Neuroanatomy 1 - Brain Divisions

Question 1

what structures separate and connect the two cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 1

separated by longitudinal fissure
connected by corpus callosum

Question 2

functions of cerebrum (3)?

Answer 2

1. conscious thought processes and intellectual function
2. memory storage, processing and retrieval
3. conscious & subconscious regulation of skeletal muscle contraction

Question 3

what is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 3

surface layer of the cerebrum as an aggregation of neuronal cell bodies located as grey matter

Question 4

what are the layers of the cerebrum?

Answer 4

outer grey matter - neuronal cell bodies
inner white mater - neuronal axons
innermost grey matter - deep nuclei

Question 5

functions of the cerebellum?

Answer 5

1. helps postural muscles & maintain balance
2. refines learned movements & co-ordination & balance

Question 6

what structures does the brainstem consist of?

Answer 6

midbrain
pons
medulla oblongata

Question 7

functions of the brainstem?

Answer 7

1. processing and relay centre for information passing to and from the cerebellum and cerebrum
2. contains reflex centred associated with resp & CV functions
3. houses cranial nerve nuclei

Question 8

what is the diencephalon? what structures does it contain?

Answer 8

diencephalon - part of the cerebrum, contains deep nuclei

structures - thalamus and hypothalamus

Question 9

function of thalamus?

Answer 9

relay and processing centre

Question 10

function of hypothalamus?

Answer 10

hormone production
emotional & biological control and homeostasis

Question 11

describe the grey-white matter layers of the spinal cord

Answer 11

outer white matter
inner grey matter

Question 12

which two cranial nerve don’t emerge from the brainstem?

Answer 12

CN1 (olfactory) - from olfactory bulb
CN2 (optic) - from optic chiasm

Question 13

what are the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve (CN5)?

Answer 13

ophthalmic
maxillary
mandibular

Question 14

which cranial nerves are involved in eye movements?

Answer 14

CN3/ oculomotor
CN4/ trochlear
CN6/ abducens

Question 15

what 8 bones form the neurocranium?

Answer 15

frontal
parietal (2)
ethmoid
sphenoid
occipital
temporal (2)

Question 16

what is the viserocranium?

Answer 16

bones that make up the jaw/ facial skeleton

Question 17

what is the neurocranium?

Answer 17

protective case of flat bones encasing the brain

Question 18

what bones make up the viscerocranium?

Answer 18

maxilla
mandible
palatine
zygomatic
nasal bones
inferior nasal concha
lacrimal
vomer

Question 19

what bones form the cheekbones?

Answer 19

zygomatic

Question 20

what is the largest bone of the viscerocranium?

Answer 20

mandible

Question 21

of which bones are there only 1 of in the viscerocranium?

Answer 21

mandible
vomer

Question 22

what does the vomer form?

Answer 22

the nasal septum between the two nasal openings

Question 23

what are cranial sutures?

Answer 23

fibrous joints - mark the adherence between the bones and the growth & closure of the cranial fontanelles

Question 24

list the three cranial sutures - where are they found?

Answer 24

coronal suture - between frontal and parietal bones
sagittal suture - between the two parietal bones
lambdoid suture - between the parietal and occipital bones

Question 25

what are the 4 suture junctions?

Answer 25

bregma lambda pterion asterion

Question 26

what is the name of the suture junction of the frontal, parietal, temporal and sphenoid bones?

Answer 26

pterion

Question 27

what is the name of the suture junction of the coronal and sagittal sutures?

Answer 27

bregma

Question 28

suture junction of the parietal, occipital and temporal bones?

Answer 28

asterion

Question 29

what are fontanelles? what are they usually covered by?

Answer 29

membranous gaps/ soft spots in the skull of a new-born as the bones haven't grown and fused yet - covered by a soft, fibrous membrane

Question 30

what are the 4 main fontanelles in order of closure timeline - relative to their suture junction?

Answer 30

posterior - lambda sphenoid - near pterion mastoid - near asterion anterior - bregma

Question 31

what do bulging fontanelles indicate?

Answer 31

raised intracranial pressure

Question 32

what do sunken fontanelles indicate?

Answer 32

dehydration

Question 33

differentiate between foramen, fossae and fissures

Answer 33

foramen - opening/ hole in bone, allows for the passage of structures fossae - shallow depression in bone to accommodate structures fissures - narrow slit-like openings in bone

Question 34

what type of joints are cranial sutures?

Answer 34

fibrous joints

Question 35

what bones contribute to the anterior, middle & posterior cranial fossae?

Answer 35

anterior - frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid middle - sphenoid and temporal posterior - sphenoid, temporal, occipital

Question 36

what is the frontal lobe primarily responsible for?

Answer 36

motor functions - e.g. speech (Broca's area)

Question 37

what is the parietal lobe primarily responsible for?

Answer 37

processing somatosensory/touch information

Question 38

what is the temporal lobe primarily responsible for?

Answer 38

mainly auditory processing speech, vision, memory

Question 39

what is the occipital lobe primarily responsible for?

Answer 39

visual processing

Question 40

what does the central sulcus separate?

Answer 40

frontal and parietal lobes

Question 41

the thalamus acts as a relay centre for most sensory information. what sensory information does it NOT relay?

Answer 41

smell/ olfactory information

Question 42

what structure joins the two hemispheres of the cerebellum?

Answer 42

vermis

Question 43

what structures pass through the jugular foramen?

Answer 43

jugular vein CN9, 10 & 11

Question 44

through what foramen foes the middle meningeal artery pass through?

Answer 44

foramen spinosum

Question 45

through what cranial foramen do eye-related cranial nerves (3,4,6) pass through?

Answer 45

superior orbital fissure

Question 46

contents of the foramen magnum?

Answer 46

medulla oblongata transitions into spinal cord meninges surrounding the spinal cord vertebral arteries spinal part of CN11

Question 47

the internal carotid artery passes through the carotid canal. what foramen does it pass OVER to enter the cranial cavity?

Answer 47

foramen lacerum

Question 48

what structure does the hypophyseal fossa contain?

Answer 48

pituitary gland