Chapter 15 – Brain Anatomy & Function Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards summarizing key anatomical terms and functional regions discussed in the Chapter 15 brain lecture.

Cerebrum

Largest part of the brain; responsible for conscious thought, memory, reasoning, and voluntary muscle control.

Diencephalon

Small central portion of the brain containing the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus; encloses the third ventricle.

Brain Stem

Midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata; connects cerebrum to spinal cord and controls basic life functions.

Cerebellum

"Little brain" at posterior–inferior region; coordinates balance, posture, and fine motor movement.

Meninges

Three connective-tissue coverings (dura, arachnoid, pia) that protect brain and spinal cord.

Dura Mater

Outermost, tough “mother”; has periosteal and meningeal layers that may separate to form dural sinuses.

Arachnoid Mater

Middle, web-like meninx; forms subarachnoid space and arachnoid villi that drain CSF into sinuses.

Pia Mater

Delicate innermost meninx that clings directly to brain surface following every gyrus and sulcus.

Dural Sinus

Venous-filled cavity between dura layers where CSF and venous blood drain.

Meninx

Singular term for one of the meninges.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Clear fluid that provides buoyancy, cushioning, and nutrient circulation for CNS.

Choroid Plexus

Capillary-ependymal structure in ventricles that filters blood plasma to produce CSF.

Lateral Ventricles

Paired C-shaped cavities in cerebrum where most CSF is produced.

Interventricular Foramen

Opening connecting each lateral ventricle to the third ventricle.

Third Ventricle

Narrow midline cavity of diencephalon; receives CSF from lateral ventricles.

Cerebral Aqueduct

Canal through midbrain that links third and fourth ventricles.

Fourth Ventricle

Ventricle between brain stem and cerebellum; CSF exits via apertures to subarachnoid space.

Central Canal

Tiny CSF-filled channel running through spinal cord.

Gyri (sing. Gyrus)

Elevated ridges on cerebral surface that increase cortical area.

Sulci (sing. Sulcus)

Shallow grooves between gyri.

Fissure

Deep groove separating large brain regions (e.g., longitudinal fissure).

Longitudinal Fissure

Deep groove that separates right and left cerebral hemispheres.

Corpus Callosum

Major commissure of myelinated fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Central Sulcus

Groove separating frontal and parietal lobes; lies between precentral and postcentral gyri.

Lateral Sulcus

Groove separating temporal lobe from frontal and parietal lobes.

Parieto-occipital Sulcus

Medial groove dividing parietal and occipital lobes.

Transverse Fissure

Deep separation between cerebrum and cerebellum.

Frontal Lobe

Anterior lobe involved in motor control, planning, reasoning, and personality.

Parietal Lobe

Superior-posterior lobe processing somatic sensory information.

Occipital Lobe

Posterior lobe dedicated to visual processing.

Temporal Lobe

Lateral lobe for auditory, olfactory, and memory functions.

Insula

Deep "island" lobe revealed within lateral sulcus; contains gustatory and visceral cortices.

Precentral Gyrus

Frontal ridge housing the primary motor cortex.

Postcentral Gyrus

Parietal ridge housing the primary somatosensory cortex.

Primary Motor Cortex

Region that issues voluntary movement commands to skeletal muscles.

Premotor Cortex

Frontal area that plans learned, patterned motor activities (motor “memory”).

Frontal Eye Field

Controls voluntary movements of the eyeballs.

Broca’s Area

Left-lateralized motor speech area that plans and produces spoken language.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Receives tactile, pain, temperature signals from body receptors; enables spatial discrimination.

Somatosensory Association Cortex

Integrates basic touch data to identify objects by feel.

Motor Homunculus

Caricature mapping showing body parts proportional to cortical motor neuron allocation.

Contralateral Control

Each cerebral hemisphere governs sensory/motor functions of the opposite body side.

Lateralization

Specialization of a function to one cerebral hemisphere only (e.g., language on left).

Primary Visual Cortex

Occipital area that detects basic visual attributes such as edges, color, and movement.

Visual Association Cortex

Surrounding area that interprets images and recognizes what is seen.

Primary Auditory Cortex

Temporal area detecting pitch, loudness, and location of sounds.

Auditory Association Cortex

Interprets sound patterns (speech, music, noise) using memory.

Gustatory Cortex

Anterior insular region perceiving taste sensations.

Olfactory Cortex

Medial temporal area receiving smell information from olfactory receptors.

Vestibular (Equilibrium) Cortex

Right-lateralized insular region processing head movements and balance.

Prefrontal Cortex

Anterior association area for intellect, judgment, personality, and working memory.

Posterior Association Area

Parietal-occipital-temporal region for pattern recognition, spatial awareness, and Wernicke’s language comprehension.

Wernicke’s Area

Left-lateralized posterior region essential for understanding spoken/written language.

Limbic Association Area

Part of limbic system adding emotional impact and aiding memory formation.

Cingulate Gyrus

Limbic fold above corpus callosum involved in emotion and behavior regulation.

Parahippocampal Gyrus

Medial temporal fold that, with hippocampus, helps encode memory.

Hippocampus

Limbic structure critical for forming new long-term memories.

Commissural Tract

Bundle of axons connecting corresponding gray areas of two hemispheres (e.g., corpus callosum).

Association Tract

Axon bundle connecting different parts within the same hemisphere.

Projection Tract

Fiber pathway linking cerebrum to lower CNS centers such as brain stem and spinal cord.

Topography (Somatotopy)

Spatial mapping of body parts onto specific CNS regions.