PSYC 301 - Structural Neuroanatomy

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the body’s nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The part of the body’s nervous system that includes limbs and organs

Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

The part of the PNS which involves voluntary actions, interacting with the environment (e.g. walking, jumping, typing, etc.)

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)

The part of the PNS which involves involuntary actions (e.g. breathing, heartbeat)

Afferent Nerves (SNS)

Nerves in the somatic nervous system which carry sensory signals from the peripherals to the central nervous system

Efferent Nerves (SNS)

Nerves in the somatic nervous system which carry motor signals from the central nervous system to the peripherals (e.g. skeletal muscles)

Afferent Nerves (ANS)

Nerves that carry sensory signals from internal organs to the CNS

Efferent Nerves (ANS)

Nerves that carry motor signals from the CNS to internal organs

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the ANS which deals with mobilizing energy in threatening situations, responding to sudden stimuli

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The part of the ANS which deals with relaxing, “rest and digest”

Brief description of the spinal cord

• Inner “H” shape with gray matter (cells and unmyelinated axons)

• Outer area of white matter (myelinated axons)

Nucleus (CNS)

A cluster of cell bodies in the Central Nervous System

Tract (CNS)

A bundle of axons in the Central Nervous System

Ganglion (PNS)

A cluster of cell bodies in the Peripheral Nervous System

Nerve, Nerve Fibres (PNS)

A bundle of axons/axons in the Peripheral Nervous System

Gray matter

Outer cell bodies and capillary (tiniest) blood vessels of the brain

White matter

Inner cell bodies of the brain, mostly myelinated axons

Directions in the the nervous system: Up, Down, Left, Right

Dorsal, Ventral, Rostral (Anterior), Caudal (Posterior)

Lateral, Medial

Towards the side vs. towards the middle of the brain

XYZ planes of the brain

HCS; Horizontal, Coronal, Sagittal

Unilateral, Bilateral, Ipsilateral, Contralateral

On one side, on both sides, on the same side, on opposite sides

3 main divisions of the brain (from top to bottom)

Forebrain, Midbrain, Hindbrain

5 subdivisions of the brain (from top to bottom)

Telencephalon, Diencephalon, Mesencephalon, Metencephalon, Myencephalon

Myencephalon

• Hindbrain

• Lowest part of the brain stem

• Contains the medulla

  • Controls all autonomic functions, i.e. breathing/heartbeat/blood pressure

Metencephalon

• Hindbrain

• Pons

  • Sleep, Senses, Eye movement

• Cerebellum

  • Half of all neurons in brain

  • Fine-tuning movements & timing

Mesencephalon

• Midbrain

• Tectum

  • Visual & Auditory info

• Tegmentum

  • Motor function

  • Pain

Diencephalon

• Forebrain

• Thalamus

• Hypothalamus

  • Regulates hormones, endocrine system via the pituitary gland

Telencephalon

• Forebrain

• Basal Ganglia

• Limbic System

  • Hippocampus (spatial memory)

  • Amygdala (emotion)

• Cerebral Cortex

  • Lobes

Limbic System

• Forebrain, Telencephalon

• Hippocampus (spatial memory)

• Amygdala (emotion)

Corpus Callosum

• Largest white matter structure in the brain