Major Structures of the Cerebral Hemispheres

Question 1

Fissures

Answer 1

The large, deep grooves in the cerebral hemispheres.

Question 2

Sulci (SUL-kye)

Answer 2

The small grooves in the cerebral hemispheres.
Singular: sulcus

Question 3

Central fissures

Answer 3

The long, deep fissures on the lateral surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres, one on each side; they run from the longitudinal fissure down to the lateral fissure.

Question 4

Lateral fissures

Answer 4

The long, deep fissures that run roughly horizontally on the lateral surface of the cerebral hemispheres, one on each side.

Question 5

Gyri (GYE-rye)

Answer 5

The large ridges, or convolutions, between adjacent fissures.
Singular: gyrus

Question 6

Cerebral cortex

Answer 6

The outer layer of the cerebral hemispheres; largely composed of gray matter. (cortex=bark)

Question 7

Frontal lobes

Answer 7

The two regions of the cerebral hemispheres, one in each hemisphere, that are anterior to the central fissures.

Question 8

Parietal lobes

Answer 8

The two regions of the cerebral hemispheres, one in each hemisphere, that are posterior to the central fissures and superior to the lateral fissures.

Question 9

Temporal lobes

Answer 9

The two regions of the cerebral hemispheres, one in each hemisphere, that are inferior to the lateral fissures.

Question 10

Occipital lobes

Answer 10

The two regions of the cerebral hemispheres that are at the posterior pole of each hemisphere.

Question 11

Precentral gyrus

Answer 11

The frontal lobe gyrus that is located jsut anterior to the central fissure

Question 12

Superior frontal gyrus

Answer 12

The frontal lobe gyrus that runs horizontally along the top of the lobe

Question 13

Middle frontal gyrus

Answer 13

The frontal lobe gyrus that is located between the superior and inferior frontal gyri.

Question 14

Inferior frontal gyrus

Answer 14

The frontal lobe gyrus that is located just inferior to the middle frontal gyrus.

Question 15

Superior temporal gyrus

Answer 15

The temporal lobe gyrus that is located just inferior to the lateral fissure.

Question 16

Middle temporal gyrus

Answer 16

The temporal lobe gyrus that is located between the superior and inferior temporal gyri.

Question 17

Inferior temporal gyrus

Answer 17

The temporal lobe gyrus that is located just inferior to the middle temporal gyrus.

Question 18

Postcentral gyrus

Answer 18

The parietal lobe gyrus that is located just posterior to the central fissure.

Question 19

Angular gyrus

Answer 19

The parietal lobe gyrus that is located at the parietal lobe’s border with the temporal and occipital lobes.

Question 20

Allocortex

Answer 20

Three-layered cerebral cortex, which was the first type of cerebral cortex to evolve; humans have mostly neocortex. (allo=other)

Question 21

Neocortex

Answer 21

Six-layered cerebral cortex of relatively recent evolutionary origin; most human cerebral cortex is neocortex.

Question 22

Pyramidal cells

Answer 22

Cortical neurons with a pyramid-shaped cell bod, an apical dendrite, and a long axon.

Question 23

Stellate cells

Answer 23

Star-shaped cortical neurons with many short dendrites and a short axon.

Question 24

Primary sensory areas

Answer 24

Areas of cerebral cortex that receives most of their input from the thalamic relay nuclei of a single sensory system; most of their output goes to adjacent secondary sensory areas of the same system.

Question 25

Secondary sensory areas

Answer 25

Areas of sensory cortex that receive their input from one primary sensory area and from other secondary areas of the same system; there are typically several secondary sensory areas adjacent to each primary sensory area.

Question 26

Primary motor areas

Answer 26

Areas of motor cortex that send most of their output to subcortical and spinal motor circuits; much of their input comes from adjacent secondary motor areas.

Question 27

Secondary motor areas

Answer 27

Areas of motor cortex that send much of their output to areas of primary motor cortex; much of their input comes from association cortex.

Question 28

Association areas

Answer 28

Areas of cerebral cortex that receive input from more than one sensory system, typically cia areas of secondary sensory cortex, much of their output goes to areas of secondary motor cortex.

Question 29

Primary visual cortex

Answer 29

The areas of cortex, one in each hemisphere, that receive most of their input from the visual relay nuclei of the thalamus (ie from the lateral geniculate nuclei); they are located in the occipital lobes, largely in the longitudinal fissure.

Question 30

Primary auditory cortex

Answer 30

The areas of cortex, one in each hemisphere, that receive most of their input from the auditory relay nuclei of the thalamus (ie fromt he medial geniculate nuclei); they are located in the superior temporal lobes, largely in the lateral fissures.

Question 31

Primary gustatory cortex

Answer 31

The areas of cortex, one in each hemisphere, that receive most of their input from the gustatory relay nuclei of the thalamus; they are located on the inferior border of the parietal lobes, largely in the lateral fissures.

Question 32

Primary motor cortex

Answer 32

THe areas of cortex, one in each hemisphere, that send most of their motor fibers to the motor circuits of the brainstem and spinal cord; they are located in the precentral gyri of the frontal lobes.

Question 33

Primary somatosensory cortex

Answer 33

The areas of cortex, one in each hemisphere, that receive most of their input from the somatosensory relay nuclei of the thalamus (eg from the ventral posterior nuclei); they are located in the postcentral gyri of the parietal lobes.

Question 34

Primary olfactory cortex

Answer 34

The areas of cortex, one in each hemisphere, that receive most of their input from olfactory relay nuclei of the thalamus; they are located on the inferior surface of the frontal lobes.

Question 35

Amygdala

Answer 35

The almond-shaped nucleus of the anterior temporal lobe; it is part of both the limbic system and the basal ganglia.

Question 36

Hippocampus

Answer 36

The allocortical limbic system structure of the medial temporal lobes; it extends from the amygdala at its anterior end to the congulate cortex and fornix at its posterior end.

Question 37

Cingulate cortex (SING-gyu-lut)

Answer 37

The large area of limbic cortex on the medial surface of each cerebral hemisphere, just dorsal to the corpus collosum.

Question 38

Fornix

Answer 38

The major tract of the limbic system; it projects from the dorsal hippocampus of each hemisphere, circles the thalamus, and terminates in the septum and the mammillary bodies.

Question 39

Septum

Answer 39

The limbic nucleus tha tis located on the midline at the anterior tip of the cingulate cortex; a major terminal of the fornix.

Question 40

Mammillary bodies

Answer 40

A pair of hypothalamic nuclei that are visible as bumps on the interior surface of the brain, just posterior to the pituitary; they are part of the limbic system and major terminals of the fornix.

Question 41

Caudate

Answer 41

A nucleus of the basal ganglia; it is a tail-like nucleus that extends in each hemisphere from the amygdala in a posterior direction and almost completely encircles the other basal gangliamus; the caudate and putamen together are know as the striatum.

Question 42

Putamen (PEW-tay-men)

Answer 42

A nucleus of the basal ganglia; it is located in each hemisphere just lateral to the globus pallidus, and it is connected to the anterior end of the caudate by a series of fiber bridges; the putamen and caudate together are known as the striatum.

Question 43

Globus pallidus

Answer 43

A nucleus of the basal ganglia; it is located in each hemisphere between the thalamus and the putamen.