neuroanatomy Flashcards
what does superior mean
towards top of head
what does inferior mean
towards the feet
what does anterior mean
front of body/brain
what does posterior mean
back of body/brain
what does dorsal mean
superior portion of brain
what does ventral mean
inferior portion of brain
where does rostral point
towards the head
where does caudal point
towards the end of cord
what does ventral mean
front
what does dorsal mean
back
what points towards the anterior part of the brain
rostral
what points towards the posterior part of the brain
caudal
ventral in terms of brain
carry on from spine - bottom of brain/chin area
dorsal in terms of brain
top of brain
what is a sagittal section
cut in half down the middle of the brain into two separate halves
what is a horizontal/transverse/axial section
slicing brain perpendicular to the long axis of the body
what is a coronal/frontal section
slicing brain parallel to long axis of body
if something is closer to the midline it is
medial
if something is further away from the midline/closer to sides of brain it is
lateral
blood supply for the primary motor cortex for face
middle cerebral artery
blood supply for the primary motor cortex for arm
middle cerebral artery
blood supply for the primary motor cortex for foot
anterior cerebral artery
blood supply for the primary somatosensory cortex for arm
middle cerebral artery
blood supply for the primary visual cortex
posterior cerebral artery
blood supply for the primary auditory complex
middle cerebral artery
blood supply for Broca’s area
middle cerebral artery
blood supply for Wernicke’s area
middle cerebral artery
what is grey matter
regions enriched in nerve cell bodies (the central portion of the spinal cord and the surface of the cerebral hemisphere)
what is white matter
regions contain mostly nerve processes (usually axons) - often myelinated - paler in colour
what are nuclei
nerve cell bodies with similar anatomical connections and functions
describe the PNS and how it is divided
PNS > somatic (voluntary) and autonomic (involuntary)
autonomic > parasympathetic (rest and digest) and sympathetic (fight or flight)
what are the 2 cerebral hemispheres incompletely separated by
a deep cleft - great longitudinal fissure
how is the brain divided
forebrain midbrain and hindbrain
how is the hindbrain separated
medulla
pons
cerebellum
how is the brainstem organised in descending order
midbrain
pons
medulla oblongata
what does the forebrain consist of
diencephalon
the thalamus and hypothalamus and cerebral hemisphere
what lies within the cerebral hemisphere
several large nuclei called basal ganglia
what produces CSF found in the system of cavities/ventricles in the brain
choroid plexus
how are the 2 hemispheres linked
commissural fibres of the corpus callosum
what are gyri
ridges
what are sulci
grooves
what is beneath the surface of the cerebral hemisphere
dense fibre masses of the corona radiata and the internal capsule
what does the frontal lobe contain
the primary motor cortex
what does the parietal lobe contain
the primary somatosensory cortex
what does the temporal lobe contain
the primary auditory cortex
what does the occipital lobe contain
the primary visual cortex
what does the limbic lobe contain
regions for memory and emotional aspects of behaviour
what does the spinal cord continue rostrally with
medulla oblongata
what do dorsal roots carry
afferent nerve fibres - the cell bodies of which are in dorsal root ganglia
what do ventral roots carry
efferent nerve fibres - the parent cell bodies of which lie within spinal grey matter
what do spinal nerves leave the vertebral canal through
small apertures called intervertebral foramina located between adjacent vertebrae
what is the cauda equina
the lumbar and sacral spinal nerves - descend in a leash like arrangement
what neurones does the dorsal horn contain
sensory neurones
what neurones does the ventral horn contain
motor neurones
what neurones does the lateral horn contain
preganglionic sympathetic neurones
what are the principal ascending tracts
dorsal columns, spinothalamic tracts and spinocerebellar tracts
what is an important descending tract
corticospinal tract
what divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe
central sulcus
what are the 2 sheets of the cranial dura mater
falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli
incompletely divide cranial cavity into compartments
where are dural venous sinuses and what do they act as
channels for the venous drainage of the brain
they are found in cranial dura mater
where does CSF circulate
subarachnoid space under the arachnoid mater
what supplies the brain with blood
internal carotid and vertebral arteries
these form the circulus arteriosus - circle of Willis at the base of brain
what supplies the spinal cord with blood
vessels that arise from the vertebral arteries, reinforced by radicular arteries derived from segmental vessels
what do the meninges do
protect and provide structural support for the brain - as well as contain CSF
describe the dura mater
hard, adheres to skull and arachnoid mater
describe the pia mater
forms a tight membrane around the brain and spinal cord acting as an additional barrier and aiding in secretion and containment of CSF
what is epidural space
space between the dura of the spinal cord and the bone of vertebral column
where can CSF be withdrawn from
lumbar cistern
L3-4
no spinal cord present
what does the internal carotid artery split into
before splitting it gives rise to the anterior choroidal arteries which supply many structures and the posterior communicating arteries which connect the internal carotid arteries to the posterior cerebral arteries
it splits into anterior cerebral arteries (supply the medial frontal and parietal lobes) and middle cerebral arteries
what do the vertebral arteries give rise to
posterior inferior cerebellar arteries which supply the inferior surface of the cerebellum
gives rise to posterior spinal arteries supplying the posterior spinal cord
what supplies the anterior spinal cord
anterior spinal artery - branches off vertebral arteries and come together to form the basilar artery - gives rise to anterior inferior cerebellar arteries and superior cerebellar arteries
what is the choroid plexus composed of
glial cells called ependymal cells secrete CSF which flows through ventricles around brain
how many ventricles are there
4
how many lateral ventricles are there
2 C shaped lateral ventricles
one in the right and one in the left hemisphere
how are the lateral ventricles connected to the 3rd ventricle
by an opening called the intervertebral foramen
what does the 3rd ventricle run along
the midline of the diencephalon
how do the 3rd and 4th ventricle communicate
the cerebral aqueduct
what is the 4th ventricle lodged between
cerebellum and brainstem - the peak protrudes into the cerebellum
how many openings are there in the 4th ventricle to allow CSF to enter the subarachnoid space
3
what lies in the anterior cranial fossa
frontal lobe of cerebral hemisphere
what lies in the middle cranial fossa
temporal lobe of the cerebral hemisphere
what lies in the posterior cranial fossa
cerebellum
what lies directly above the body of the sphenoid bone
hypothalamus
what passes through the foramen magnum
medulla
what are the 12 cranial nerves
Olfactory Optic Occulomotor Trochlear Trigeminal Abducens Facial Vestibulocochlear Glassopharynx Vagus Accessory Hypoglossal
