Self Study

Question 1

What is the myelencephalon also called? What CNS division is it part of?

Answer 1

Medulla

Hindbrain

Question 2

What structures are in the metencephalon?

What CNS division is it part of?

Answer 2

Cerebellum, pons.

Part of hindbrain

Question 3

What structures are in the diencephalon?

What CNS division is it part of?

Answer 3

Thalamus, hypothalamus

Part of forebrain

Question 4

What structures are in the telencephalon?

Answer 4

Neocortex, basal ganglia, limbic system

Question 5

What structure in the pons contains 100+ nuclei?

Answer 5

Reticular formation

Question 6

What nucleus in the reticular formation is the source of neurepinephrine in the brain?

Answer 6

Locus coeruleus

Question 7

Why does amphetamine cause increased alertness?

Answer 7

Locus coeruleus is activated, sends out NE

Question 8

What nuclei are the source of most serotonin in the brain?

Answer 8

Dorsal and median raphe nucleu

Question 9

Does serotonin have an excitatory or inhibitory effect on neural function?

Answer 9

Inhibitory

Question 10

What connects the cerebellum to the pons?

Answer 10

Bundles of axons called cerebellar peduncles

Question 11

What in the tectum is part of the visual system? Auditory?

Answer 11

Visual: superior colliculi
Auditory: inferior colliculi

Question 12

Where is the periaquaductal gray?

Answer 12

Surrounds cerebral aquaduct connecting third and fourth ventricles

Question 13

What structure does the substantia nigra innervate?

What is this called?

Answer 13

Striatum

Nigrostriatal tract

Question 14

What does the nigrostriatal tract do?

Answer 14

Initiate/modulate movement through dopaminergic projections

Question 15

Which structure connects to what in the mesolimbic tract?

Answer 15

VTA projects to nucleus accumbens, amygdala, olfactory tubercle, septum… limbic system

Question 16

What connects to what in the mesocortical tract?

Answer 16

VTA projects to prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, entorhinal areas

Question 17

Where does the thalamus send processed information to?

Answer 17

Appropriate cerebral cortex structure (ex. Lateral geniculate nucleus of thalamus gets visual information, then sends to occipital lobe)

Question 18

How is the hypothalamus divided?

Answer 18

A shitload of nuclei (hundreds), each involved in adjusting the autonomic nervous system / endocrine system

Question 19

Where do hypothalamic axons generally project to?

Answer 19

Descend from brainstem to nuclei of cranial nerves involved in parasympathetic control

Also other axons involved in sympathetic control

Question 20

What is the gyrus posterior to the central sulcus called? What is its functional name?

Answer 20

Postcentral gyrus

Somatosensory cortex

Question 21

What structures are in the striatum?

Answer 21

Caudate and putamen

Ventral striatum has nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle

Question 22

What is a nucleus in neuroanatomy?

Answer 22

Collection of neurons in the CNS that serve a common purpose

Connected to other nuclei by tracts

Question 23

What is a tract?

What are some other names for them?

Answer 23

Bundle of nerve fibers in CNS that connect nuclei

Also called commissure, fasciculus, or decussation

Question 24

What is specific about a commissure?

Answer 24

Connects the two hemispheres at the same levels (eg corpus callosum, posterior commissure)

Question 25

What is specific to a decussation?

Answer 25

Connection by fibers that cross at different levels

Question 26

What is a ganglion?

Answer 26

Neuronal clusters with a common function in the PNS

Question 27

What are the fascicles of nerve fibers in the PNS called?

Answer 27

Nerves

Question 28

What are the structures of the forebrain?

Answer 28

Diencephalon and telencephalon

Hypothalamus, thalamus, basal ganglia (striatum - caudate nucleus & putamen, globus pallidus, substantia nigra), cortex

Question 29

What are the structures of the basal ganglia?

Answer 29

Caudate nucleus & putamen (striatum), globus pallidus, substantia nigra