Exam 3 Terms

Dorsal

toward the back, away from the ventral side (top middle)

Ventral

toward the stomach, away from the dorsal side (bottom middle)

Anterior

toward the front end (towards eyes)

Posterior

toward the rear end (Back of head)

Superior

above another part

Inferior

below another part

Lateral

toward the side, away from the midline

Medial

toward the midline, away from the side

Proximal

located close to the point of origin or attachment

Distal

located distant from the point of origin or attachment

Ipsilateral

on the same side of the body

Contralateral

On the opposite side of the body

Coronal Plane

a plane that shows brain structures as seen from the front

Sagittal plane

a plane that shows brain structures as seen from the side

Horizontal plane

a plane that shows brain structures as seen from above

Vasculature

Blood vessels. Outside the brain, permeating into the brain

Cerebral Spinal Fluid

fluid inside and outside the entire CNS, in/ around spinal cord

Nerve

bundle of axons that transmits electrical signals between the brain, spinal cord, and rest of the body

Axon

long threadlike extensions of nerve cells that carry electrical impulses

Cranial Nerves

extend from the brain to the structures of the head and neck

Blood Brain Barrier

Vagus Nerve

organs to brain

Pia Matter

Thin, tough, extra thin saran wrap, wrapped around wheel outside of brain

Arachnoid Membrane

connecting to pia mater, when peeled, can see arachnoid, trabecular dura matter; plastic wrapping on package, hard to tear, subdural space under this (bleeding) and subarachnoid

Sulcus

valley on a brain

Frontal Lobe

Decision making, long-term planning, emotional regulation, attention, critical thinking, movement, organizing, executive functions

Temporal Lobe

Auditory cortex, language, gustatory cortex, olfactory cortex, insular cortex

Parietal Lobe

linking of sensory stimuli sometimes written as: association cortex/somatosensory cortex

Occipital Lobe

Visual Cortex

Olfactory Bulb

have receptors for odorants, and the axons of those neurons make the olfactory nerve that heads toward the temporal cortex

Olfactory System

System responsible for detecting and processing smells. (only one that doesn’t go to the thalamus first)

Olfactory Tract

Narrow bundle of nerve fibers on the underside of the frontal lobe that connects the olfactory bulb to the primary olfactory centers of the brain.

Optic Nerve

bring info from eyes, bundles of axons that makeup the retina

Optic Chiasim

Crossing point for axons from the retina (left eye to right side of brain, right eye to left side of brain)

Optic Tract

axons from retina going to the occipital lobe

Retna

made up of lots of neurons that have axons that bundle together and make the optic nerve

Occulomotor

nodes bellow the optic nerve for eye movement

Trigeminal nerve

jaw muscles and movement

trochlear nerve

control eye movement especially looking down

Pons

has centers responsible for cells making acetylcholine for the rest of the brain. also generates specific patterns that make you sleep.

Medulla

breathing rate, vomit center, heart rate, headquarter region

Mammillary Body

olfactory memory, emotions and smells

Somatosensory Cortex

The brain's touch and body sensation center.

Abducense

eye movement to the left or right

infundibulum

Hole under pituitary gland that allows hormones and signals to travel between them.

Primary Motor Cortex

brains main control center for initiating voluntary muscle movements

Motor Cortex

region of the frontal lobe responsible for planning, controlling, and executing voluntary muscle movements

Motor Neurons

Release acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. The acetylcholine makes muscles contract.

Pituitary Gland

Connects to the hypothalamus via the pituitary stalk and consists of the anterior and posterior lobes.

Pinal Gland

produces melatonin and responds to light levels

Proprioception

knowing where your body is in space; its sense of body position

muscle spindles

detect stretch through sending a signal to the motor neuron and tells CNS

Golgi Tendons

detect contraction and tension to prevent excessive muscle tension sending messages to the spinal cord

Choroid Plexus

layer of cells inside ventricle that makes CSF

Cingulate Gyrus

emotional pain, empathy, social awareness, essential for quality of life and emotional experiences

Hypothalamus

fighting, fleeing, feeding, fucking

Thalamus

primary sensory and motor relay station

Basil Ganglia

quality control circuit for motor output

Putamen

forms the outer part of the basal ganglia and works closely with the caudate nucleus to execute, refine, and automate physical movement

Globus Pallidus

primary output hub of the basil ganglia, regulating voluntary motor control

Caudate Nucleus

relay hub for motor planning, goal directed behavior, procedural learning, and executive functions

Superior Colliculus

(visual) activated when you catch something visual and need to move head to see

Inferior Colliculus

(auditory) orienting head to a sound

Internal Capsule

Carries neural signals between cerebral cortex and the lower brain centers and spinal cord. Bundle of myelinated axons

Corticospinal Tract

carries signals from the brain's cerebral cortex down through the brainstem and spinal cord to drive voluntary muscle movements

Lateral Corticospinal tract

limbs, knees down, elbows down, cross over in medulla

Medial Corticospinal Tract

thumbs, shoulders

self initiated movements

basil ganglia is “extra juice” for these movements

stimulus initiated movements

reacting to something

Posterior parietal cortex

primary brain region responsible for monitoring body position in relation to surrounding space

Supplementary motor area

internally driven motor programmer. Programs complex sequences of movement guided by memory or internal decision.

Premotor area

externally guided motor planner. plans movements triggered by sensory cues. integrates visual and spatial input.

Prefrontal cortex

The decision maker and goal initializer for movement. Evaluates environmental context and potential consequences.