Anatomy Nervous System Lab Notes

What are the six regions of the brain?

1. Cerebrum

2. Diencephalon

3. Midbrain

4. Pons

5. Medulla oblongata

6. Cerebellum

What is included in the brain stem?

1. Midbrain

2. Pons

3. Medulla oblongata

Name two structures included in the cerebrum

• frontal lobe

• Parietal lobe

Name two structures included in the diencephalon

• thalamus

• Hypothalamus

Name two structures in the midbrain

• corpora quadrigemina

• Cerebral aqueduct

Name two structures in the pons

• ventral pins

• Dorsal pons

Name two structures in the medulla oblongata

• medullary pyramids

• inferior olivary nuclei

Name two structures in the cerebellum

• cerebellar cortex

• dentate nucleus

Ventricles

Four interconnected, fluid-filled cavities that produce, store, and circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

What are the four ventricles of the brain?

1. Left lateral ventricle

2. Right lateral ventricle

3. Third ventricle

4. Fourth ventricle

What is found in the ventricles?

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

What are the hollow spaces inside the cerebrum?

lateral ventricles

What are the hollow spaces inside the diencephalon?

third ventricle

What are the hollow spaces inside the midbrain?

cerebral aqueduct

What are the hollow spaces inside the pons, medulla oblongata, and cerebellum?

Fourth ventricle

What are the hollow spaces inside the spinal cord?

central canal

Cerebrum

managing all of your conscious thoughts, actions and input from your senses

Diencephalon

primary relay and processing center for sensory information and autonomic control

Midbrain

has roles in motor movement, especially eye movement, and in visual and auditory processing

pons

transmits signals between your forebrain and cerebellum

medulla oblongata

acts as a vital control center for life-sustaining, automatic body processes

Cerebellum

maintains posture and balance

Cerebral hemispheres

either of the two symmetrical halves (left and right) of the cerebrum separated by the longitudinal fissure

Gyrus

a ridged fold (or bump) on the surface of the cerebral cortex of the brain

Sulcus

shallow groove or indent (depression) on the surface of the brain (cerebral cortex)

fissure

A deep, permanent groove or indent (depression) on the surface of the brain (cerebral cortex)

Name the lobes of the cerebral cortex/cerebral hemisphere

• frontal lobe

• Parietal lobe

• Temporal lobe

• Occipital lobe

• Insula

Frontal lobe

• manages higher-level thinking

• Motor control/movement

• Memory

• Social behaviors

Parietal lobe

Somatosensory processing

• the network responsible for detecting and interpreting sensory information from the body, including touch, temperature, pain, and body position

Temporal lobe

Auditory processing

• Allows you to recognize music, speech, and environmental noises

occipital lobe

Visual processing

• the brain’s ability to receive, interpret, and make sense of visual information gathered by the eyes

Precentral gyrus

a prominent ridge on the posterior surface of the frontal lobe in the cerebral cortex

Central sulcus

a prominent groove in the cerebral cortex of the brain that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe

Postcentral gyrus

a prominent gyrus in the lateral parietal lobe of the human brain that houses the primary somatosensory cortex

Primary motor cortex

executes and controls voluntary physical movements across the body

Premotor cortex

preparing and executing movements

Broca’s area

Speech and language production

Prefrontal cortex

helps with focus, emotions and decision-making

Primary somatosensory cortex

main sensory receptive area for the sense of touch and body awareness

Somatosensory association cortex

Helps interpret and recognize sensations from touch

Gustatory cortex

Allows you to recognize and interpret tastes

Wernicke’s area

language comprehension (spoken and written)

Primary visual cortex

Receives and processes visual information from the eyes

Visual association area

Helps you recognize and understand what you are seeing

Auditory association area

Helps you understand and recognize sounds

Primary auditory cortex

Receives and processes sound information from the ears

What lobe is associated with somatic sensation?

Parietal

What lobe is associated with taste?

Insula

What lobe is associated with vision?

Occipital

What lobe is associated with hearing?

Temporal

What lobe is associated with smell?

Temporal

What lobe is associated with motor area?

Frontal

Cerebral cortex

your brain's outermost layer

**made up of gray matter

Cerebral gray matter

the outer wrinkled layer of the brain (the cerebral cortex) that processes information

• mostly neuron cell bodies

Cerebral white matter

deep brain tissue made up of myelinated nerve fibers (axons) that act as communication pathways (carry messages throughout the brain)

Olfactory bulb

primary processing and relay center for the sense of smell

Olfactory tract

transmits sensory smell information from the olfactory bulb directly to the primary olfactory cortex in the brain

Optic chiasma

where the optic nerves from both eyes meet and partially cross

optic nerve

acts as a data cable, carrying visual information from your eyes to your brain

optic tract

carries sensory visual information from the optic chiasm to deeper brain structures

Mammillary body

Helps with memory formation and recall

pituitary gland

Releases hormones that control growth, reproduction, and other body functions

decussation of pyramids

The point where most motor signals cross to the opposite side of the body

cerebral peduncles

Carry motor signals from the brain to the spinal cord

**fiber tracts in the midbrain connecting the pons below with cerebrum above

Corpora quadrigemina

reflex centers for vision and hearing

• consists of-

  • Superior colliculi

  • Inferior colliculi

Superior colliculi

Manages visual reflexes

inferior colliculi

manages auditory reflexes

corpus callosum

links the left and right cerebral hemispheres

• largest white matter structure in the brain

Fornix

a C-shaped bundle of white matter fibers in the brain that acts as the primary output and input pathway for the hippocampus

septum pellucidum

a thin, triangular, vertical double membrane in the midline of the brain that separates the left and right lateral ventricles

nuclei

process, integrate, and relay specific types of electrical and chemical signals

basal nuclei/ganglia

Help control muscle movements

caudate nucleus

Helps control voluntary movements

putamen

primary input gateway of the basal ganglia

Globus pallidus

regulate conscious, voluntary movements and coordinate posture

corona radiata

Carries nerve signals between the cerebral cortex and deeper parts of the brain and spinal cord

internal capsule

Carries sensory and motor messages through the brain

striatum

Helps control and coordinate voluntary movements

thalamus

your body's information relay station

interthalamic adhesion/mass

Connects the left and right sides of the thalamus **in name

interventricular foramen

connect the lateral ventricles to the third ventricle

hypothalamus

Maintains homeostasis by controlling body temperature, hunger, thirst, and hormones

infundibulum

Connects the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland

Pineal gland

synthesize and secrete the hormone melatonin in response to environmental light and dark cycles

choroid plexus

Produces cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

cerebral aqueduct

to act as a narrow channel that connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle in the brain

Vermis

connects the two lateral hemispheres of the Cerebellum

arbor vitae (cerebellum)

the tree-like branching pattern of white matter located inside the human cerebellum