HS2-5 Introduction to Neuroanatomy Flashcards
Draw a diagram illustrating anatomical naming conventions for the CNS.
What is the cephalic flexure?
a bend developed during embryonic life that tilts the axis of the developing brain forward
What is the composition of the meninges?
outer tough dura mater
middle arachnoid mater
delicate inner pia mater
What are the five subdivisions of the CNS? List their embryonic origin.
cerebral hemispheres (derived from embryonic telencephalon)
diencephalon (derived from embryonic diencephalon)
brainstem (mixed origins)
cerebellum (derived from embryonic metencephalon)
spinal cord
What are the three subdivisions of the brainstem? List their embryonic origin, too.
midbrain (derived from embryonic mesencephalon)
pons (derived from embryonic metencephalon)
medulla (derived from embryonic myelencephalon)
What structure accounts for most of the mass of the CNS?
cerebral hemispheres
What structure separates the two cerebral hemispheres?
longitudinal fissure
What structure joins the two cerebral hemispheres?
corpus callosum
Differentiate between gyri and sulci.
gyri = ridges
sulci = clefts
What are the four major lobes of the brain?
frontal
parietal
temporal
occipital
What is the lateral (Sylvian) fissure?
prominent groove that extends diagonally across lateral surface of hemisphere
What is the central sulcus? (2)
groove that extends from superior surface of each hemisphere to lateral fissure
separates frontal and parietal lobes
What is the superior temporal sulcus?
sulcus running just below and parallel to lateral fissure
What is the pre-occipital notch?
indentation visible on inferior-lateral aspect of each hemisphere near its posterior pole
What are the functions associated with the frontal lobe? (5)
motor activity
language
personality
insight
affect
What are the prominent gyri associated with the frontal lobe?
precentral gyrus (a.k.a. primary motor cortex)
What are the functions associated with the parietal lobe? (2)
processing of sensory information (specifically, somatosensory information)
language development
What are the prominent gyri associated with the parietal lobe?
postcentral gyrus
What are the functions associated with the temporal lobe?
auditory
comprehension of language (via Wernicke’s area)
Wernicke’s area is located in which lobe?
temporal lobe
What is the function of Wernicke’s area?
comprehension of language
What is the function of the occipital lobe?
visual processing
Label the following diagram.
What is the function of the hippocampus?
memory
What are the prominent gyri associated with the ventral surface of the temporal lobe?
parahippocampal gyrus
What is the uncus?
a small medial protrusion separated from the anterior parahippocampal gyrus by a shallow notch
Which structures are found behind the optic chiasm? (2)
infundibulum
mamillary bodies
(both of which are parts of the hypothalamus)
What are cerebral peduncles?
bundles of myelinated fibers that are part of the midbrain that carrying information from cerebral hemispheres to more caudal areas of CNS
Where are cerebral peduncles found?
posterior to the mammillary bodies
If you were to section the brain sagitally (across the midline), what major sulci would be visible?
cingulate sulcus
parieto-occipital sulcus
calcarine sulcus
If you were to section the brain sagitally (across the midline), what major gyri would be visible?
straight gyrus
cingulate gyrus
What is the cingulate sulcus?
curved sulcus that runs in parallel w/ corpus callosum
What is the parieto-occipital sulcus?
vertically-oriented sulcus in posterior part of each hemisphere
The cingulate gyrus is located in which lobe?
both frontal and parietal lobes
Why is the cingulate gyrus important?
it is a component of the limbic system
What are three primary functions of the limbic system?
emotion
affect
memory
What is the relationship between the brainstem and the 12 cranial nerves?
with the exception of the olfactory and optic (CN I and II) cranial nerves, all cranial nerves exit from the brainstem
What is a synonym for midbrain?
mesencephalon
Describe the position of the midbrain.
most rostral division of brainstem
What are the three major external landmarks of the midbrain?
cerebral peduncles
cranial nerves III and IV
superior and inferior colliculi
Which cranial nerves exit via the midbrain?
CN III and IV
What is the interpeduncular fossa?
the space between the cerebral peduncles
What are the superior and inferior colliculi?
symmetrically paired structures that lie on the dorsal surface of the brainstem that appear as small, rounded bumps
Where is the pons located?
between the midbrain and medulla oblongata
What are the major landmarks of the pons?
basal pons
middle cerebellar peduncles
cranial nerves V, VI, VII, VIII
fourth ventricle
What is the basal pons?
prominent rounded area visible on ventral surface of pons
What are the middle cerebellar peduncles?
large bundles of white matter that extend from each side of the basal pons into cerebellum
What is the function of the inferior frontal gyrus?
language (Broca’s area)
Which cranial nerves exit via the pons?
CN V, VI, VII, VIII
What is the fourth ventricle?
diamond-shaped structure that receives CSF from cerebral aqueduct
What are the major external landmarks of the medulla oblongata? (3)
pyramids
inferior olives
fourth ventricle
What are pyramids?
vertically-oriented columns of white matter that lie on ventral surface of medulla on either side of midline that carry descending motor axons
What are inferior olives?
rounded protuberances that lie just behind the pyramids
Which cranial nerves exit via the medulla oblongata?
IX, X, XI, XII
How is the cerebellum anchored to the brainstem?
via 3 pairs of peduncles
What are the four primary structures of the cerebellum? List their function.
hemispheres = most of mass
vermis = midline
flocculi = involved in balance
tonsils
In the ventral region of the brain, the cingulate sulcus is continuous with
the parahippocampal gyrus
