Neuroanatomy Structures- Cedarville University

Anterior media fissure

spinal cord

arachnoid villi

structures that return cerebrospinal fluid to the venous blood in the dural sinuses

Arbor Vitae

white matter of the cerebellum

Soma

cell body

Dendrite

Branchlike parts of a neuron that are specialized to receive information.

Axon

the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Basal Ganglia

a set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements

basilar artery

An artery, formed by the fusion of the vertebral arteries, that supplies blood to the brainstem and to the posterior cerebral arteries.

Brocas area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Cauda Equina

collection of spinal nerves below the end of the spinal cord

Central Canal

A tiny channel found within the spinal cord and inferior medulla oblongata

Central Sulcus

separates frontal and parietal lobes

Cerebellum

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.

Cerebral Aqueduct

connects the third and fourth ventricles

Cerebral Cortex

The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.

Cerebral gray matter

dense matter. primarily in cerebral cortex. involved in function. associated with intelligence.

Cerebral White Matter

responsible for communication between cerebral areas and the cerebral cortex and lower CNS centers

Choroid Plexus

A highly vascular portion of the lining of the ventricles that secretes cerebrospinal fluid.

Commissures

connect corresponding gray areas of the two hemispheres

Conus Medullaris

end of spinal cord

Corpus Callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Dorsal Root Ganglion

contains cell bodies of sensory neurons

Epidural Space

space between the dura mater and the wall of the vertebral canal

Falx Cerebri

separates the two cerebral hemispheres

Falx Cerebelli

separates the two hemispheres of the cerebellum

Filum Terminale

fibrous extension of the pia mater; anchors the spinal cord to the coccyx

Cerebral Lobes

frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

Frontal Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

Parietal Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.

Occipital Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information

Temporal Lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Hypothalamus

A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

infundibulum of pituitary gland

A narrow stalk connecting the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland (endocrine system).

Insula

regions of cortex located at the junction of the frontal and temporal lobes

Interventricular Foramina

join lateral ventricles with third

Jugular Foramen

Name this foramen.

Lateral Sulcus

Separates temporal lobe from parietal and frontal lobes

Lateral Ventricles

A set of paired ventricles lying within the cerebral hemispheres.

dura mater

thick, outermost layer of the meninges surrounding and protecting the brain and spinal cord

arachnoid mater

middle layer of the meninges

pia mater

thin, delicate inner membrane of the meninges

medulla oblongata

Part of the brainstem that controls vital life-sustaining functions such as heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion.

Midbrain

A small part of the brain above the pons that integrates sensory information and relays it upward.

neural plexus

a network of intersecting nerves

cervicle plexus

_______ consists of the ventral rami of spinal nerves C1-C5. It innervates the muscles of the neck and extends into the thoracic cavity where they control the diaphragm muscles.

brachial plexus

C5-T1

lumbar plexus

L1-L4

sacral plexus

Arises from L4-S4

- Serves the buttock, lower limb, pelvic structures, and perineum

olfactory bulb

a brain structure located above the nasal cavity beneath the frontal lobes

olfactory nerve

the nerve that carries smell impulses from the nose to the brain

Olfactory Tract

the path along which the olfactory receptors send their electrical messages to the brain.

optic chiasm

the point in the brain where the visual field information from each eye "crosses over" to the appropriate side of the brain for processing

Optic Nerve

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

Optic Tract

How information from the optic nerve travels to the thalamus.

Pineal Gland

secretes melatonin

Pituitary Gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Pons

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain

Posterior White Columns

lie between posterior gray horns and posterior median sulcus

postcentral gyrus

primary somatosensory cortex

precentral gyrus

primary motor cortex

septum pellucidum

thin membrane that separates lateral ventricles

cervical spinal enlargement

Lumbosacral spinal enlargement

Spinal Nerve

a peripheral nerve attached to the spinal cord

Spinal Rootlets

Thin bundles of afferent and efferent fibers/axons

Subarachnoid space

a space in the meninges beneath the arachnoid membrane and above the pia mater that contains the cerebrospinal fluid

subdural space

space between dura mater and arachnoid mater

Thalamus

the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Tentorium Cerebelli

separates cerebrum from cerebellum

Ventricals of the brain

Wernicke's area

controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe