Lecture 8: Neuroanatomy Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the anatomical references, brain regions, and subcortical structures discussed in Lecture 8 of Neuroanatomy.

Rostral (Anterior)

An anatomical reference meaning toward the front or the nose.

Caudal (Posterior)

An anatomical reference meaning toward the tail or the back of the head.

Dorsal

An anatomical reference meaning toward the back or the top of the brain.

Ventral

An anatomical reference meaning toward the belly or the bottom of the brain.

Ipsilateral

A term meaning located on the same side of the body.

Contralateral

A term meaning located on the opposite side of the body.

Midsagittal Plane

An anatomical plane that divides the brain into equal right and left halves.

Gyrus

A bump or fold on the surface of the cerebral cortex.

Sulcus

A groove on the surface of the cerebral cortex.

Fissure

A deep groove on the surface of the cerebral cortex, such as the sagittal fissure.

Cerebral Lobes

The major divisions of the telencephalon, including the Frontal, Parietal, Temporal, and Occipital lobes, as well as the Insula.

Frontal Lobe

The largest lobe responsible for executive functions, planning, motor control, and speech production (Broca's area).

Parietal Lobe

The lobe responsible for processing somatosensory information, including touch, pain, temperature, and spatial awareness.

Occipital Lobe

The lobe primarily responsible for the awareness and processing of visual stimuli.

Temporal Lobe

The lobe responsible for auditory processing, language comprehension (Wernicke's area), and smell (olfactory cortex).

Insula

A region deep within the lateral sulcus responsible for taste, visceral sensation, and autonomic control.

Central Sulcus

The boundary that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe.

Lateral Sulcus (Sylvian Fissure)

The boundary that separates the frontal and temporal lobes.

Primary Cortical Areas

The entry and exit points for the cortex that receive raw sensory data from the thalamus or send direct motor commands to muscles.

Secondary (Unimodal) Cortical Areas

Areas adjacent to primary areas that integrate raw signals into recognizable patterns by comparing them to past experiences.

Association (Multimodal) Cortical Areas

The highest level of processing areas that integrate information from multiple sensory modalities to support complex cognitive functions.

Corpus Callosum

The main bundle of neuronal fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.

Amygdala

A subcortical structure in the telencephalon primarily associated with the fear response.

Hippocampus

A subcortical structure involved in memory, specifically known for the trisynaptic pathway.

Trisynaptic Pathway

The hippocampal circuit where information flows from the entorhinal cortex to the dentate gyrus (DG), then to $CA3$ via mossy fibers, and finally to $CA1$ via Schaffer collaterals.

Thalamus

A diencephalon structure known as the gateway to the cortex, which relays sensory information to specific cortical areas.

Hypothalamus

A diencephalon structure that regulates homeostasis, including body temperature, metabolism, and blood composition.

Midbrain (Mesencephalon)

Part of the brainstem consisting of the Tectum (superior and inferior colliculi) and the Tegmentum.

Superior Colliculus

A component of the midbrain tectum involved in orienting and eye movements.

Inferior Colliculus

A component of the midbrain tectum involved in auditory responses.

Pons

A hindbrain structure, literally meaning bridge, that connects the cortex with the medulla and serves as a coordination center.

Medulla

A hindbrain structure involved in autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate, and the site of pyramidal decussation.

Decussation

The crossing of axons from one side of the brain or spinal cord to the other, such as in the medulla.

Cerebellum

Known as the little brain, it is the primary movement center where the left side controls the left side of the body and vice versa.

Ventricles

Cerebrospinal fluid ($CSF$)-filled caverns and canals inside the brain.

Choroid Plexus

Specialized tissue within the ventricles that secretes cerebrospinal fluid ($CSF$).

Cranial Nerves

A set of $12$ nerves where the olfactory and optic nerves are part of the $CNS$, while the other $10$ contain axons of the $PNS$.