Brain and Cranial Cavity Review

Practice flashcards covering the neuroanatomy of the brain, cranial nerves, meninges, blood supply, and clinical conditions based on the lecture transcripts.

Gyrus

A bump, ridge, or convolution on the surface of the brain that increases surface area.

Sulcus

A groove, depression, or furrow on the cerebral cortex surface.

Longitudinal fissure

The deep groove that separates the two cerebral hemispheres.

Corpus callosum

A structure meaning "tough body" that spans across the longitudinal fissure to connect the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Central sulcus

The sulcus that separates the precentral (primary motor) cortex of the frontal lobe from the postcentral (primary somatosensory) cortex of the parietal lobe.

Insular lobe

A lobe located deep within the lateral fissure involved in diverse functions including emotion, taste, and homeostatic management.

Cerebellar vermis

The midline structure, meaning "worm," which connects the left and right hemispheres of the cerebellum.

Thalamus

A bilateral mass of gray matter that functions as a primary relay station between the cerebral cortex and subcortical areas.

Hypothalamus

A bilateral mass of gray matter that coordinates with the autonomic nervous system to maintain homeostasis, such as body temperature and hunger.

Pineal gland

The part of the epithalamus that regulates circadian rhythm and melatonin secretion.

Cerebral peduncles

Large, bilateral columns of longitudinally oriented nerve fibers found in the midbrain tegmentum.

Superior colliculus

A feature of the midbrain tectum involved in the visual pathway.

Inferior colliculus

A feature of the midbrain tectum involved in the auditory pathway.

Medullary pyramids

Bilateral paramedian longitudinal elevations found on the medulla.

Dura mater

The "hard/tough mother" outer layer of the meninges which is supplied by meningeal arteries.

Falx cerebri

A vertical dural fold separating the left and right cerebral hemispheres that attaches to the frontal crest and crista galli.

Tentorium cerebelli

A transverse dural fold separating the occipital lobe of the cerebrum from the cerebellum.

Arachnoid granulations

Protrusions of arachnoid mater into the superior sagittal sinus that function as one-way valves for draining CSF into the venous system.

Pia mater

The "tender mother" layer of the meninges that is tightly adherent to the cerebral and cerebellar cortex.

Brain metabolic demand

The brain constitutes only $2\%$ of total body weight yet demands $16\%$ of cardiac output.

Circle of Willis

An anastomosis at the base of the brain providing an alternative route for blood flow between the vertebro-basilar and internal carotid systems.

Bridging veins

Superior cerebral veins that cross through the dura mater to drain into a dural venous sinus.

Epidural hematoma

A buildup of blood between the dura mater and the skull, typically caused by a fracture of the pterion and rupture of the middle meningeal artery.

Subdural hematoma

A buildup of blood between the dura and arachnoid mater, usually caused by the rupture of bridging veins.

Confluence of sinuses

A dilated junction near the internal occipital protuberance receiving blood from the superior sagittal, occipital, and straight sinuses.

Cavernous sinus

Paired dural venous sinuses located lateral to the sella turcica, containing CN III, IV, VI, and the internal carotid artery.

Choroid plexus

The structure that produces and secretes cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), mostly located in the lateral ventricles.

Interventricular foramen (of Monroe)

The passage through which CSF drains from the lateral ventricles into the single third ventricle.

Cerebral aqueduct

A single midline passage connecting the third and fourth ventricles, separating the tectum and tegmentum of the midbrain.

Hydrocephalus

A buildup of fluid in the ventricles caused by an imbalance between CSF production and absorption, which increases the size of the ventricles.

Cavernous sinus thrombosis

A life-threatening formation of a blood clot within the cavernous sinus, often due to spreading infection from the nose, sinuses, or teeth.

Alzheimer's disease

A disease accounting for approximately $75\%$ of dementia cases, characterized by a shrunken brain surface and nerve cell death.