Neuroanatomy and Brain Development Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental neuroanatomy concepts, embryonic brain vesicles, brain divisions, lobes, gyri, sulci, and subcortical structures.

Autonomic nervous system

Division of the peripheral nervous system providing involuntary control over sensory and motor nerves innervating visceral organs and glands.

Somatic nervous system

Division of the peripheral nervous system providing voluntary control over sensory and motor nerves innervating muscles and skin.

Sympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system responsible for body energy expenditure by activating visceral organs and glands in response to fight, flight, and fear.

Parasympathetic nervous system

Subdivision of the autonomic nervous system responsible for energy conservation and restoration of visceral functions back to normal levels after sympathetic activation.

Central nervous system

Major structural division of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system

Major structural division of the nervous system consisting of nerves connecting the central nervous system to the rest of the body, subdivided into somatic and autonomic systems.

Brain

Principal anatomical structure of the central nervous system located within the cranium.

Spinal cord

Elongated cylindrical structure of the central nervous system housed within the vertebral column.

Meninges

Three layers of protective membranes (dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater) enclosing the brain and spinal cord.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Clear liquid produced within the ventricles that circulates through the brain ventricles and subarachnoid space.

Vesicle

Fluid-filled sac or primary embryological brain division formed during early neural development.

Brain flexures

Three bends (midbrain, pontine, and cervical flexures) in the embryonic neural tube that demarcate brain vesicles.

Midbrain flexure

Embryonic brain bend located at the level of the mesencephalon (midbrain).

Pontine flexure

Embryonic brain bend located dorsally between the metencephalon and myelencephalon.

Cervical flexure

Embryonic brain bend located between the hindbrain (myelencephalon) and the spinal cord.

Primary vesicles

The three initial embryonic brain swellings: prosencephalon (forebrain), mesencephalon (midbrain), and rhombencephalon (hindbrain).

Secondary vesicles

The five secondary subdivisions of the embryonic brain: telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, metencephalon, and myelencephalon.

Prosencephalon

Primary embryonic brain vesicle (forebrain) that further divides into the telencephalon and diencephalon.

Mesencephalon

Primary embryonic brain vesicle (midbrain) that retains its primary name and gives rise to midbrain structures and the cerebral aqueduct.

Rhombencephalon

Primary embryonic brain vesicle (hindbrain) that further divides into the metencephalon and myelencephalon.

Telencephalon

Major division of the forebrain derived from the prosencephalon; gives rise to the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic lobe, and lateral ventricles.

Diencephalon

Major division of the forebrain derived from the prosencephalon; gives rise to the thalamus, hypothalamus, and third ventricle.

Metencephalon

Secondary division of the hindbrain derived from the rhombencephalon; gives rise to the pons, cerebellum, and fourth ventricle.

Myelencephalon

Secondary division of the hindbrain derived from the rhombencephalon; gives rise to the medulla oblongata.

Cerebral hemispheres

The two symmetric lateral halves (left and right) forming the major portion of the telencephalon.

Longitudinal fissure

Deep median cleft along the midline that separates the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Gyrus

Elevated convolution or ridge on the surface of the cerebral cortex.

Sulcus

Shallow groove or valley on the surface of the cerebral cortex separating adjacent gyri.

Fissure

Deep groove or valley on the cerebral cortex separating major lobes or brain regions.

Dorsolateral surface

Convex outer surface of the cerebral hemisphere visible from above and lateral views.

Midsagittal surface

Medial flat surface of the cerebral hemisphere exposed by cutting along the longitudinal fissure.

Ventral surface

Inferior or basal surface of the brain facing the skull base.

Central sulcus

Deep sulcus (fissure of Rolando) beginning at top of brain, extending downward and rostrally on dorsolateral surface, marking boundary between frontal and parietal lobes.

Lateral fissure

Most constant feature of dorsolateral surface (sylvian fissure) separating frontal and parietal lobes superiorly from temporal lobe inferiorly.

Parietooccipital sulcus

Vertically oriented deep fissure on lateral and medial surfaces separating the parietal lobe from the occipital lobe.

Frontal lobe

Anterior cerebral lobe involved in voluntary motor control, cognition, reasoning, expressive speech, and judgment.

Parietal lobe

Cerebral lobe located posterior to central sulcus responsible for somatosensory processing and spatial orientation.

Occipital lobe

Posterior-most cerebral lobe dedicated to visual processing.

Temporal lobe

Cerebral lobe situated inferior to lateral fissure involved in auditory perception, receptive language, and memory.

Insular lobe

Secondary cerebral lobe (insula) located deep within the lateral fissure, hidden under the opercula.

Primary motor cortex

Cortical area located in the precentral gyrus (Brodmann area 4) responsible for initiating voluntary motor movements.

Precentral gyrus

Gyrus located directly anterior to the central sulcus that contains the primary motor cortex.

Precentral sulcus

Groove situated parallel and rostral to the precentral gyrus.

Premotor cortex

Cortical area anterior to the primary motor cortex involved in motor planning and modifying complex voluntary movements.

Prefrontal cortex

Anterior region of frontal lobe responsible for high-level executive cognitive functions, self-monitoring, problem solving, and decision making.

Paracentral lobule

U-shaped region on the medial surface surrounding the upper end of the central sulcus, controlling motor and sensory functions of lower extremities.

Postcentral gyrus

Gyrus located directly posterior to the central sulcus containing the primary somatosensory cortex.

Primary somatosensory cortex

Cortical region in postcentral gyrus (Brodmann areas 3, 1, 2) processing bodily touch, temperature, pain, and proprioception.

Broca area

Cortical region in inferior frontal gyrus (pars opercularis and pars triangularis) of dominant hemisphere controlling motor speech production.

Wernicke area

Cortical region in posterior superior temporal gyrus of dominant hemisphere responsible for language comprehension.

Angular gyrus

Gyrus in inferior parietal lobule involved in reading, writing, calculation, and language interpretation.

Agnosia

Neurological disorder characterized by the inability to recognize or interpret sensory information despite intact primary sensory organs.

Astereognosis

Inability to recognize objects by tactile touch alone without visual inspection.

Calcarine fissure

Fissure on medial surface of occipital lobe surrounded by primary visual cortex.

Association visual cortex

Cortical areas surrounding primary visual cortex involved in high-level visual recognition and perception.

Dominant hemisphere

Cerebral hemisphere specialisation primarily controlling language, speech, and handedness (typically left hemisphere).

Nondominant hemisphere

Cerebral hemisphere specialized for visual-spatial orientation, nonverbal cues, musical perception, and holistic processing.

Papez circuit

Neural pathway linking hippocampus, mammillary body, anterior thalamus, and cingulate gyrus involved in emotion and memory.

Limbic lobe

Ring of cortical structures on medial brain surface (cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, subcallosal gyrus, uncus) regulating emotions, drive, and memory.

Amygdala

Almond-shaped subcortical limbic nucleus in temporal lobe tip involved in processing emotion and fear.

Caudate nucleus

C-shaped basal ganglia nucleus consisting of head, body, and tail adjacent to lateral ventricle.

Head of caudate nucleus

Large anterior rounded portion of caudate nucleus protruding into anterior horn of lateral ventricle.

Tail of caudate nucleus

Slender posterior extension of caudate nucleus extending into temporal lobe terminating near amygdaloid nucleus.

Putamen

Lateral darker component of lenticular nucleus involved in motor control pathways.

Globus pallidus

Medial lighter component of lenticular nucleus functioning as main inhibitory output of basal ganglia.

Pallidum

Anatomical term synonymous with globus pallidus.

Lenticular nucleus

Subcortical structure composed of putamen and globus pallidus.

Striatum

Subcortical unit formed by caudate nucleus and putamen.

Neostriatum

Term referring to caudate nucleus and putamen together.

Corpus striatum

Subcortical nuclear complex comprising lenticular nucleus and caudate nucleus.

Basal ganglia

Subcortical gray matter structures (caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus) regulating voluntary motor movements and learning.

Claustrum

Thin band of subcortical gray matter located between external capsule and extreme capsule lateral to putamen.

Internal capsule

Massive white matter tract containing ascending and descending fibers between cortex, basal ganglia, and thalamus.

Anterior limb of internal capsule

Section of internal capsule passing between head of caudate nucleus and lenticular nucleus.

Genu of internal capsule

Flexure bend of internal capsule located between anterior and posterior limbs.

Posterior limb of internal capsule

Portion of internal capsule situated between thalamus and lenticular nucleus.

External capsule

Thin layer of white matter fibers separating putamen from claustrum.

Corona radiata

Fan-like projection of nerve fibers radiating between cerebral cortex and internal capsule.

Interventricular foramen

Opening (foramen of Monro) connecting each lateral ventricle to third ventricle.

Pituitary gland

Endocrine master gland attached to ventral hypothalamus via infundibulum.

Red nucleus

Midbrain motor nucleus involved in motor coordination and cerebellar output.

Substantia nigra

Pigmented midbrain nucleus containing dopaminergic neurons projecting to striatum.

Basis pedunculi

Ventral midbrain fiber bundle (crus cerebri) carrying descending corticospinal and corticobulbar motor tracts.

Subcallosal gyrus

Cortical area located ventral to genu of corpus callosum on medial surface.

Uncus

Anterior hook-like end of parahippocampal gyrus in medial temporal lobe.

Parahippocampal gyrus

Medial temporal lobe gyrus overlying hippocampus; part of limbic lobe.

Cingulate gyrus

Arch-shaped gyrus on medial surface of cerebral hemisphere superior to corpus callosum.

Cingulate sulcus

Groove bounding superior edge of cingulate gyrus on medial surface.

Marginal branch of cingulate sulcus

Upward extension of cingulate sulcus bounding paracentral lobule posteriorly.

Isthmus of cingulate gyrus

Narrow cortical strip connecting posterior cingulate gyrus with parahippocampal gyrus.

Superior frontal gyrus

Topmost longitudinal gyrus extending along dorsolateral and medial surface of frontal lobe.

Precuneus

Medial parietal lobe region between marginal branch of cingulate sulcus and parietooccipital sulcus.

Lingual gyrus

Gyrus on medial occipital surface inferior to calcarine fissure.

Occipitotemporal gyri

Gyri on ventral basal surface spanning occipital and temporal lobes (fusiform gyri).

Collateral sulcus

Deep sulcus on ventral surface separating parahippocampal gyrus from occipitotemporal gyri.

Olfactory sulcus

Groove on orbital surface of frontal lobe holding olfactory bulb and tract.

Gyrus rectus

Straight medial-most gyrus on orbital surface of frontal lobe medial to olfactory sulcus.

Orbital gyri

Irregular gyri on basal ventral surface of frontal lobe lateral to olfactory sulcus.

Olfactory bulb

Oval structure on ventral frontal lobe receiving olfactory nerve fibers.

Olfactory tract

Nerve fiber bundle extending posteriorly from olfactory bulb along ventral frontal lobe surface.