Brain Gross Anatomy, Cranial Nerves, and Brain Vasculature

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering brain structures, meninges, lobes, brain stem components, and the twelve cranial nerves based on BMS 4480 lectures.

Dura mater

The outermost layer of the cranial meninges, consisting of thick connective tissue.

Arachnoid mater

The middle layer of the cranial meninges, characterized as a web-like layer.

Pia mater

The layer of the cranial meninges located on the surface of the Central Nervous System (CNS).

Longitudinal fissure

The deep groove that separates the right and left cerebral hemispheres.

Transverse fissure

The deep groove that separates the cerebrum from the cerebellum.

Central sulcus

The groove that separates the frontal and parietal lobes.

Lateral sulcus

The groove that separates the temporal lobe from the frontal lobe.

Precentral gyrus

The primary motor area of the cerebrum.

Premotor area

The area anterior to the motor area involved in motor programs.

Postcentral gyrus

The primary somatosensory area for the skin and muscle.

Broca’s area

The lower anterior area of the premotor area, usually on the left side, that serves as the planning area for speech.

Basal Nuclei

Structures that control the starting, stopping, and intensity of motor movements while inhibiting antagonistic muscles; affected by Huntington’s disease.

Thalamus

A part of the diencephalon that surrounds the third ventricle and relays information.

Hypothalamus

A coordinate center for the nervous and endocrine systems that regulates body temperature, thirst, hunger, sex drive, and the autonomic nervous system.

Midbrain

Part of the brain stem containing centers for startle reflexes (corpora quadrigemina) and the substantia nigra.

Pons

A brain stem structure that helps regulate respiration and coordinate involuntary skeletal muscle movements and muscle tone.

Medulla oblongata

A vital relay station connecting the brain to the spinal cord that controls visceral functions including blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate.

Cerebellum

A brain structure that adjusts postural muscles to maintain balance and programs/fine-tunes voluntary and involuntary movements.

Olfactory Nerve (N I)

A special sensory nerve responsible for the sense of smell; it originates in the olfactory epithelium and passes through the cribriform plate.

Optic Nerve (N II)

A special sensory nerve responsible for vision; its origin is the retina and it proceeds to the diencephalon via the optic chiasm.

Oculomotor Nerve (N III)

A motor nerve originating in the mesencephalon that controls eye movements and intrinsic eye muscles.

Trochlear Nerve (N IV)

A motor nerve that controls eye movements by destination to the superior oblique muscle.

Trigeminal Nerve (N V)

A mixed (sensory and motor) nerve providing sensation to the anterior face and controlling muscles used for chewing.

Abducens Nerve (N VI)

A motor nerve that controls eye movements via the lateral rectus muscle.

Facial Nerve (N VII)

A mixed nerve responsible for taste on the anterior two thirds of the tongue, facial muscles, tear ducts, and two pairs of salivary glands.

Vestibulocochlear Nerve (N VIII)

A special sensory nerve with two branches: the vestibular branch for balance and equilibrium and the cochlear branch for hearing.

Glossopharyngeal Nerve (N IX)

A mixed nerve involved in taste, pharyngeal muscles for swallowing, and the parotid salivary gland.

Vagus Nerve (N X)

A mixed nerve providing somatic motor control to the palate/pharynx and visceral motor control to thoracic and abdominal organs.

Accessory Nerve (N XI)

A motor nerve whose external branch controls the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Hypoglossal Nerve (N XII)

A motor nerve dedicated to tongue movements.

Anastomosis

The connection between vessels in the brain vasculature allowing for multiple routes of blood supply.