Outside the brain practical Flashcards
(50 cards)
What are the lobes of the brain
Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
Describe the lateral sulcus
Also known as Sylvian fissure, located on anterior surface of temporal lobe
What are the two main sulci of the brain
Central sulcus and lateral sulcus
What is the function of the pituitary gland
Regulates other glands throughout the body
What is the function of the cerebellum
Balance and control of muscle movement
Describe the brainstem
Midbrain, pons, medulla. Relays nerve impulses between the spinal cord and the brain, controls vital functions such as heart rate and breathing
Describe the spinal cord
Nerve impulses sent between the brain and the peripheral nerves travel along the nerve fibres that run through the tracts (pathways) in the spinal cord
What is dura mater made of
Dense, fibrous connective tissue
What is the role of dura mater
To prevent the brain from moving
What are folds of dura mater
Falx cerebri and tentorium cerebelli
What do the meninges consist of
Dura mater then arachnoid mater then pia mater
Describe the layers of the meninges
Epidural space, dura mater, subdural space, arachnoid mater, subarachnoid space, pia mater (DAP)
Describe the epidural/ extradural space (dura-cranium interface)
Not a natural space between the cranium and the dura mater because the dura is attached to the bones. Only becomes a space pathologically e.g. when blood from torn meningeal vessels pushed into the periosteum away from the cranium and accumulates
Describe the sub-dural space (sura-arachnoid junction)
Not a natural space but may develop in the dural cell border layer as a result of trauma, such as after a blow to the head
Describe the subarachnoid space
Contains CSF, trabecular cells, cerebral arteries and bridging superior cerebral veins that drain into the superior sagittal sinus
What is infection of the cranial membranes called
Meningitis, this can be life threatening
What are the left and right cerebral hemispheres connected by
A major structure called the corpus callosum
What is name of neuroanatomical structures that connect the two sides of the CNS
Commissures. There is an anterior and posterior commisure
Describe the anterior commissure
Bundle of nerve fibres (white matter) connecting the two temporal lobes of the cerebral hemisphere across the midline
Describe the posterior commissure
Rounded bundle of white nerve fibres that crosses the midline immediately dorsal to the cerebral aqueduct
Where is the olfactory bulb
At the end of the olfactory tract
Where is the infindibulum
In the centre of the optic nerves
Describe the brain matter features found at the base of the brain
Temporal lobe, pons, medulla
What is cranial nerve I
Olfactory nerve
