Central Nervous System: The Brain

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the structural and functional anatomy of the Central Nervous System (Brain), including divisions, protective layers, cerebral lobes, diencephalon, brainstem, and cerebellum.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The main division of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The division of the nervous system consisting of $12$ pairs of cranial nerves and $31$ pairs of spinal nerves containing sensory and motor fibers.

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

A functional division of the PNS comprising the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Meninges

Three protective membranes surrounding the CNS that hold the brain in position within the skull.

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

The fluid produced in the cerebral ventricles that bathes and protects the brain and spinal cord by filling the surrounding space.

Blood Brain Barrier

A protective mechanism that safeguards the brain and spinal cord against microbial infections.

Cerebral Cortex

The superficial outer layer of the cerebrum, composed of nerve cell bodies (grey matter).

Longitudinal Fissure

The deep groove that divides the cerebrum into left and right hemispheres.

Left Hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere responsible for language, mathematical skills, and reasoning, controlling the right side of the body.

Right Hemisphere

The cerebral hemisphere responsible for artistic awareness and imagination, controlling the left side of the body.

Frontal Lobe

The anterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere containing the motor area for voluntary movements, Broca's area, and higher-level mental faculties such as reasoning and intelligence.

Broca's Area

The motor speech area located in the frontal lobe that controls movements necessary for speech articulation.

Parietal Lobe

The cerebral lobe situated behind the frontal lobe that contains the primary sensory area (touch, temperature, pain, pressure, body position awareness) and the taste area.

Temporal Lobe

The cerebral lobe located beneath the frontal and parietal lobes that contains the auditory area, olfactory area, and Wernicke area.

Wernicke Area

The region in the temporal lobe responsible for speech comprehension and understanding.

Occipital Lobe

The cerebral lobe located over the cerebellum that receives and interprets visual input from the eyes via the $2^{\text{nd}}$ cranial nerve.

Ventricles

Fluid-filled cavities within the cerebrum responsible for producing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Diencephalon

The central brain structure consisting of the thalamus and hypothalamus.

Thalamus

A spherical mass of grey matter in the diencephalon that acts as a relay station for incoming sensory impulses (except smell) heading to the cerebrum.

Hypothalamus

The structure located beneath the thalamus and above the pituitary gland that regulates autonomic function, hormone release, body temperature, thirst, appetite, and sleep-wake cycles.

Brainstem

The region at the base of the brain superior to the spinal cord, consisting of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Midbrain

The upper, short segment of the brainstem connecting the cerebrum to the pons that provides impulse pathways and initiates eye and postural movements.

Pons

The brainstem section anterior to the cerebellum that acts as a relay station and contains pneumotaxic and apneustic respiratory centers to regulate breathing.

Medulla Oblongata

The lowest part of the brainstem linking to the spinal cord, containing vital cardiovascular, respiratory, and reflex centers, as well as the site of sensory decussation.

Cerebellum

The brain structure located behind the pons and medulla oblongata that coordinates voluntary muscle activity, maintains balance, posture, equilibrium, and muscle tone.