nervous system anatomy Flashcards
mnemonic for cranial nerves
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which nerve is (I)
olfactory
which nerve is (II)
optic
which nerve is (III)
oculomotor
which nerve is (IV)
trochlear
which nerve is (V)
trigeminal
which nerve is (VI)
Abducens
which nerve is (VII)
facial
which nerve is (which nerve is (VIII)
vestibulocochlear
which nerve is (IX)
glossopharyngeal
which nerve is (X)
vagus
which nerve is (XI)
accessory
which nerve is (XII)
Hypoglossal
function and origin of olfactory
smell, olfactory bulbs
function and origin of optic
vision, retina of eye
function and origin of oculomotor
Eye movement, pupil constriction
Origin: Midbrain
function and origin of trochlear
up and down movement of eyes, midbrain
function and origin of trigeminal
sensation in the face and chewing, pons (brainstem)
function and origin of abducens
lateral movt of eyes, pons
function and origin facial
facial expression, taste (front 2/3 of tongue), salivation
pons
function and origin vestibulocochlear
hearing and balance, inner ear (cochlea and vestibule)
function and origin glossopharyngeal
Taste ( back 1/3 of tongue), swallowing, salivation, blood pressure regulation
medulla oblongata
function and origin vagus
control parasympathetic functions, taste, and speech
medulla oblongata
function and origin accessory
head and neck movements (sternocleidmastoid and trapezius)
medulla oblongata and spinal cord
function and origin hypoglossal
tobue movt, medulla oblongata
Contains sensory (afferent) fibers that carry sensory information from the body to the spinal cord.
doral root
Contains motor (efferent) fibers that carry motor commands from the spinal cord to muscles and glands.
ventral root
cluster of sensory nerve cell bodies. It serves as a relay station for sensory information, where sensory neurons send their signals before entering the spinal cord. contains the cell bodies of afferent (sensory) neurons.
doral root ganglion
groove that runs down the back (posterior) side of the spinal cord. It helps divide the spinal cord into two symmetrical halves.
posterior median sulcus
deep groove that divides the spinal cord into two symmetrical halves, similar to the posterior median sulcus, but located on the front (anterior) side.
anterior median fissure
small channel that runs through the center of the spinal cord. It is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which cushions and nourishes the spinal cord.
central canal
connects the right and left sides of the spinal cord’s gray matter. It allows communication between the two halves of the spinal cord, particularly for motor control and sensory processing.
gray commissure
primarily contains sensory neurons that receive input from the sensory nerves (through the dorsal root). It processes sensory information such as touch, pain, and temperature.
posterior gray horn
contains autonomic motor neurons that control functions like heart rate, digestion, and gland secretion. These are part of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
lateral gray horn
contains motor neurons that control skeletal muscle movement. These neurons send out motor signals via the ventral root to the muscles.
anterior gray horn
contains sensory nerve tracts that carry information such as touch, pressure, vibration, and proprioception (the sense of body position) from the body to the brain.
posterior white column
allows crossing of nerve fibers from the left and right sides of the spinal cord, specifically for sensory pathways. It is important for coordinating movement and processing sensory information across both sides of the body.
anterior white commissure
largest part of the brain and is involved in higher functions such as thinking, memory, decision-making, problem-solving, sensory processing, and voluntary motor control. It is responsible for processing and integrating information from the rest of the body.
cerebrum
acts as a relay station for sensory and motor signals between the brain and spinal cord. It contains the thalamus (sensory relay center), hypothalamus (regulates basic bodily functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and hormonal control), epithalamus, and subthalamus.
diencephalon
controls essential functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. It includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, and serves as the pathway for nerve signals traveling between the brain and the body.
brain stem
responsible for coordination, balance, and fine motor control. It helps smooth out and refine voluntary movements and ensures that they are accurate and controlled.
cerebellum
involved in higher cognitive functions, such as reasoning, planning, problem-solving, emotions, and personality. It also controls voluntary movements (via the motor cortex) and plays a key role in speech production (Broca’s area).
frontal lobe
processes sensory information related to touch, temperature, pain, and pressure. It also plays a role in spatial awareness and navigation, as well as integrating sensory inputs from different senses.
parietal lobe
primarily responsible for visual processing. It receives and interprets visual information from the eyes, such as shapes, colors, and motion, and helps with visual recognition and perception.
occipital lobe
involved in auditory processing, memory, language comprehension (Wernicke’s area), and emotional responses. It also plays a key role in recognizing faces and objects, and in forming long-term memories (via the hippocampus).
temporal lobe
plays a role in emotion, self-awareness, and homeostasis. It processes sensory information, including taste, and is involved in bodily sensations (like pain and temperature), as well as emotional processing.
insula
major groove that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe. It plays a role in demarcating the boundary between areas responsible for motor function (in the frontal lobe) and sensory function (in the parietal lobe).
central sulcus
located in the frontal lobe and is also known as the primary motor cortex. It is responsible for the voluntary control of movement. The motor commands sent from here control different parts of the body.
precentral gyrus
located in the parietal lobe and is known as the primary somatosensory cortex. It processes sensory information from the body, such as touch, temperature, and pain, and maps sensations to different parts of the body.
postcentral gyrus
deep groove that separates the brain into its two hemispheres (left and right). It allows the two hemispheres to function independently, but they still communicate through the corpus callosum.
longitudinal fissure
consists of neurons’ cell bodies and is involved in processing and integrating information. It is found in regions of the brain responsible for muscle control, sensory perception, and cognitive functions like memory and decision-making. It’s mostly located on the outer layer of the brain, called the cortex.
gray matter
made up of nerve fibers that are coated in myelin, which allows for the rapid transmission of electrical signals between different parts of the brain and spinal cord. It connects different areas of gray matter to each other.
white matter
bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to communicate and work together. It plays a role in integrating sensory and motor information across both sides of the body.
corpus callosum
the largest cavities within the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). This fluid cushions and protects the brain, provides nutrients, and removes waste products. They also help circulate CSF around the brain.
lateral ventricles
relay station for sensory and motor signals. It processes incoming sensory information (except smell) and sends it to the appropriate area of the cerebral cortex for interpretation. It also plays a role in regulating consciousness, sleep, and alertness.
thalamus
involved in regulating vital functions like temperature control, hunger and thirst, hormone release, and sleep-wake cycles. It also links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, controlling processes like growth, metabolism, and reproduction.
hypothalamus
involved in regulating sleep-wake cycles and emotional responses. It includes the pineal gland, which secretes melatonin to regulate the circadian rhythm (your body’s internal clock).
epithalamus
produces melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles (circadian rhythm). It plays a role in maintaining the body’s internal clock.
pineal body
known as the master gland because it secretes hormones that control many important bodily functions, including growth, metabolism, and reproduction. It regulates other endocrine glands, such as the thyroid and adrenal glands, by releasing hormones into the bloodstream.
pituitary gland (hypophysis)
is the stalk that connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland. It allows communication between the hypothalamus and the pituitary, enabling the release of hormones.
infundibulum
plays a role in vision, hearing, motor control, and alertness. It contains the reticular formation, which helps maintain consciousness, and structures like the substantia nigra, which is important in movement and reward.
midbrain
acts as a bridge between the brainstem and the cerebellum. It helps regulate breathing, sleep cycles, and communication between different parts of the brain. The pons also plays a role in controlling facial expressions and eye movements.
pons
controls vital autonomic functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. It also manages reflexes like swallowing, coughing, sneezing, and vomiting.
medulla oblongata
involved in memory processing, particularly the formation of new memories. They are part of the limbic system, which controls emotions and memory.
mammillary bodies
This structure contains four colliculi (bumps) involved in visual and auditory reflexes
corpora quadrigemina
involved in visual processing and help coordinate eye movements and reflexes in response to visual stimuli (e.g., looking at moving objects).
superior colliculi
responsible for auditory processing and reflexive responses to sound (e.g., turning your head toward a loud noise).
inferior colliculi
is a fluid-filled cavity in the brain that contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It helps to cushion and protect the brain and also facilitates the exchange of nutrients and waste between the blood and the brain.
located in the midline of diencephelon btwn the two halves of thalamus
-relay CSF btwn lateral and 4th ventricles
third ventricle
is a narrow channel that connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle, allowing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flow between these areas of the brain.
cerebral aqueduct
is the tree-like structure of white matter in the cerebellum. It plays a key role in coordinating motor control and balance by transmitting information from the cerebellar cortex to other parts of the nervous system.
arbor vitae
is another fluid-filled cavity that helps circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) around the brain and spinal cord. It also aids in cushioning the brain and removing waste products. located btwn cerebellum and brainstem, specifically between pons and medulla obongata
-diamond shape
fourth ventricle
is the space between the cerebellum and the occipital lobe of the cerebrum. It houses structures like the tentorium cerebelli, which helps protect and separate these two regions of the brain.
transverse fissure
