Introduction to the Nervous System and Brain Anatomy

Flashcards covering the comparative anatomy, structural landmarks, and functional regions of the human brain as discussed in the lecture.

Huntington's disease

An incurable neurodegenerative disease characterized by movement disorders.

Human brain weight

Approximately $1,400\,g$ of mostly fat.

Neurons in utero

By week 12, the brain develops about 320 billion neurons from a few hundred cells.

Lissencephalic

A term describing a smooth brain surface without normal bumps or folds, characteristic of rats or certain human diseases.

Cerebellum

Meaning 'little brain,' it contains approximately 80% of the brain's neurons and is responsible for motor coordination.

Gyri

The ridges or folds on the surface of the brain.

Sulci (Sulcus)

The valleys or grooves between the gyri on the brain's surface.

Frontal lobe

The anterior part of the brain dealing with higher-order functions like thinking, rationality, and motor control.

Temporal lobe

The inferior part of the brain associated with memory, aggression, and auditory processing.

Central sulcus

The distinct notch or groove that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Lateral (Sylvian) fissure

A deep division separating the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobe.

Pre-occipital notch

A landmark notch on the undersurface of the brain used to help define the boundaries of the occipital lobe.

Parieto-occipital sulcus

A mostly medial structure that serves as the boundary between the parietal and occipital lobes.

Pre-central gyrus

Located in front of the central sulcus, it houses the primary motor cortex.

Pyramidal cells

Large, triangular neurons in the primary motor cortex that project signals down to the spinal cord to activate muscles.

Homunculus

A 'body map' within the motor or sensory cortex representing the specific brain regions that control or receive signals from different parts of the body.

Planning (Premotor) cortex

The area that calculates the best movements to ensure the primary motor cortex executes actions smoothly.

Broca's Area

A region in the frontal lobe responsible for planning the motor movements required for speech.

Aphasia

A language disorder resulting from brain damage that affects the ability to speak or understand speech.

Non-fluent aphasia

Also known as Broca's aphasia; a condition where a person understands speech but cannot produce fluent language.

Frontal association cortex

The large area of the frontal lobe involved in intelligence, personality, behavior, mood, and cognitive function.

Primary auditory cortex

Located on the top surface of the temporal lobe; it breaks down sounds into tones and timing using a tonotopic map.

Wernicke's Area

A region in the temporal lobe responsible for the comprehension and understanding of spoken language.

Sensory (Fluent) aphasia

Also known as Wernicke's aphasia; a condition where a person can speak fluently but cannot understand language or produce logical responses.

Arcuate fasciculus

An arch-shaped bundle of white matter (axons) that connects Wernicke's area to Broca's area.

Post-central gyrus

Located behind the central sulcus, it houses the primary sensory cortex.

Supramarginal gyrus

A region in the parietal lobe primarily involved in the function of reading.

Angular gyrus

A region in the parietal lobe primarily involved in the function of writing.

Parietal association cortex

The region of the parietal lobe responsible for spatial skills, 3D recognition, and abstract perception.