Neuroanatomy Flashcards
What is the brain’s cortex also known as?
Cerebrum
What are the 3 regions of the brainstem?
(From superior down) midbrain, pons, medulla
What is grey matter made of?
Neuronal cell bodies
What is white matter made of?
Axons covered in myelin sheaths (glial cells in the CNS)
In the brain, is it grey matter on the outside, or white matter?
Grey matter is on the outside, white matter is on the inside
What would one employ to view fibre tracts?
Diffusion-weighted MRI
What alignment of the brainstem is anatomically correct?
Aligned in the vertical axis (perpendicular to the ground)
Why do anatomical directions change in the brain and where does this occur?
During development there is a kink in the midbrain, giving the human brain an unusual 90 degree deviation. Dorsal and ventral changes over this kink as defined by 2 brain axes.
How can you tell the brain’s front from back (if given a whole brain)?
The brain is wider at the back
T/F: Cerebral ridges = gyri; cerebral grooves = sulci
True.
What is thought to be a function of the cerebral cortex?
The site of language, memory, emotions, self-awareness/consciousness
What are the 4 basic subdivisions of the cerebrum?
Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, Occipital
What is annoying about neuroanatomy in terms of structure relationships to function?
They do not strictly correlate over gyri and sulci
How did Brodmann relate cerebral structure to function?
He marked cellular changes across the surface and this proved to be more accurate
What is the structure connecting the hemispheres of the cerebrum/brain?
The corpus callosum
What is a key function of the cerebellum?
Motor control. Compares what you want to do with what you are doing. Refines execution of motor program. Also facilitates learning of new motor functions
What is the cell packaging like in the cerebellum?
Containing half of the neurons in the brain, the neurons must therefore be quite tightly packed, forming a sort of ‘crystalline’ structure.
Where does the basal ganglia reside?
In the telecephalon (refers to the embryonic structure from which the mature cerebrum develops)
What is the function of the basal ganglia?
It is involved in motor planning and it selects and initiates voluntary movements
What happens if you damage your basal ganglia?
You will have motor deficits e.g. Parkinson’s, Huntington’s Disease
Where is the thalamus?
It is part of the diencephalon (the upper end of the brain stem, situated between the cerebrum and the brain stem)
(Also includes the hypothalamus, subthalamus and epithalamus)
What is the function of the thalamus?
It is the single most important relay for sensory information coming through the body. It is a major sensory relay to cortex. Perception is being channelled upwards to the thalamus and then up into the cortex – sensory perception!
How big are the thalami?
A thalamus is the size of a quail’s egg in the adult human
What is a nucleus?
A nucleus is a group of neurons dedicated to the same task
What are the 3 ways that thalamic nuclei project?
- Relays sensory information to specific areas of the cortex
- Relays non-sensory information from the cortex and basal ganglia to specific regions of the cortex
- Project globally to cortex; arousal, sleep
Where is the hypothalamus?
It is in the diencephalon (the upper end of the brain stem, situated between the cerebrum and the brain stem)
(Also includes the thalamus, subthalamus and epithalamus)
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
Regulates homeostasis (temperature, satiety state, blood volume and pressure, ion concentration, pH, O2 and glucose) Also controls the pituitary gland (a master endocrine gland) A tiny, but critical region!