Central Nervous System & Cranial Nerves: Review Activity (Vocabulary Flashcards)

Vocabulary flashcards created from the Central Nervous System & Cranial Nerves notes.

Frontal lobe

Lobe at the anterior part of the brain involved in executive functions, planning, decision making, and voluntary movement.

Parietal lobe

Lobe between the frontal and occipital lobes; processes somatosensory information and spatial relationships.

Temporal lobe

Lobe involved in hearing, language, and memory.

Occipital lobe

Lobe responsible for processing visual information.

Limbic lobe

Medial brain region associated with emotion and memory; part of the limbic system.

Cerebellum

Posterior brain structure coordinating movement, balance, and motor learning.

Central sulcus

Fissure separating the frontal and parietal lobes, dividing motor and somatosensory cortices.

Parietooccipital sulcus

Fissure separating the parietal and occipital lobes.

Cingulate sulcus

Medial brain sulcus along the cingulate gyrus; part of the limbic system.

Calcarine fissure

Location of the primary visual cortex in the occipital lobe.

Lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure)

Fissure separating the temporal lobe from the frontal and parietal lobes.

Corpus callosum

Major bundle of nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Lateral ventricle

CSF-filled cavity within each cerebral hemisphere.

Third ventricle

Midline ventricle in the diencephalon; communicates with lateral ventricles.

Fourth ventricle

Ventricle between the brainstem and cerebellum; connects to the subarachnoid space.

Thalamus

Relay station for sensory information en route to the cortex; gateway to the cortex.

Hypothalamus

Regulatory center for autonomic and endocrine systems; maintains homeostasis.

Pineal gland

Endocrine gland that secretes melatonin; activity regulated by the hypothalamus.

Pituitary gland

Master endocrine gland influencing other glands; connected to the hypothalamus.

Superior colliculus

Midbrain structure involved in visual orienting and reflexive eye movements.

Inferior colliculus

Midbrain auditory relay center for hearing.

Mammillary body

Hypothalamic structure involved in memory processing; part of the limbic system.

Midbrain

Section of the brainstem between the forebrain and hindbrain; contains the colliculi.

Pons

Brainstem region that relays signals between the cerebellum and cortex; houses some CN nuclei.

Medulla

Lower brainstem with autonomic centers and cranial nerve nuclei; site of pyramidal decussation.

Spinal cord

CNS conduit for signals and reflex integration; organized into gray and white matter.

Olfactory bulb/tract

CN I; carries smell information from the nasal cavity to the brain.

Optic nerve

CN II; transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Oculomotor nerve

CN III; controls most eye movements and pupil constriction.

Trochlear nerve

CN IV; innervates the superior oblique muscle for eye movement.

Trigeminal nerve

CN V; sensory face reception and motor to masseter and other muscles of mastication.

Abducens nerve

CN VI; abducts the eye via the lateral rectus muscle.

Facial nerve

CN VII; controls facial expressions and carries taste from the anterior tongue.

Vestibulocochlear nerve

CN VIII; mediates hearing and balance.

Glossopharyngeal nerve

CN IX; taste posterior tongue and sensory/motor roles in swallowing and salivation.

Vagus nerve

CN X; parasympathetic output to thorax and abdomen; motor to larynx; visceral sensation.

Accessory nerve

CN XI; innervates sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Hypoglossal nerve

CN XII; controls tongue movements.

Precentral gyrus

Frontal lobe gyrus containing the primary motor cortex.

Postcentral gyrus

Parietal lobe gyrus containing the primary somatosensory cortex.

Insula

Cerebral region tucked within the lateral sulcus; involved in emotion, homeostasis, and taste integration.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Clear fluid in ventricles and subarachnoid space that cushions the CNS and circulates nutrients.

Arachnoid granulations

Projections that drain CSF into the venous system via dural sinuses.

Superior sagittal sinus

Dural venous sinus that drains CSF and venous blood from the brain.

Hippocampus

Medial temporal structure essential for forming new memories and spatial navigation.

Parietal association cortex

Parietal lobe region for higher-order sensory integration and spatial processing.

Primary motor cortex

Area of the frontal lobe (precentral gyrus) that initiates voluntary motor commands.

Primary somatosensory cortex

Area of the postcentral gyrus that processes tactile and proprioceptive information.

Primary visual cortex

Occipital lobe region around the calcarine fissure where initial visual processing occurs.

Melatonin

Hormone produced by the pineal gland that regulates the sleep-wake cycle.