Brain Anatomy, Physiology, and Cranial Nerves

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering brain regions, meninges, ventricles, functional cortical areas, subcortical structures, memory types, and cranial nerves.

Gyri

The ridges on the folded outer surface of the cerebrum.

Sulci

The depressions between ridges on the folded outer surface of the brain; deep depressions are called fissures.

Rostral

Anatomical directional term meaning anterior when referring to brain anatomy.

Caudal

Anatomical directional term meaning posterior when referring to brain anatomy.

Gray matter

Central nervous system tissue composed of neuron cell bodies, dendrites, and unmyelinated axons.

White matter

Central nervous system tissue consisting of myelinated axons.

Cerebral cortex

The outer surface layer of gray matter covering the cerebrum.

Cerebral nuclei

Deep clusters of neuron cell bodies made of gray matter located within the cerebrum.

Cranial meninges

Three connective tissue layers (pia mater, arachnoid mater, and dura mater) that enclose, protect, and support the brain and contain cerebrospinal fluid.

Septum pellucidum

The thin medial partition separating the two lateral ventricles in the cerebrum.

Interventricular foramen

The opening connecting each lateral ventricle to the third ventricle in the diencephalon.

Cerebral aqueduct

The narrow channel connecting the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle through the midbrain.

Choroid plexus

Specialized tissue located in each brain ventricle composed of ependymal cells and blood capillaries that forms cerebrospinal fluid.

Arachnoid granulation

A collection of arachnoid villi that drains excess cerebrospinal fluid into dural venous sinuses.

Blood-brain barrier (BBB)

A protective structure consisting of endothelial cells with tight junctions, thick basement membrane, and astrocyte perivascular feet that regulates substance entry into brain interstitial fluid.

Precentral gyrus

The ridge located in the frontal lobe housing the primary motor cortex, which controls voluntary movement.

Postcentral gyrus

The ridge located in the parietal lobe containing the primary somatosensory cortex, which receives general somatic sensory information.

Motor homunculus

A map of controlled body regions on the primary motor cortex whose distorted proportions reflect the amount of cortex dedicated to each part.

Motor speech area (Broca area)

A functional motor area located in the inferolateral portion of the left frontal lobe that controls movements needed for vocalization.

Agnosia

The inability to recognize or understand the meaning of sensory stimuli resulting from lesions in specific brain regions.

Pineal gland

An endocrine gland located in the epithalamus that secretes melatonin to help regulate circadian rhythms and day-night cycles.

Habenular nuclei

Nuclei in the epithalamus that relay signals from the limbic system to the midbrain and are involved in visceral and emotional responses to odors.

Interthalamic adhesion

A midline mass of gray matter connecting the left and right masses of the thalamus.

Infundibulum

The stalk extending from the hypothalamus that connects it to the pituitary gland.

Substantia nigra

A midbrain cluster of dark neurons housing dopamine-producing cells, the degeneration of which causes Parkinson disease.

Tectum

The posterior region of the midbrain containing the tectal plate, composed of superior colliculi (visual reflexes) and inferior colliculi (auditory reflexes).

Arbor vitae

The internal tree-like region of white matter in the cerebellum.

Vermis

A narrow band of cerebellar cortex between the left and right hemispheres that receives sensory signals regarding the torso and balance.

Hippocampus

A temporal lobe limbic system structure superior to the parahippocampal gyrus that aids in forming long-term memories.

Amygdaloid body

A structure of the limbic system involved in various aspects of emotion and emotional memory, especially fear.

Fornix

A thin white tract connecting the hippocampus with other limbic structures.

Sensory memory

Associations based on sensory input, such as smells, that last for only a few seconds.

Short-term memory (STM)

A temporary memory stage with a limited capacity of about seven bits of information lasting seconds to hours.

Memory consolidation

The process of encoding short-term memory into long-term memory, requiring the amygdala and hippocampus.

CN I Olfactory Nerve

The cranial nerve responsible for the sense of smell.

CN II Optic Nerve

The cranial nerve responsible for the sense of vision.

CN III Oculomotor Nerve

The cranial nerve controlling muscles that move the eye, lift the eyelid, and change pupil diameter.

CN IV Trochlear Nerve

The cranial nerve controlling the superior oblique eye muscle.

CN V Trigeminal Nerve

The cranial nerve responsible for somatic sensation from the face and controlling chewing movements.

CN VI Abducens Nerve

The cranial nerve controlling the lateral rectus muscle that abducts the eye.

CN VII Facial Nerve

The cranial nerve controlling muscles of facial expression and providing signals for taste from the tongue.

CN VIII Vestibulocochlear Nerve

The cranial nerve responsible for the senses of hearing and equilibrium.

CN IX Glossopharyngeal Nerve

The cranial nerve involved in taste and touch from the tongue and controlling a pharynx muscle.

CN X Vagus Nerve

The cranial nerve providing visceral sensation and parasympathetic innervation to many internal organs.

CN XI Accessory Nerve

The cranial nerve controlling muscles of the neck and pharynx.

CN XII Hypoglossal Nerve

The cranial nerve controlling muscles of the tongue.