Primary motor cortex

Located at the posterior of the frontal lobe. If damaged, one will lose the ability to move.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

located in the anterior parietal lobe, required for touch and sensing pain 

Primary Visual Cortex

• located in the occipital lobe, its required for sense of sight

Primary Auditory Cortex

•  located in the superior part of temporal lobe, required for sense of hearing

Primary Gustatory Cortex

•  inside parietal lobe (towards center of the brain), required for sense of taste

Primary Olfactory Cortex

• inside temporal lobe (towards center of the brain), required for sense of smell

Forebrain

• Includes cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, thalamus, hypothalamus

• Used for planning, movement, sensory perception, emotion, learning and memory, initiates voluntary actions, thinking, and other complex cognitive activities

Gray Matter

• The darker part of brain tissue

• The collection of somas or cell bodies and dendrites within the brain

• Nucleus (CNS) inside brain and spinal cord

• Ganglion (PNS) outside the brain and spinal cord

• Cortex - collection of cell bodies that is forming an outer layer

White Matter:

• The lighter part of brain tissue

• The gathering of axons within the brain

• Tract (CNS) collection of axons within the CNS

• Nerve (PNS) collection of axons within the PNS

• Column, Lemniscus, commissure, capsule, peduncle

  • More names for a collection of axons

Gyrus:

• The highest part/peak of the brain

• The raised areas on the surface of the brain

Sulcus:

• A shallow groove or valley on the brain

Fissure:

A deep groove or valley on the brain ,

Frontal Lobe

most rostral part of the brain and responsible for decision making and motor planning skills

Parietal Lobe

Most dorsal part of the brain. Responsible for spatial awareness, processing sensory information, and navigation. 

Occipital Lobe

most caudal lobe of the brain responsible for vision

Temporal Lobe

 most ventral part of the brain, responsible for object recognition and identification, as well as hearing and sense of smell

Central Sulcus

Separates the Frontal and Parietal Lobes

Lateral Fissure

Separates the Frontal, Parietal and Temporal Lobes. 

Frontal Association Area:

 It is located in the rostral portion of the frontal lobe. The entire frontal lobe minus the primary motor cortex. The FAA is responsible for planning movements and making decisions. If damaged, it can change one’s personality. One would not make the decisions they typically make.

Cerebellum:

Coordinates nervous system signals for effective communication, motor control and balance. It is located in the back and bottom of the brain and is our “error corrector.” It receives information about intended movements from the brain

Parietal Association Area:

The association area that is located in the posterior Parietal lobe minus the primary somatosensory cortex. It is responsible for attention and awareness of the locations around you. If part of it is damaged, a person would be unaware of half of the world around them.

Temporal Association Area:

 In the Temporal Lobe (minus the Olfactory and Auditory Cortex), the Temporal Association Area is responsible for object recognition. Damage to this area can result in loss of object or language recognition such as not being able to recognize or associate anything you perceive and struggling to recognize/understand words.

Anterior/Posterior

Front and Back”, nose is anterior, occipital lobe is posterior.

Superior/Inferior

“Top and below”, head is superior, feet are inferior.

Ipsilateral

Two on the same side

Contralateral -

 Two on opposite sides

Bilateral

Two on both sides

Synapse:

The junction between the axon terminal and dendrite, with space in between called the synaptic cleft

Sagittal Section

Split into left and right lateral sections

Median Section

Sagittal section sliced right down the middle line into equal right and left sections 

Horizontal/Axial Section:

Split into a superior and inferior section.

Frontal (Coronal) Section

 Split into anterior and posterior sections

Cross/Transverse Section:

If an oval is drawn around a particular object, the split is Perpendicular to the long axis

Longitudinal Section: Longitudinal Section

f an oval is drawn around a particular object, the split is along the long axis

Oblique Slice

Does not follow any of the others 

Central Nervous System -

 Part of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord. The CNS is made up of the cerebellum, forebrain, brainstem and spinal cord. The CNS’s responsibilities include receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information.

Peripheral Nervous System:

all nerves connecting the Central Nervous System to the rest of the body

• includes the cranial/spinal nerves and nerve plexus

Brain Stem:

The collection of Pons, Medulla, Midbrain that controls vital functions and conduction of neurons. Also controls reflexes (non-voluntary happenings that can be overridden). Connects the forebrain to the spinal cord. Damage to the brain stem can be lethal. Brain stem needs to be healthy and functioning in order to breathe. Forebrain without soma leads to coma.

Soma -

The cell body of a neuron. Contains the nucleus, organelles, etc. 

Lateral

 Away from midline of the body or a structure]

Dorsal

perpendicular to the rostral-caudal line and goes towards the sky diagonally in humans due to the 90 degree bend

Ventral -

perpendicular to the rostral-caudal line and is towards the ground diagonally in humans due to the 90 degree bend