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
Q

What is the uncus?

A

Anterior end of the parahippocampal gyrus that hooks backwards on itself

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26
Q

Where is Wernicke’s area found?

A

Posterior portion of superior temoral gyrus, typically on the left

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27
Q

Where is the amygdala found? What is its function?

A

Beneath the uncus of the temporal lobe; functions in fear

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28
Q

What is the insula? Where is it found?

A

Additional area of cerebral cortex not included in the 5 lobes; lies buried in lateral sulcus

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29
Q

What is the circular sulcus?

A

Outlines the insula and marks its borders with the opercular areas of the cortex

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30
Q

What are the 5 lobes of the brain?

A

Frontal, temporal, parietal, occipital, and limbic lobes

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31
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

A

Contains visual areas like the primary visual cortex and the visual association cortex (involved in higher order processing of visual information)

32
Q

What structures are included in the diencephalon? What percentage of the weight of the brain does it contribute?

A

Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and subthalamus; 2%, but is extremely important

33
Q

What is the basal nuclei?

A

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
Q

What is the internal capsule?

A

Thick sheet of fibers that separate the lenticular nuclei from the thalamus and caudate

35
Q

What are arcuate fibers?

A

Connect cortical areas within the same sulci/gyri

36
Q

What are longitudinal/association fasciculi?

A

Connect cortical areas within the same hemisphere

37
Q

What are projection tracts?

A

Connect cortical areas within other body regions

38
Q

About how many axons does the corpus callosum have?

A

Around 250 million axons

39
Q

What is the anterior commisure?

A

Commissural fibers to/from temporal lobe (especially inferior parts)

40
Q

What is the internal capsule divided into?

A

Anterior limb, genu, posterior limb, sublenticular limb, and retrolenticular limb

41
Q

What is the midbrain?

A

Houses tectum; superior and inferior colliculi, paired bumps posterior to cerebral aqueduct; paired cerebral peduncles make up most of midbrain

42
Q

What is the pons?

A

Protruding basal pons and pontine tegmentum forms part of the floor of 4th ventricle

43
Q

What is the medulla?

A

Rostral open portion contains part of 4th ventricle; caudal closed portion is continuous with the spinal cord

44
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum? What does damage cause? What is the surface made up of?

A

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
Q

What is the medullary center in the cerebellum composed of?

A

Afferent and/or efferent fibers

46
Q

Posterior rootlets enter the SC via what?

A

Posterolateral sulcus (shallow longitudinal groove)

47
Q

Anterior rootlets leave the SC via what?

A

Anterolateral sulcus (poorly defined)

48
Q

What makes up a posterior horn?

A

Substantia gelatinosa, body, and Lissauer’s tract

49
Q

What is the substantia gelatinosa?

A

Region of gray matter that caps the posterior horn

50
Q

What is the body of the posterior horn?

A

Interneurons and projection neurons that transmit somatic and visceral sensory information

51
Q

What is Lissauer’s Tract?

A

White matter located between substantia gelatinosa and surface of SC

52
Q

What is Clark’s Nucleus (posterior thoracic nucleus)?

A

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
Q

Describe the anterior horn

A

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
Q

What is intermediate gray matter?

A

Collection of various projection neurons, sensory interneurons, and interneurons

55
Q

What forms the lateral horn?

A

Preganglionic sympathetic neurons (T1-L3) in the intermediolateral cell column; axons leave via ventral roots

56
Q

Where is the sacral parasympathetic nucleus located?

A

Spans S2-4 but does NOT form a distinct lateral horn

57
Q

What are the ascending tracts?

A

Posterior columns, spinocerebellar tracts, and anterolateral system

58
Q

What are the descending tracts?

A

Corticospinal tract, vestibulospinal tract, rubrospinal fibers

59
Q

What do the posterior columns do?

A

Convey ipsilateral proprioceptive, tactile, and vibratory information from the body, but NOT THE FACE

60
Q

What do the spinocerebellar tracts do?

A

Information relays to cerebellum, thalamus, and motor cortex to influence efficiency of motor activity

61
Q

What does the anterolateral system do?

A

Relays pain, temperature, and nondiscriminative touch from the body, but NOT THE FACE

62
Q

What do the corticospinal tracts do?

A

Controls voluntary, fine movements of the musculature

63
Q

What do the vestibulospinal tracts do?

A

Influence motor neurons innervating primarily axial and neck musculature

64
Q

What do rubrospinal fibers do?

A

Excite flexor motor neurons and inhibit extensor motor neurons

65
Q

What is lamina I (marginal zone)?

A

Thin layer of gray matter covering the substantia gelatinosa

66
Q

What is lamina II?

A

Substantia gelatinosa

67
Q

What are lamina III through VI?

A

Body of the posterior horn

68
Q

What is lamina VII?

A

Corresponds to the intermediate gray matter (including Clarke’s nucleus), but also includes extensions into anterior horn

69
Q

What is lamina VIII?

A

Comprises some of the interneuron zones of the anterior horn

70
Q

What is lamina IX?

A

Consists of the clusters of motor neurons embedded in the anterior horn

71
Q

What is lamina X?

A

Zone of gray matter surrounding the central canal

72
Q

What nucleus is found in lamina I? What vertebral levels does lamina I correspond to? What is the function of lamina I?

A

Nucleus: marginal zone

Vertebral Levels: all

Function: some spinothalamic tract cells

73
Q

What nucleus is found in lamina II? What vertebral levels does lamina II correspond to? What is the function of lamina II?

A

Nucleus: substantia gelatinosa

Vertebral Levels: all

Function: modulate transmission of pain and temperature information

74
Q

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?

A

Nucleus: body of posterior horn

Vertebral Levels: all

Function: sensory processing

75
Q

What nucleus is found in lamina VII? What vertebral levels does lamina VII correspond to? What is the function of lamina VII?

A

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
Q

What nucleus is found in lamina IX? What vertebral levels does lamina IX correspond to? What is the function of lamina IX?

A

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