circular sulcus?
Outlines the insula and marks its borders with the opercular areas of the cortex
30
What are the 5 lobes of the brain?
Frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, and limbic lobes
31
What is the function of the occipital lobe?
Contains visual areas like the primary visual cortex and the visual association cortex (involved in higher order processing of visual information)
32
What structures are included in the diencephalon? What percentage of the weight of the brain does it contribute?
Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and subthalamus; 2%, but is extremely important
33
What is the basal nuclei?
Group of nuclei that lies deep to the cerebral cortex in each hemisphere, specifically the caudate and lenticular nucleus (further subdivided into putamen and globus pallidus)
34
What is the internal capsule?
Thick sheet of fibers that separate the lenticular nuclei from the thalamus and caudate
35
What are arcuate fibers?
Connect cortical areas within the same sulci/gyri
36
What are longitudinal/association fasciculi?
Connect cortical areas within the same hemisphere
37
What are projection tracts?
Connect cortical areas within other body regions
38
About how many axons does the corpus callosum have?
Around 250 million axons
39
What is the anterior commisure?
Commissural fibers to/from temporal lobe (especially inferior parts)
40
What is the internal capsule divided into?
Anterior limb, genu, posterior limb, sublenticular limb, and retrolenticular limb
41
What is the midbrain?
Houses tectum; superior and inferior colliculi, paired bumps posterior to cerebral aqueduct; paired cerebral peduncles make up most of midbrain
42
What is the pons?
Protruding basal pons and pontine tegmentum forms part of the floor of 4th ventricle
43
What is the medulla?
Rostral open portion contains part of 4th ventricle; caudal closed portion is continuous with the spinal cord
44
What is the function of the cerebellum? What does damage cause? What is the surface made up of?
Functions in sensory information processing and influences motor neurons; damage results in abnormalities of equilibrium, postural control, and coordination of voluntary movements; made up of transverse ridges called folia
45
What is the medullary center in the cerebellum composed of?
Afferent and/or efferent fibers
46
Posterior rootlets enter the SC via what?
Posterolateral sulcus (shallow longitudinal groove)
47
Anterior rootlets leave the SC via what?
Anterolateral sulcus (poorly defined)
48
What makes up a posterior horn?
Substantia gelatinosa, body, and Lissauer's tract
49
What is the substantia gelatinosa?
Region of gray matter that caps the posterior horn
50
What is the body of the posterior horn?
Interneurons and projection neurons that transmit somatic and visceral sensory information
51
What is Lissauer's Tract?
White matter located between substantia gelatinosa and surface of SC
52
What is Clark's Nucleus (posterior thoracic nucleus)?
Cells located on medial surface of the base of the posterior horn (T1-L2); has a prominent role in sensory processing and typically treated as part of posterior horn
53
Describe the anterior horn
Cell bodies of lower MNs supplying skeletal muscle; cells provide CNS control over body movements (voluntary/involuntary); influenced by different pathways to modulate movements
54
What is intermediate gray matter?
Collection of various projection neurons, sensory interneurons, and interneurons
55
What forms the lateral horn?
Preganglionic sympathetic neurons (T1-L3) in the intermediolateral cell column; axons leave via ventral roots
56
Where is the sacral parasympathetic nucleus located?
Spans S2-4 but does NOT form a distinct lateral horn
57
What are the ascending tracts?
Posterior columns, spinocerebellar tracts, and anterolateral system
58
What are the descending tracts?
Corticospinal tract, vestibulospinal tract, rubrospinal fibers
59
What do the posterior columns do?
Convey ipsilateral proprioceptive, tactile, and vibratory information from the body, but NOT THE FACE
60
What do the spinocerebellar tracts do?
Information relays to cerebellum, thalamus, and motor cortex to influence efficiency of motor activity
61
What does the anterolateral system do?
Relays pain, temperature, and nondiscriminative touch from the body, but NOT THE FACE
62
What do the corticospinal tracts do?
Controls voluntary, fine movements of the musculature
63
What do the vestibulospinal tracts do?
Influence motor neurons innervating primarily axial and neck musculature
64
What do rubrospinal fibers do?
Excite flexor motor neurons and inhibit extensor motor neurons
65
What is lamina I (marginal zone)?
Thin layer of gray matter covering the substantia gelatinosa
66
What is lamina II?
Substantia gelatinosa
67
What are lamina III through VI?
Body of the posterior horn
68
What is lamina VII?
Corresponds to the intermediate gray matter (including Clarke's nucleus), but also includes extensions into anterior horn
69
What is lamina VIII?
Comprises some of the interneuron zones of the anterior horn
70
What is lamina IX?
Consists of the clusters of motor neurons embedded in the anterior horn
71
What is lamina X?
Zone of gray matter surrounding the central canal
72
What nucleus is found in lamina I? What vertebral levels does lamina I correspond to? What is the function of lamina I?
Nucleus: marginal zone Vertebral Levels: all Function: some spinothalamic tract cells
73
What nucleus is found in lamina II? What vertebral levels does lamina II correspond to? What is the function of lamina II?
Nucleus: substantia gelatinosa Vertebral Levels: all Function: modulate transmission of pain and temperature information
74
What nucleus is found in lamina III through VI? What vertebral levels does lamina III through VI correspond to? What is the function of lamina III through VI?
Nucleus: body of posterior horn Vertebral Levels: all Function: sensory processing
75
What nucleus is found in lamina VII? What vertebral levels does lamina VII correspond to? What is the function of lamina VII?
Nucleus: Clarke's nucleus, intermediolateral nucleus, and sacral parasympathetic nucleus Vertebral Levels: T1-L2, T1-L3, and S2-4 Function: posterior spinocerebellar tract cells, preganglionic sympathetic neurons, and preganglionic parasympathetic neurons to pelvic viscera
76
What nucleus is found in lamina IX? What vertebral levels does lamina IX correspond to? What is the function of lamina IX?
Nucleus: accessory nucleus and phrenic nucleus Vertebral Levels: medulla-C5, C3-5 Function: motor neurons to the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius and motor neurons to the diaphragm