Topography of the Brain Flashcards
What can the brain be divided into?
Cerebral hemispheres
Diencephalon
Cerebellum
Brainstem (midbrain, pons, medulla oblongata)
What is the brainstem composed of?
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla oblongata
What is white matter?
Myelinated axons
What is grey matter?
Neuronal cell bodies
What is a tract?
Fibre pathway passing through the CNS carrying a specific modality (such as motor fibres or pain sensation or touch sensation)
What is a nucleus?
Neuronal cell body collection (grey) within CNS
What is a ganglion?
Neuronal cell bodies outside of CNS (such as dorsal root ganglion)
What are ventricles?
Spaces in the brain
What are the different ventricles?
Lateral ventricles (x2)
III ventricle
Cerebral aquaduct
IV ventricle
Where are the lateral ventricles located?
Within cerebral hemispheres
Where is III ventricle located?
Within diencephalon
Where is cerebral aquaduct located?
Within midbrain
Where is IV ventricle located?
Between pons and medulla (in front) and cerebellum (at the back)
Where is CSF found?
Inside ventricles and in the subarachnoid space
What is CSF formed by?
Choroid plexus in each ventricle
Where is CSF absorbed to?
Arachnoid villi into saggital sinus
What do the internal carotid arteries enter the skull through?
Carotid canal (foramen lacerum)
What vessels provide the main blood supply to the brain?
Internal carotid arteries
Vertebral arteries
What are the internal carotid arteries branches off?
Common carotid arteries
What are the two vertebral arteries branches off?
Subclavian artery
How do the vertebral arteries enter the skull?
Throught the foramen magnum
What is the circle of Willis a protective feature against?
Vaso-occlusion of large arteries
What forms the circle of Willis?
Branches of the ICA join with those of the opposite side and with the PCA (branch of the basilar artery) to form a continous circle at the base of the brain
What is A?
Anterior cerebral artery
What is B?
Anterior communicating artery
What is C?
Internal carotid artery
What is D?
Posterior communicating artery
What is E?
Posterior cerebral artery
What is F?
Basilar artery
What is G?
Anterior spinal artery
What is H?
Vertebral artery
What branches come of the ICA?
Anterior communicating artery (ACA)
Middle communicating artery (MCA)
Posterior communicating artery (PComA)
What do the anterior and middle communicating arteries supply a large part of?
Cerebral hemispheres
What do the two vertebral arteries join together to form and where does this occur?
Basilar artery, happens on the ventral surface of the brainstem
What does the vertebral-basilar system give off branches to supply?
Brainstem and cerebellum
Where does the basiliar artery end and what does it divide into?
Level of the midbrain dividing into two posterior cerebral arteries (PCA) which supply the posterior part of the cerebral hemispheres
What does ACA stand for?
Anterior communicating artery
What does MCA stand for?
Middle communicating artery
What does PComA stand for?
Posterior communicating artery
What does PCA stand for?
Posterior cerebral arteries
What does the anterior cerebral artery supply?
Medial aspect of cerebral hemispheres exclding occipital lobe
What does the medial cerebral artery supply?
What does the posterior cerebral artery supply?
Inferior aspect of cerebral hemipheres and occipital lobe
What do superficial and deep veins of the brain drain into?
Venous sinuses that lie between 2 layers of dura mater
Where do venous sinuses lie between?
2 layers of dura mater
Where do the dural venous sinuses drain into?
Join together to ultimately drain into the internal jugular veins