[NEUROANATOMY] Unit 3 - Macroscopic

GENERAL TERMS ONLY

Gross Anatomy

Gross Anatomy

The study of anatomical structure that is visible/gross to the naked eye.

Gross Neuroanatomy

Brain structures’ internal parts that could be observed after a series of cuts.

Frontal Lobe

Executive Functions

Problem solving, planning, making decisions, recognizing faces

Temporal Lobe

Processing and understanding sounds

Managing emotions, recognizing faces

Primary Auditory Area

Parietal Lobe

Sense of touch

Visuospatial processing

Occipital Lobe

Vision, visual perception

Primary Visual Area

Anterior Speech Area (Broca’s Area)

Speech production/expression (speaking it loudly), ability to move your voice boxes

Expressive Aphasia (Broca’s Aphasia)

A person can understand speech but has difficulty speaking fluently themselves

Posterior Speech Area (Wernicke’s Area)

Language comprehension, understanding the meaning of words

Receptive Aphasia (Wernicke’s Aphasia)

A person is able to speak well and use long sentences but what they say may not make sense

Korsakoff Syndrome (Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome)

Memory disorder that results from thiamine deficiency, associated with alcoholism

Postcentral Gyrus

Primary Sensory Area

Precentral Gyrus

Primary Motor Area

Fissures (Longitudinal Fissure)

The deeper grove that separates two cerebral hemispheres of the vertebrate brain

Sulcus

Shallower grooves in the cerebral cortex

Superior Frontal Sulci

Separates superior frontal from the middle frontal gyrus

Central Sulcus of Rolando

Separates parietal lobe from the frontal lobe; primary motor cortex to primary somatosensory cortex

Lateral Sulcus of Sylvius

Separates temporal lobe from the frontal lobe & parietal lobe

Superior temporal Sulci

Separates superior temporal from the middle temporal gyrus

Intra Parietal Sulcus

Separates inferior parietal lobule from the superior parietal lobule

Parietal Lobule (Inferior & Superior)

In charge of perceptual-motor coordination (directing eye movements, reaching) & visual attention (pointing, grasping, object manipulation)

Gyrus (plural: Gyri)

A ridge on the surface of the brain

Surrounded by fissures known as sulci

Nucleus (plural: Nuclei)

A cluster of neurons in the CNS, located deep within the cerebral hemispheres & in the brainstem

Ganglion (plural: Ganglia)

Collection of neuronal bodies found in the voluntary and autonomic branches of PNS

Synaptic relay stations between neurons

Limbic System

Involved in  behavioral and emotional responses (survival—feeding, reproduction, caring for our young; fight or flight responses)

Aggregation of brain structures located lateral to the thalamus, underneath the cerebral cortex, above the brainstem

Hippocampus

Memory center of our brains—episodic memories are formed & catalogued to be filed in long-term storage

Association of memories with various senses via connections

Comes as a pair, one in each hemisphere of the brain; resembles the shape of a curvy seahorse & named after its scientific genus

Used for spatial orientation (navigating the world)

Amygdala

Play a central role in our emotional responses (pleasure, fear, anxiety, anger)

Attaches emotional content to our memories—strong memories tend to stick

Name refers to its almond-like shape; located next to the hippocampus

Formation of memories related to fear

Cingulate gyrus

Involved in the regulation of autonomic functions—processing of emotions, behavior regulation

Basal Ganglia

Group of subcortical nuclei that is primarily responsible for motor control

Fine-tune the voluntary motor activity and is involved in the planning & modulation of movement, memory, eye movements, reward processing, motivation

Cerebellum

Contains 50% of the total number of neurons in the brain despite only being 10% of its whole

Involved in maintenance of balance and posture, coordination of voluntary movements, motor learning, cognitive functions

Cerebrocerebellum

Involved in planning movements and motor learning

Spinocerebellum

Coordination of motor movements and maintenance of muscular tone

Vermis area

Part of the spinocerebellum that coordinates movements of central body parts

Paravermis area

Part of the spinocerebellum that coordinates movement from the distal limbs

Vestibulocerebellum

Involved in regulation of movements underlying posture and equilibrium

Brainstem

Connects cerebrum to the spinal cord & cerebellum

Sends messages to the rest of your body to regulate breathing, heart rate, etc.

Midbrain

Connection central between the brain and the spinal cord

Smallest portion of the brainstem, located topmost

Superior conculi

Part of the midbrain that work on preliminary processing of visual signals before being passed to the occipital lobe

Inferior Conculi

Part of the midbrain that work on auditory signals before being passed through the thalamus to the main auditory center in the cortex

Tegmentum

Part of the midbrain that contains connections that help in keeping us alert

Cerebral Peduncles

Part of the midbrain that serves as the main highway for signals from the cortex to the other parts of the CNS (important for body coordination)

substansia Nigra

A darkly pigmented cluster of neurons with cells that make dopamine

Important relay station of the midbrain for signals of CNS systems that coordinate our movements

Pons

Handles unconscious processes and jobs (sleep-wake cycle, breathing)

Above the midbrain and below the medulla oblongata

Contains several junction points for nerves that control muscles & carry information from senses in your head & face

Medulla Oblongata

Connection between the brainstem and the spinal cord (landmark: foramen magnum)

Origin of cranial nerves IX, X, XI, XII

Helps control vital processes (heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure)

Cranial Nerves

Send electrical signals between your brain, face, neck, and torso

Spinal Cord

Helps carry electrical nerves throughout your body

Divides into 31 segments

Meninges

Three layers of membranes that cover and protect your brain and spinal cord (CNS)

Dura mater

Tough matter; outer layer of meninges, closest to skull

Arachnoid mater

Web-like spaces; middle layer of meninges

Pia mater

Tender layer; thinnest and inner layer of meninges, closest to brain tissue

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

A clear, colorless body fluid found within the tissue that surrounds the CNS of all vertebrates

Acts like a cushion that helps protect your brain and spinal cord from sudden impact/injury

Produced by ependymal cells found in choroid plexus of the ventricles of the brain, then absorbed in the arachnoid granulations

Removes waste products from the brain

Ventricles of the Brain

Communicating network of cavities filled with CSF and located in the brain parenchyma