Module 1 NEU 101

Medial

towards the midline

Lateral

away from the midline

Anterior

towards the front

Posterior

towards the back

Dorsal

top of the head or back of the body

Ventral

Chin of the head or belly of the body

Rostral

towards the nose

Caudal

towards the tail

Superior

above/ towards the top

Inferior

below/ towards the bottom

Contralateral

Opposite side of the body

Ipsilateral

same side of the body

Saggital Plane

Splits the body down the middle into two sides

Coronal Plane

Splits the body down the middle into front and back

Transverse/ Horizontal Plane

Splits the body horizontally

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Comprised of the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Composed of nerves throughout the body

Somatic Nervous System

Interacts with the external world, sends info to and from skin, muscles, bones, and joints

Autonomic Nervous System

Interacts with internal organs and sends info to and from viscera

Parasympathetic Nervous System

responsible for rest and digest

Sympathetic Nervous System

responsible for fight or flight response

Spine/ spinal cord segments

cervical spine, thoracic spine, lumbar spine

Dorsal Horn

where sensory info travels into the spinal cord

Ventral Horn

where motor info travels out of the spinal cord

Central Canal

runs the entire length of the spinal cord and is filled with CSF

Grey Matter

made of cell bodies, is on the outside of the brain and the inside of the spinal cord, location of most synapses

White Matter

made of axons, is coated in myelin, found on inside of brain and outside of spinal cord, sends out signals

Brainstem

comprised of the medulla, pons, midbrain

Cerebellum

The ‘little brain in the back’ that organizes sensory input and guides movement balance and muscle memory

Cerebrum

The main portion of the brain which includes the basal ganglia and limbic structures

Frontal Lobe

Lobe responsible for motor planning and complex cognition, personality, long-term future planning, evaluation, inhibition

Parietal Lobe

Lobe responsible for integrating info from various senses, helps to perceive the location of objects and self

Occipital Lobe

Lobe responsible for visual intake and processing

Temporal Lobe

Lobe responsible for auditory and visual recognition

Meninges

3 layers that protect the brain from the skull

Dura Mater

Outer, thickest meninge

Arachnoid mater

Center meninges, contains the subarachnoid space

Pia mater

Innermost layer of meninges

Cerebral Spine Fluid (CSF)

Fluid produced in the choroid plexus that supports and cushions the CNS

Ventricles

Holes that are full of CSF

Hydrocephalus

A condition in which blocked CSF fills and expands ventricles and head

Blood Brain Barrier

Astrocytes form tight junctions to control pores of capillaries to limit what crosses from the general blood supply into the brain

Initial 3 swellings

Prosencephalon, Mesencephalon, Rhombencephalon

Final swellings

Telencephalon, Diencephalon, Mesencephalon, Metencephalon, Myelencephalon

Medulla

Connects brain and body with white matter tracts, controls breathing, HR, sleep, attention, muscle tone, vomiting, coughing, vital reflexes

Pons

The ‘bridge’ with tracts that connect the brain to the cerebellum and medulla, carries sensory info up to the thalamus

Midbrain

Made up of the tegmentum and tectum

Thalamus

A two lobed structure that acts as the brains sensory input and relay system for vision, hearing, and touch, also involved in regulating overall arousal

Hypothalamus

The neuroendocrine system, regulated motivated behaviors, temperature, and internal clock by controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland

Limbic system

Subcortical structures responsible for motivated and emotional behaviors

Hippocampus

Brain area important for forming new memories and spatial mapping

Amygdala

Brain area responsible for emotional expression and recognition, especially fear and anger

Cingulate Gyrus/ Cortex

The re entrant system that interacts with other parts of the cortex and limbic structures to evaluate good and bad actions

Fornix

A major white matter tract thought to be involved in episodic memory recall

Septum

Connects the limbic system to other brain areas

Mammilary Bodies

Technically a part of the hypothalamus, but also considered to be a part of the limbic system, these are important for memory

Olfactroy Bulb

Responsible for smell