Gross Anatomy of the Brain and Cranial Nerves

Vocabulary flashcards covering embryonic brain development, adult brain structures, meninges, and the twelve pairs of cranial nerves based on Chapter 17.

Prosencephalon

Also known as the forebrain, it is a primary brain vesicle that develops into the telencephalon and diencephalon.

Mesencephalon

Also known as the midbrain, this primary brain vesicle develops into the adult brain stem midbrain and the cerebral aqueduct.

Rhombencephalon

Also known as the hindbrain, this primary brain vesicle develops into the metencephalon and myelencephalon.

Telencephalon

A secondary brain vesicle derived from the prosencephalon which develops into the cerebrum (cerebral hemispheres).

Diencephalon

A secondary brain vesicle that develops into the thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and retina.

Metencephalon

A secondary brain vesicle derived from the rhombencephalon that develops into the pons and cerebellum.

Myelencephalon

A secondary brain vesicle derived from the rhombencephalon that develops into the medulla oblongata.

Gyrus

An elevated ridge of tissue on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Sulcus

A shallow groove on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres.

Fissure

A deep sulcus on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres, such as the longitudinal or transverse cerebral fissure.

Central sulcus

The anatomical landmark that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Precentral gyrus

The gyrus located anterior to the central sulcus, containing the primary motor cortex.

Postcentral gyrus

The gyrus located posterior to the central sulcus, containing the primary somatosensory cortex.

Broca's area

A motor area of the cerebral cortex involved in speech production, often outlined by dashes on anatomical maps.

Wernicke's area

A sensory-related association area of the cerebral cortex involved in language comprehension.

Prefrontal cortex

An area of the frontal lobe involved in working memory for spatial and object-recall tasks, task management, and solving complex problems.

Striatum

A structure within the basal nuclei composed of the caudate nucleus and the putamen.

Arbor vitae

The treelike branching pattern of white matter within the cerebellum.

Vermis

The midline structure that connects the two cerebellar hemispheres.

Dura mater

The outermost meninx of the brain consisting of two layers: the periosteal layer and the meningeal layer.

Arachnoid mater

The middle meninx of the brain, separated from the dura mater by the subdural space.

Pia mater

The innermost meninx of the brain which clings to the surface of the brain tissue.

Falx cerebri

A fold of the dura mater that dips into the longitudinal fissure between the cerebral hemispheres.

Tentorium cerebelli

A dural fold that separates the cerebrum from the cerebellum.

Olfactory Nerve (I)

Purely sensory nerve that carries afferent impulses for the sense of smell; tested by identifying aromatic substances.

Optic Nerve (II)

Purely sensory nerve that carries afferent impulses associated with vision; tested with eye charts and ophthalmoscopes.

Oculomotor Nerve (III)

Primarily motor nerve that directs the eyeball, levator palpebrae muscles, and controls lens shape and pupil size via parasympathetic fibers.

Trochlear Nerve (IV)

Primarily motor nerve that provides somatic motor fibers to the superior oblique muscle to move the eyeball.

Trigeminal Nerve (V)

Mixed nerve that is the major sensory nerve of the face and innervates muscles of mastication; includes ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular divisions.

Abducens Nerve (VI)

Primarily motor nerve that carries somatic motor fibers to the lateral rectus muscle, which abducts the eyeball.

Facial Nerve (VII)

Mixed nerve supplying muscles of facial expression, lacrimal and salivary glands, and carrying taste fibers from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

Vestibulocochlear Nerve (VIII)

Mostly sensory nerve; the vestibular branch transmits equilibrium impulses and the cochlear branch transmits hearing impulses.

Glossopharyngeal Nerve (IX)

Mixed nerve serving pharyngeal muscles, salivary glands, and carrying taste and pressure impulses from the posterior tongue and carotid artery.

Vagus Nerve (X)

Mixed nerve carrying parasympathetic motor fibers to the heart and abdominal visceral organs; also carries somatic motor impulses to the pharynx and larynx.

Accessory Nerve (XI)

Mixed but primarily motor nerve providing somatic motor fibers to the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Hypoglossal Nerve (XII)

Mixed but primarily motor nerve carrying somatic motor fibers to the muscles of the tongue.