Chapter 16: The Brain and Cranial Nerves Part 2

what is the medulla oblongata continuous with

the spinal cord to the brainstem

what does all communication between the brain and spinal cord pass through

the medulla oblongata

what are nuclei in the medulla oblongata

relay stations for sensory or motor pathways

what are nuclei in the medulla oblongata associated with

with cranial nerves connected to the medulla oblongata and with the autonomic control of visceral organs 

gracile nucleus and cuneate nucleus relay station

pass somatic sensory information to the thalamus

solitary nucleus relay station

receives visceral sensation from the spinal nerves and cranial nerves

olivary nuclei relay station 

pass information from the cerebrum. spinal cord, diencephalon, and brainstem to the cerebellum 

what does the olivary nuclei create

olives, bulges on the medulla oblongata

what does the nuclei of cranial nerves contain

sensory and motor nuclei of cranial nerves VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)

reflex centers

receive input from cranial nerves, cerebral cortex, diencephalon, and brainstem

what do major reflex centers include

cardiovascular centers (cardiac and vasomotor) and respiratory rhythmicity centers (rhythmic breathing) 

the pons

prominent bulge superior to the medulla oblongata

what sensory and motor nuclei for cranial nerves are in the pons

V, VI, VII, and VIII (5, 6, 7, 8)

what does the pons consist of

nuclei involved with involuntary control of breath and nuclei that relay cerebellar command

what do nuclei involved with involuntary control of breathing in the pons consist of 

apneusitic center and pneumotaxic center 

what do nuclei that relay cerebellar commands in the pons consist of

cerebellar peduncles

how are nucleic that relay cerebellar commands in the pons connected

via transverse fibers

what kind of tracts are in the pons 

ascending, descending, and transverse tracts 

what does the mesencephalon contain

two pairs of nuclei collectively called the corpora quadrigemina

what is the surface of the mesencephalon called

tectum

what is the tectum responsible for 

auditory and visual stimuli 

where does auditory processing occur in the tectum

inferior colliculli

where does visual processing occur in the tectum

superior colliculi

what do the walls and floor with nuclei of the reticular formation in the mesencephalon consist of 

pair of nuclei, red nucleus and substantia nigra 

what is the red nucleus and substantia nigra in the mesencephalon involved in

maintaining alertness, muscle tone, and limb position

what do the ventrolateral surfaces of the mesencephalon contain

the cerebral peduncles

what does the diencephalon consist of 

epithalamus, thalamus, and hypothalamus 

what does the epithalamus contain

the pineal gland which produces melatonin

how are the left and right thalamus connected in the diencephalon

via the interthalamic adhesion

how does the hypothalamus extend 

from the area superior to the optic chiasm to the mammillary bodies 

what extends from the hypothalamus

infundibulum connecting the pituitary

midsaggital section of hypothalamus

tuberal area

what does the thalamus form 

walls of the third ventricle 

thalamus includes the

left and right thalamus

thalamic nuclei

are egg shaped

what is each thalamic nucleus divided into 

anterior nuclei, medial nuclei, ventral nuclei, posterior nuclei, and lateral nuclei 

anterior nuclei

part of the limbic system

medial nuclei

relay information to the frontal lobe

vental nuclei

relay information to the parietal lobes

posterior nuclei

relay information to the occipital lobe

what does the posterior nuclei include 

pulvinar nuclei, lateral geniculate nuclei, and medial geniculate nuclei 

lateral nuclei

adjust activity in the cingulate gyrus and parietal lobe

what does the nuclei of the hypothalamus subconsciously control

skeletal muscles

what does the nuclei of the hypothalamus control 

heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and digestive functions 

what kind of secretion does the nuclei of the hypothalamus control

secretion of antidiuretic hormone via the supraoptic nucleus and oxytocin via the paraventricular nucleus

what kind of drives do the nuclei of the hypothalamus control

emotions and behavior drives and thirst drives

what kind of coordination do the nuclei of the hypothalamus control

coordination between voluntary and autonomic functions

via the pre-optic nerve the nuclei of the hypothalamus controls 

body temperature 

via the suprachiasmatic nucleus the nuclei of the hypothalamus controls

circadian rhythm

how many hemispheres are in the cerebellum

2 hemispheres (cerebellar hemispheres)

folia cerebelli

folia of the cerebellum which are folds similar to gyri of the cerebrum

how are the anterior and posterior loves separated in the cerebellum 

by primary fissure

vermis

narrow band of cortex that separates the hemispheres in the cerebellum

what does the cerebellum consist of apart from the hemispheres, folia cerebelli, and anterior/posterior lobes 

flocculonodular lobes, purkinje cells, and cerebellar nuclei 

cerebellar cortex

in the cerebellum, subconscious coordination of movements

arbor vitae

in the cerebellum, connects cerebellar cortex with cerebellar peduncles

cerebellar peduncles 

superior, middle, inferior 

superior cerebellar peduncles

connect cerebellum with mesencephalon, diencephalon, and cerebrum

middle cerebellar peduncles

communicate between cerebellum and pons

inferior cerebellar peduncles 

connect cerebellum with medulla oblongata 

what does the cerebrum consist of

two hemispheres, several lobes, gyri and sulci, longitudinal fissure, corpus callosum, basal nuceli, and limbic system

several lobes of the cerebrum contains

frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal

the do the cerebral hemispheres consist of 

gyri and sulci, central sulcus, longitudinal fissure, cerebral lobes, and lateral sulcus 

how are the two cerebral hemispheres separated

by the longitudinal fissure

what does lobes do the cerebral hemispheres consist of

central sulcus, lateral sulcus, insula, and parieto-occipital sulcus

frontal lobe of cerebral hemispheres

conscious control of skeletal muscles

occipital lobe of cerebral hemispheres 

perception of visual stimuli 

parietal lobes of cerebral hemispheres

conscious perception of touch, pressure, vibration, pain, temperature, and taste

temporal lobe of cerebral hemispheres

conscious perception of auditory and olfactory stimuli/deep is the insula

motor and sensory areas of the cerebral cortex

precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus

precentral gyrus location 

anterior to the central sulcus 

what does the precentral gyrus consist of

primary motor cortex and pyramidal cells

what do neurons in the precentral gyrus direct

voluntary movements by controlling somatic motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord

postcentral gyrus location 

posterior to the central sulcus 

what does the postcentral gyrus consist of

primary somatosensory cortex

what do neurons in the postcentral gyrus receive

somatic sensory information for touch, pressure, pain, taste

what are neurons in the post central gyrus associated with 

visual cortex, auditory cortex, olfactory cortex, and gustatory cortex 

what are association areas

areas associated with integrating and understanding sensory or motor information

association areas in cerebral hemispheres

somatosensory association area, premotor cortex, visual association area, and auditory association area

somatosensory association area 

allows for the understanding of size, form, and texture

premotor cortex

uses memories of learned movement of coordinate motor activities

visual association area

visually recognizes and interprets objects

auditory association area 

recognizes sound 

what are higher order functions performed by

cerebral cortex

what do higher order functions involve

communication between cerebral cortex areas and other areas of the brain, and conscious and unconscious information processing

what are functions of higher order functions subject to 

modifications and adjustments 

what do integrative centers of the various regions of the cerebral cortex do

integrate complex sensory stimuli and motor responses

what are the various prefrontal cortex areas

general interpretive area, the speech center, the prefrontal cortex, and wernicke’s area

special language areas in the brain

wernicke’s area, speech center, receptive speech area

wernicke’s area 

analytical area/plays a role in personality 

speech center (Broca’s area)

speech production/regulates breathing pattern for speech

receptive speech area

adjusts the speech based on feedback from auditory stimuli

what does the prefrontal cortex perform 

complicated learning and reasoning functions 

what is a prefrontal lobotomy

removal of a lobe

hemispheric lateralization 

left hemisphere and right hemisphere 

left hemisphere

speech center, writing, language, mathematics

right hemisphere 

analysis by touch, spatial visualization 

what does central white matter consist of

bundles called association fibers, commissural fibers, and projection fibers

association fibers

tracts that interconnect areas of neural cortex within a hemisphere (arcuate fibers and longitudinal fasciculi)

commissural fibers 

tracts the connect the two hemispheres (anterior commissure and corpus callosum)