The Brain Flashcards
What is the longitudinal fissure?
deep groove that divides the cerebrum into right and left hemispheres
What is the cerebral hemisphere?
left and right halves of the cerebrum, includes the cerebral cortex, its white matter and basal nuclei
What is the sulcus?
shallow grooves of the brain
What are gyrus?
folds of the brain
What is the Cruciate sulcus?
separates the frontal/parietal lobes
What is the Lateral rhinal sulcus?
separates the piriform lobe from the temporal lobe
What is the Corpus callosum?
wide, flat bundle of nerve fibers beneath the cerebral cortex.
Connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres, facilitates communication between L/R
What is the hippocampus?
seahorse-like shaped structure that deals with complicated interconnections of the forebrain, hypothalamus and olfactory system. Plays a major role in learning and memory.
What are Crus cerebri (cerebral peduncles)?
Fiber tracts between the telencephalon and caudal brainstem where CN III emerges.
What is the Cerebellum?
The portion of the brain between the cerebrum and the brain stem.
Acts as a collection house for all information regarding the instantaneous physical status of body (proprioception)
What is the pons?
bulge between the midbrain and medulla
What are pyramids?
longitudinal swellings on the ventral surface of the medulla
What is the trapezoid body?
Don’t need to know function. Just know that is along side the pyramids, two little bulb shapes I guess
What is the vermis?
midline of the cerebellum; it separates the cerebellum into two cerebellar hemispheres
What are the lateral cerebellar hemispheres?
two divisions of the cerebellum on either side of the vermis
What is Arbor vitae?
Cerebellar white matter.
What are Cerebellar peduncles?
3 pairs of nerve tracts that allow the cerebellum to communicate with the rest of the brain
What is Choroid plexus?
folds in pia mater with a network of capillaries that produce CSF, composed of ependymal cells.
What is the Ventral median fissure?
a groove along the anterior midline of the spinal cord that incompletely divides it into symmetrical halves
What is Cerebrospinal fluid?
fluid that bathes the organs of the central nervous system.
What is the Cauda equina?
terminal part of the spinal cord
What is the Septum pellucidum?
a thin membrane located at the midline of the brain between the two cerebral hemispheres, or halves of the brain.
It is connected to the corpus callosum.
What are the anatomic divisions of the brain and its corresponding embryonic divisions?
Cerebrum (largest part of the brain)
- telencephalon
Brainstem
- diencephalon
- mesencephalon
- metencephalon
- myelencephalon
Cerebellum
- metencephalon
What are the definitive brain cavities and associated cranial nerves of the embryonic brain divisions?
Telencephalon: lateral ventricles, CN I (derived from cerebrum)
Diencephalon: 3rd ventricle, CN II (derived from thalamus, hypothalamus)
Mesencephalon: mesencephalic aqueduct, CN III, CN IV (derived from midbrain)
Metencephalon: 4th ventricle, CN V (derived from pons and cerebellum)
Myelencephalon: 4th ventricle, CN VI-XII (derived from medulla oblongata)
What hormone is secreted by the pineal gland?
Melatonin
What two structures comprise the tectum?
Rostral and caudal colliculi.
What are the main structures of the ventricular system of the brain and their features?
Lateral ventricles
- Paired cavities within each cerebral hemisphere
- Separated by septum pellucidum
- Communicate with the 3rd ventricle via R/L interventricular foramina
3rd ventricle
- Connects the lateral ventricles to the 4th ventricle
- Surrounds the interthalamic adhesion
Mesencephalic/Cerebral aqueduct
- Connects the 3rd and 4th ventricle
- Ventral to the cranial colliculus
4th ventricle
- Located beneath the cerebellum and above the medulla oblongata
- Two lateral recesses to the subarachnoid space
Central canal
- Continuation of the 4th ventricle, caudally
What is the location of the mesencephalic aqueduct in relationship to the tectum, tegmentum, 3rd ventricle, and 4th ventricle?
Tectum - located immediately anterior to the midbrain tectum
Tegmentum - ventral to the mesencephalic aqueduct
Connects the 3rd and 4th ventricle
What structures form the Blood-CSF barrier and the Blood-Brain barrier?
Blood-Brain Barrier: the layer of endothelial cells, basal membrane, and astrocytes, tight junctions
Blood-CSF Barrier: choroid epithelial cells, basal membrane and endothelium of the pia mater capillaries. The choroid epithelial cells form a tight junction between the blood and the CSF, and it has microvilli lining.
What is the relationship of gray matter to white matter in the spinal cord?
Gray matter is centrally located (shaped like a butterfly).
White matter is peripherally arranged, composed of many different tracts.
What are the 3 layers of the meninges and their characteristics?
Dura mater (outermost)
- In the skull, is fused with the periosteum of the calvaria
Composed of coarse, irregular connective tissue
Arachnoid (middle layer)
- Has projections (called trabeculae, resemble spider web) from its inner aspect to the pia mater
Pia Mater (innermost)
- Adhered to the surface of the brain
Know the twelve cranial nerves by their name & number.
Olfactory (I) - sensory
Optic (II) - sensory
Oculomotor (III) - motor
Trochlear (IV) - motor
Trigeminal (V) - both
Abducens (VI) - motor
Facial (VII) - both
Auditory (VIII) - sensory
Glossopharyngeal (IX) - both
Vagal (X) - both
Spinal Accessory (XI) - motor
Hypoglossal (XII) - motor
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