Into to Neuroanatomy and Gross Brain Structure Flashcards
What is the structural and functional unit of the nervous system?
Neuron
Name 3 small molecule Neurotrasmitters (NTs)
Glutamate (excite), GABA (inhibit), Acetylcholine
3 Monoamine NTs
Dopamine, Norepinephrine/Epinephrine, and Serotonin (all excitatory)
2 Neuropeptide NTs
ACTH, Substance P
Directional Term for Top of the brain…….and bottom
Dorsal (rostral) and Ventral (caudal) respectively
Axons in CNS are called ….(3)
Tract, Lemniscus, and Peduncle
Axons in PNS are called …..(1)
Nerve
Term and example for connecting different locations of opposite sides
Decussation….pyramidal decussation or optic chiasm
Term and example for connecting same location of opposite sides
Commissure…Corpus Callosum
5 lobes of cerebral hemisphere
Frontal, Parietal, Occipital, Temporal, Limbic
Gyrus rectus of frontal lobe only consists of what?
Orbital gyrus
Function of Precentral gyrus?
Primary motor cortex, initiate voluntary movements, origin of descending motor pathway
Supplemental motor areas?
Part of Precentral gyrus, also nearby portions of superior and middle frontal gyri
Broca’s area location and function?
inferior frontal gyrus (usually left), production of spoken and written language
Function of rest of prefrontal cortex?
Executive functions (personality, foresight, insight)
Name 5 landmarks in parietal lobe..
Lateral: Postcentral gyrus, superior and inferior parietal lobule
Medial: Precuneus and Paracentral lobule
The precuneus is bounded by what sulci
Marginal br. of cingulate, sub parietal, calcarine, and parieto-occipital
Postcentral gyrus function?
Primary somatosensory cortex, initial processing of tactile and sensory info.
Function and contents of Inferior parietal lobule?
Language comprehension (typically left); supra marginal and angular gyri
Function of the rest of the parietal cortex?
spatial orientation and directing attention
Occipitotemporal gyrus is separated from the limbic lobe by what?
Collateral sulcus
Function of temporal lobe?
Primary auditory cortex (superior temporal gyrus), Language comprehension (Wernike’s area in posterior aspect of one side), higher order visual processing, and Learning/Memory (Medial temporal lobe)
What 2 areas are involved with language comprehension?
Inferior parietal lobule and Wernike’s area (Parietal and Temporal)
Occipital lobe structures and function?
Lateral occipital gyri, Medial: Cuneus and Lingual gyrus……almost exclusively visual in function
Where is the primary visual cortex located?
in the banks of calcarine sulcus and surrounding cortex
What 2 lobes are involved in higher order visual processing?
Temporal and Occipital
What does the limbic lobe consist of?
Cingulate and Parahippocampal gyri (Also Uncus, the anteriomedial protrusion of Parahippocampal gyrus)
What is the function of the limbic system and its interconnected structures?
Important in emotional responses, drive-related behaviors and memory
Location and significance of the Insula?
Buried deep in the lateral sulcus, and it overlies the site where telencephalon and diencephalon fuse during development
4 Divisions of the Diencephalon
Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Epithalamus (pineal gland), and subthalamus
What are the intrathalamic adhesion and stria medullaris?
Intrathalamic adhesion: area of thalamic fusion across midline
Stria medullaris: line where thalamus attaches to 3rd ventricle
What is the only sensory info that reaches the cerebral cortex without stopping in the thalamus?
Olfaction
Additional role of Thalamus?
Involved in Motor system neural circuits, which are loops that involve the cerebellum and basal ganglia
What separates the thalamus and hypothalamus?
Hypothalamic sulcus in wall of 3rd ventricle
Function of hypothalamus?
Major visceral control center, but also has limbic functions
What is the infundibular stalk?
It connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland
Where does CN I (olfactory) terminate
In olfactory bulb at anterior end of olfactory tract
Where does the optic tract end at?
Thalamus
NOTE: Embryologically part of Diencephalon so it is part of CNS, not PNS
CN III (Occulomotor) emerges from where?
Interpeduncular fossa
CN IV (Trochlear) emerges from where?
Dorsal aspect of brainstem (only one to do this)
What CN’s emerge from the Pons?
CN V (Trigeminal), VI (Abducens), VII (Facial), and VIII (Vestibulocochlear (cerebellopontine angle))
Which CN’s emerge from the Medulla?
CN IX (Glossopharyngeal), X (Vagus), XI (Accessory), and XII (Hypoglossal)
Structure of the cerebellum?
Midline Vermis with lateral hemispheres on each side
3 lobes of Cerebellum and function?
Anterior lobe: anterior to primary fissure. Spinal cord input, trunk and limbic movement
Flocculonodular lobe: eye movements and vestibular function
Posterior lobe: Input from cortex, cordinates voluntary movements
Components of basal ganglia and function?
Striatium: Caudate and Putamen
Lenticular nucleus: Putamen and globus pallidus
Function: Movement control
Is the basal ganglia separated from the thalamus?
Yes, by the internal capsule, a fiber bundle interconnecting cortex and deep structures
What are Cisterna?
Large CSF-filled spaces in the CNS between inner dura and arachnoid
Describe the Path of CSF Circulation.
From the lateral and 3rd ventricle, it flows down cerebral aqueduct to the 4th ventricle and out the median (Megendie) or lateral (Luschka) apertures down the brainstem or spinal cord. OR continues around the brain surface to the arachnoid granules and into the Superior Sagittal Sinus.
What is an arachnoid villi?
Major its of CSF reabsorption into the venous system (aka arachnoid granules?)
What are is arachnoid and pia mater collectively referred to as?
Leptomeninges
What is an epidural hematoma?
Tear of meningeal arteries, leaving blood between skull and dura.
What is an subdural hematoma?
Tearing of bridging veins, leaving blood in inner most dural layer, near dura-arachnoid interface
Name and location of the 2 main dural reflections.
Falx cerebri: between cerebral hemispheres
Tentorium cerebelli: between cerebrum and cerebellum
Section of tentorium cerebelli where the brainstem passes through is called?
Tentorial notch or incisure
2 pairs of vessels that supply much of brain and spinal cord?
Internal Carotid Artery and Vertebral Artery
What is auto regulation of cerebral blood flow?
They constrict when the pressure is high and dilate when pressure is low
What substances can cross the BBB?
Lipid-soluble substances, glucose by facilitated diffusion, and other substances are actively transported across
What are Circumventricular organs and where are they located?
Areas where cerebral capillaries are fenestrated, allowing open communication between blood and brain ECF. They are located around 3rd and 4th ventricles.
Function of Circumventricular organs?
- Sensory function, monitor CSF composition
- Release hormones form neuronal endings into the blood
- Specialized ependymal cells, tancytes overlie ventricular surface
What is the venous drainage of the brain?
Cerebral veins empty into IJV and basilar venous plexus at base of brain that communicates with epidural venous plexus of spinal cord
What does the superior and inferior groups of superficial veins empty into?
Superior: SSS and ISS
Inferior: Transverse and Cavernous sinuses
3 Superficial veins consistently found?
Superficial middle cerebral vein
Superior anastomotic vein (Trolard)
Inferior anastomotic vein (Labbe)
