BMS 4480: Cadaver Care, Brain Gross Anatomy, and Skull Osteology

Flashcards covering cadaver care protocols, major gross anatomical structures of the human brain, and key osteological features and foramina of the skull based on lab notes.

Wetting solution

A fluid used in a squeeze bottle to add moisture directly to donor tissue to prevent it from drying out.

Cerebrum

The largest part of the brain, divided into left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Central sulcus

The groove that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe and divides the precentral gyrus from the postcentral gyrus.

Precentral gyrus

Located in the frontal lobe, it serves as the primary motor cortex.

Postcentral gyrus

Located in the parietal lobe, it serves as the primary sensory cortex.

Longitudinal fissure

The deep groove that separates the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Transverse fissure

The fissure that separates the cerebrum from the cerebellum.

Cerebellum

The 'little brain' located posterior to the brainstem, involved in motor control.

Vermis

The narrow, central part of the cerebellum that connects the two cerebellar hemispheres.

Arbor vitae

The branching, tree-like pattern of white matter within the cerebellum.

Corpora quadrigemina

Four colliculi located on the posterior aspect of the midbrain, consisting of the superior and inferior colliculi.

Superior colliculi

The upper pair of the corpora quadrigemina involved in visual processing reflexes.

Inferior colliculi

The lower pair of the corpora quadrigemina involved in auditory processing reflexes.

Pons

The part of the brainstem situated between the midbrain and the medulla oblongata.

Medulla oblongata

The lowest part of the brainstem that connects to the spinal cord.

Pyramids of the medulla oblongata

Paired white matter structures of the medulla oblongata that contain motor fibers of the corticospinal tracts.

Corpus callosum

A large C-shaped nerve fiber bundle found beneath the cerebral cortex that facilitates communication between the left and right hemispheres.

Thalamus

The main relay station for sensory information, located above the hypothalamus.

Hypothalamus

The region of the brain below the thalamus that coordinates both the autonomic nervous system and the activity of the pituitary.

Meninges

The three protective membranes that envelope the brain consisting of the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater.

Insula

A region of the cerebral cortex located deep within the lateral sulcus, revealed when the frontal and temporal lobes are retracted.

Foramen magnum

The large opening in the occipital bone of the skull through which the spinal cord passes.

Occipital condyles

Undersurface protuberances of the occipital bone that articulate with the first cervical vertebra.

Sella turcica

A saddle-shaped depression in the sphenoid bone that holds the pituitary gland; translates to 'Turkish saddle'.

Cribriform plate

A sieve-like structure of the ethmoid bone that supports the olfactory bulbs and allows for the passage of olfactory nerves.

Crista galli

A median ridge of bone on the ethmoid bone that projects superiorly from the cribriform plate.

External auditory meatus

The ear canal or opening in the temporal bone leading to the eardrum.

Zygomatic arch

Commonly known as the cheekbone, formed by the zygomatic process of the temporal bone and the temporal process of the zygomatic bone.

Sutures

Fibrous joints that connect the bones of the skull, including the coronal, squamosal, sagittal, and lambdoidal sutures.

Bregma

The anatomical point on the skull where the coronal suture is intersected perpendicularly by the sagittal suture.