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Functional Neuroanatomy > Preparatory Exam > Flashcards

Preparatory Exam Flashcards

1
Q

Nissl Stain

A

A cell stain that reveals all cell bodies by staining RNA

  • traditional cell stains
  • outline all cell bodies because the dyes are attracted to RNA distributed within the cell
  • allow us to measure cell body size and the density of cells in particular regions
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2
Q

Golgi Stain

A

A cell stain that fills a small proportion of neurons with a dense dark product

  • label only a small minority of neurons in a sample
  • affected cells are stained very deeply and completely, revealing fine details of cell structure such as the branches of dendrites and axons
  • useful for quantifying the types and precise shape of neurons in a region
  • number of variants on this strategy, such as filling cells with fluorescent molecules
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3
Q

Gross Neuroanatomy

A

Anatomical features of the nervous system that are apparent to the naked eye

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4
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

The portion of the nervous system that includes all the nerves and neurons outside the brain and spinal cord

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5
Q

Central nervous system (CNS)

A

The portion of the nervous system that includes the brain and the spinal cord

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6
Q

Nerve

A

A collection of axons bundled together outside the central nervous system

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7
Q

Motor nerve

A

A nerve that conveys neural activity to muscle tissue and causes it to contract

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8
Q

Ensor nerve

A

A nerve that conveys sensory information from the periphery into the central nervous system

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9
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that provides neural connections to the skeletal musculature

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10
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

The part of the peripheral nervous system that supplies neural connections to glands and to smooth muscles of internal organs

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11
Q

Cranial nerve

A

A nerve that is connected directly to the brain.
We each have 12 pairs of cranial nerves; one left sided and one right sided nerve in each pair

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12
Q

Spinal nerve

A

Also called somatic nerve.
A nerve that emerges from the spinal cord

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13
Q

Dorsal root

A

The branch of a spinal nerve, entering the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, that carries sensory information from the peripheral nervous system to the spinal cord

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14
Q

Ventral root

A

The branch of a spinal nerve, arising from the ventral horn of the spinal cord, that carries motor messages from the spinal cord to the peripheral nervous system

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15
Q

Cervical

A

Referring to the topmost eight segments below the cervical (neck) portion of the spinal cord

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16
Q

Thoracic

A

Referring to the 12 spinal segments below the cervical (neck) portion of the spinal cord, corresponding to the chest

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17
Q

Lumbar

A

Referring to five spinal segments that make up the upper part of the lower back

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18
Q

Sacral

A

Referring to the five spinal segments that make up the lower part of the lower back

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19
Q

Coccygeal

A

Referring to the lowest spinal vertebra (also called tailbone)

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20
Q

Autonomic ganglia

A

Collections of nerve cell bodies, belonging to the autonomic division of the peripheral nervous system, that are found in various locations an innervate the major organs

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21
Q

Preganglionic

A

“Before the ganglion”
Referring to neurons in the autonomic nervous system that run from the central nervous system to the autonomic ganglia

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22
Q

Postganglionic

A

“After the ganglion”
Referring to neurons in the autonomic nervous system that run from the autonomic ganglia to various targets in the body

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23
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

A component of the autonomic nervous system that arises from the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord

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24
Q

Sympathetic chain

A

A chain of ganglia that runs along each side of the spinal column; part of the sympathetic nervous system

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25
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A

A component of the autonomic nervous system that arises from both the cranial nerves and the sacral spinal cord

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26
Q

Norepinephrine

A

(Also called Noradrenaline)
A neurotransmitter produced and released by sympathetic postganglionic neurons to accelerate organ activity.
Also produced in the brain stem and found in projections throughout the brain

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27
Q

Acetylcholine

A

A neurotransmitter produced and released by parasympathetic postganglionic neurons, by motor neurons, and by neurons throughout the brain

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28
Q

Enteric nervous system

A

An extensive mesh-like system of neurons that governs the function of the gut

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29
Q

Cerebral hemispheres

A

The right and left halves of the forebrain

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30
Q

Cerebral cortex

A

(Or simply called cortex)
The outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres that consists largely of neuronal cell bodies and their branches

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31
Q

Gyrus

A

A ridged or raised portion of a convulsed brain surface

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32
Q

Sulcus

A

A furrow of a convulted brain surface

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33
Q

Frontal lobe

A

The most anterior portion of the cerebral cortex

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34
Q

Parietal lobe

A

Large region of cortex lying between the frontal and occipital lobes of each hemisphere

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35
Q

Temporal lobe

A

Large lateral cortical region of each cerebral hemisphere, continuous with the parietal lobe posteriorly and separated from the frontal lobe by the Sylvian fissure

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36
Q

Occipital lobe

A

Large region of cortex covering much of the posterior part of each cerebral hemisphere

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37
Q

Sylvian fissure

A

Also called lateral sulcus.
A deep fissure that demarcates the temporal lobe

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38
Q

Central sulcus

A

A fissure that divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe

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39
Q

Postcentral gyrus

A

The strip of parietal cortex, just behind the central sulcus, that receives somatosensory information from the entire body

40
Q

Precentral gyrus

A

The strip of frontal cortex, just in front of the central sulcus, that is crucial for motor control

41
Q

Gray matter

A

Areas of the brain that are dominated by cell bodies and are devoid of myelin

42
Q

White matter

A

A pale-colored layer underneath the cortex that consists largely of axons with white myelin sheaths

43
Q

Neural tube

A

An embryonic structure with subdivisions that correspond to the future forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain

44
Q

Forebrain

A

Also called prosencephalon.
The anterior division of the brain, containing the cerebral hemispheres, the thalamus and the hypothalamus

45
Q

Midbrain

A

Also called Mesencephalon.
The middle division of the brain.

46
Q

Hindbrain

A

Also called Rhombencephalon.
The rear division of the brain, which in the mature vertebrate contains the cerebellum, pons and medulla

47
Q

Telencephalon

A

The frontal subdivision of the forebrain that includes the cerebral hemispheres when fully developed

48
Q

Diencephalon

A

The posterior part of the forebrain, including the thalamus and hypothalamus

49
Q

Metencephalon

A

A subdivision of the hindbrain that includes the cerebellum and the pons.

50
Q

Cerebellum

A

A structure located at the back of the brain, dorsal to the pons, that is involved in the central regulation of movement

51
Q

Pons

A

A portion of the metencephalon: part of the brain stem connecting midbrain to medulla

52
Q

Medulla

A

Also called myelencephalon. The posterior part of the hindbrain, continuous with the spinal cord.

53
Q

Brain stem

A

The region of the brain that consists of the midbrain, the pons and the medulla

54
Q

Nucleus

A

Here, a collection of neurons within the central nervous system (e.g. the caudate nucleus)

55
Q

Tract

A

A bundle of axons found within the central nervous system

56
Q

Allocortex

A

Cortical tissue with three layers or unlayered organization, in contrast with six-layered neocortex

57
Q

Pyramidal cell

A

A type of large nerve cell that has a roughly pyramid-shaped cell body; found in the cerebral cortex

58
Q

Apical dendrite

A

The dendrite that extends from a pyramid cell to the outermost surface of the cortex

59
Q

Basal dendrite

A

One of several dendrites on a pyramidal cell that extend horizontally from the cell body

60
Q

Cortical column

A

One of the vertical columns that constitute the basic organization of the neocortex

61
Q

Basal ganglia

A

A group of forebrain nuclei, including caudate nucleus, Globus Pallidus, and putamen, found deep within the cerebral hemispheres

62
Q

Caudate nucleus

A

One of the basal ganglia; it has a long extension / tail

63
Q

Putamen

A

One of the basal ganglia

64
Q

Globus pallidus

A

One of the basal ganglia

65
Q

Substantia nigra

A

A brain stem structure in humans that innervates the basal ganglia and is named for its dark pigmentation

66
Q

Limbic system

A

A loosely defined, widespread group of brain nuclei that innervate each other to form a network

67
Q

Amygdala

A

A group of nuclei in the medial anterior part of the temporal lobe

68
Q

Mammillary body

A

One of a pair of nuclei at the base of the brain

69
Q

Hippocampus

A

A medial temporal lobe structure that is important for learning and memory

70
Q

Fornix

A

A fiber tract that extends from the hippocampus to the mammillary bodies

71
Q

Septal nuclei

A

A collection of gray matter structures lying medically below the corpus callosum, implicated in the perception of reward

72
Q

Cingulate gyrus

A

A cortical portion of the limbic system, found in the frontal and parietal midline

73
Q

Olfactory bulb

A

An anterior projection of the brain that terminates in the upper nasal passages and, through small openings in the skull, provides receptors for smell

74
Q

Stria terminalis

A

A limbic pathway connecting the amygdala and hypothalamus

75
Q

Thalamus

A

The brain regions that surround the third ventricle

76
Q

Hypothalamus

A

Part of the diencephalon, lying ventral to the thalamus

77
Q

Tectum

A

The dorsal portion of the midbrain, including the inferior and superior colliculi

78
Q

Superior colliculi

A

Paired gray matter structures of the dorsal midbrain that receive visual information and are involved in direction of visual gaze and visual attention to intended stimuli

79
Q

Inferior colliculi

A

Paired gray matter structures of the dorsal midbrain that receive auditory information

80
Q

Red nucleus

A

A brain stem structure related to motor control

81
Q

Reticular formation

A

An extensive region of the brain stem (extending from the medulla through the thalamus) that is involved in arousal (waking)

82
Q

Purkinje cell

A

A type of large nerve cell in the cerebellar cortex

83
Q

Granule cell

A

A type of small nerve cell

84
Q

Parallel fiber

A

One of the axons of the granule cells that that form the outermost layer of the cerebellar cortex

85
Q

Meninges

A

The three protective sheets of tissue - dura mater, pia mater and arachnoid - that surround the brain and spinal cord

86
Q

Dura mater

A

The outermost of the three meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord

87
Q

Pia mater

A

The innermost of the three meninges that surround the brain and spinal cord

88
Q

Arachnoid

A

The thin covering (one of the three meninges) of the brain that lies between dura mater and pia mater

89
Q

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

A

The fluid that fills the cerebral ventricles

90
Q

Ventricular system

A

A system of fluid-filled cavities inside the brain

91
Q

Lateral ventricle

A

A complexly shaped lateral portion of the ventricular system within each hemisphere of the brain

92
Q

Choroid plexus

A

A highly vascular portion of the lining of the ventricles that secretes cerebrospinal fluid

93
Q

Third ventricle

A

The midline ventricle that conducts cerebrospinal fluid from the lateral ventricle to the fourth ventricle

94
Q

Fourth ventricle

A

The passageway within the pons that receives cerebrospinal fluid from the third ventricle and releases it to surround the brain and spinal cord

95
Q

Carotid arteries

A

The major arteries that ascend the left and right sides of the neck to the brain, supplying blood to the anterior and middle cerebral arteries

96
Q

Blood-brain barrier

A

The mechanisms that make the movement of substances from blood vessels into brain cells more difficult than exchanges in other body organs, thus affording the brain greater protection from exposure to some substances found in the blood

Functional Neuroanatomy (1 decks)

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