Neuro101B

Medulla

Caudal aspect of the brainstem located between the pons and the spinal cord. The medulla oblongata is responsible for regulating several basic functions of the autonomic nervous system, including respiration, cardiac function, vasodilation, and reflexes like vomiting, coughing, sneezing, and swallowing.

Premotor and Supplementary Cortex

Cortical area anterior to primary motor cortex involved in planning and programming of complex movements.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Cortical area in the post central gyrus that receives somatosensory information from the thalamus (ventral posterior n).

Prefrontal Cortex

Cortical area mediates many executive functions including working memory, planning and decision making.

Parietal Association Cortex

Cortical areas of the parietal lobe posterior to the primary somatosensory cortex. Involved in multi-modal sensory integration, including attention, spatial awareness ('where' pathway), and proprioception.

Temporal Association Cortex

Cortical regions of the temporal lobe that extends beyond the primary auditory cortex. Involved in complex auditory processing, language comprehension and visual recognition ('what pathway').

Frontal Lobe

Involved in movement and executive functions such as planning and organization of goal-directed behavior, cognitive control, and self-referential thought. The frontal lobe consists of the prefrontal cortex, premotor area, supplementary motor area, frontal eye fields, and primary motor area.

Parietal Lobe

Involved in somatosensory functions like touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception, and multisensory functions such as spatial processing. Integrates sensory and perceptual information, allowing for coordination of movement in response to the environment. Lobe consists of the somatosensory cortex and posterior parietal cortex.

Pons

One of the three components of the brainstem, lying between the midbrain and the medulla; one important function of the pons is to provide a relay for the transfer of movement signals between the cerebral cortex and the cerebellum, which overlies the pons and the fourth ventricle.

Postcentral gyrus

Prominent gyrus on surface of lateral parietal lobe. On the site of the primary somatosensory cortex (Brodmann's Area 3,1,2)

Precentral gyrus

Prominent gyrus on surface of posterior frontal lobe. On the site of the primary motor cortex (Brodmann's Area 4)

Lateral fissure (aka Sylvian fissure)

Separates the frontal and parietal lobe from the temporal lobe.

Central sulcus

Separates the parietal lobe from the frontal lobe and the primary motor cortex from the primary somatosensory cortex.

Occipital Lobe

The occipital lobe consists of the primary and secondary visual areas of the brain. It receives and deciphers visual signals from the retina (via the thalamus).

Temporal Lobe

The temporal lobe contains the primary auditory area and also contains cortical association areas for object and face recognition. The medial temporal lobe is involved in emotions (amygdala), memory (hippocampus), and olfaction (entorhinal cortex).

Superior - Inferior

above - below

Areas 5 & 7 (superior posterior parietal cortex)

areas in the posterior part of the superior parietal lobe; involved in maintaining a spatial reference system for goal oriented behavior (where pathway).

Area 40 (inferior posterior parietal cortex)

association cortical area in the inferior parietal lobe, including supramarginal gyrus; involved in maintaining a spatial reference for goal oriented behavior (where pathway).

Area 39 (angular gyrus)

associational cortical area in the angular gyrus at the interface between posterior parietal and occipital lobes. It is involved in spatial processing in the right hemisphere and language processing in the left.

Area 10 (frontal pole)

associational cortical area in the anterior-polar prefrontal region of the frontal lobe; this area participates in prefrontal cortical networks that govern executive functions.

Area 46 (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex)

associational cortical area in the middle frontal gyrus and anterior part of the inferior gyrus; this area participates in prefrontal cortical networks that govern executive and working memory functions.

Lateral

away from the midline; towards the side

Anterior - Posterior

front - back

Primary Motor Cortex

initiation and control of movement.

Trochlear Nerve (IV)

involved in eye movements.

Olfactory Bulb (I)

involved in olfaction (smell). Relays information to the temporal lobe via the olfactory tract.

Cerebrospinal fluid

is a nutrient rich solution that supplies the brain with nutrients. It fills the space between the arachnoid membrane and the Pia mater, and fills the ventricular system around/inside the brain and spinal cord.

myelencephalon

is a posterior subdivision of the hindbrain embryonic vesicle that gives rise to the medulla in the adult nervous system.

Cerebellum

is found on the superior side of the metencephalon. It consists of a three-layered cortex, subcortical white matter, deep nuclei, and three peduncles that connect the cerebellum to the brainstem. The cerebellum is concerned with the sequencing and timing of movement, and also plays a role in skill learning.

anterior pituitary gland

is not neural tissue, but glandular tissue connected by a small vascular system to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus releases hormones into this system. When these hormones reach the anterior pituitary gland, they stimulate the release of hormones such as growth hormone, ACTH, which stimulates the release of cortisol (which mobilizes energy reserves), and gonadotropic hormone. Malfunctions in the pituitary may be reflected as a disorder located some distance from the pituitary, depending on the specific hormone involved. We will return to the anterior pituitary when we talk about stress in this class.

metencephalon

is the anterior subdivision of the hindbrain embryonic vesicle that gives rise to pons and cerebellum in the adult nervous system.

Trigeminal Nerve (V)

is the largest of the cranial nerves and contains both sensory and motor fibers. Carries facial sensory information from the skin, muscles and other structures such as bone and teeth to the brainstem at the level of the pons. Controls muscles responsible for chewing.

Arachnoid Layer

is the middle layer of meninges. It is a delicate, spider web-like layer that houses the cerebrospinal fluid surrounding the brain.

dura mater

is the thickest and toughest of the layers surrounding the brain. It is composed of fibrous connective tissue. The dura's main role is to house the dural venous sinuses which drain blood from the brain back towards the heart.

Pia Mater

is the thin innermost layer that adheres tightly to surface of brain dipping into each sulcus), as well as cerebral spinal fluid, which bathes the brain. The Pia mater is not visible to the naked eye and requires a microscope to visualize.

Lateral Ventricles (I and II)

located within each side of the cerebral hemispheres.

Area 4 (primary motor cortex)

motor cortical area in the anterior bank of the central sulcus; this area corresponds to the primary motor cortex, which governs the execution of volitional movement.

Area 8 (frontal eye field)

motor cortical area in the dorsal-lateral prefrontal region of the frontal lobe; this area contains the frontal eye fields, which participate in eye movements, such as saccades.

Area 6 (premotor and supplementary motor cortex)

motor cortical area in the posterior frontal lobe just anterior to the primary motor cortex; this area contains the lateral and medial divisions of the premotor cortex that participate in the planning and execution of volitional movement.

Area 44 (Broca's Area)

motor cortical area in the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus; this division of the lateral premotor cortex is involved in the production of language, especially in the left hemisphere.

Oculomotor Nerve (III)

motor nerve that controls activity of muscles that turn the eyeball in its socket, move the eyelid, and control pupil size.

Cerebral Aqueduct

narrow canal in the brainstem connecting third and fourth ventricles

Primary Auditory Cortex

receives auditory information from the thalamus (medial geniculate n.)

posterior pituitary

receives direct neural connections from the hypothalamus, and controls the release of anti-diuretic hormone vasopressin, which regulates blood volume and salt concentration, and oxytocin, which stimulates the mammary glands and causes uterine contractions. Oxytocin has also been implicated in pair bonding.

Primary Visual Area

receives visual information from the thalamus (lateral geniculate n.)

Occipital Association Area

region beyond the primary visual cortex that is involved in higher-order visual processing

Horizontal

sections are parallel to the ground, and separate the inferior from superior parts of the brain.

Sagittal

sections are perpendicular to the ground but parallel to the midline. They separate left from right parts of the brain. Imagine a sagittal section that slices through the nose to the back of the head.

Coronal

sections are perpendicular to the ground, and separate the anterior from posterior parts of the brain. Imagine a coronal section that slices from ear to ear.

Area 17 (primary visual area)

sensory cortical area in the banks of calcarine sulcus ; this area corresponds to the primary visual cortex

Area 41 (primary auditory cortex)

sensory cortical area in the superior aspect of the temporal lobe; this area corresponds to the primary auditory cortex.

Areas 18 & 19 (occipital association area)

sensory cortical areas in the medial and lateral aspect of the occipital lobe; this area is part of the extrastriate visual cortex that surrounds the primary visual cortex.

Optic Nerve (II)

sensory nerve that relays information about visual stimuli from the eye to the thalamus. The optic nerves cross at the optic chiasm and becomes the optic tract on its way to the thalamus (lateral geniculate n.).

Fourth Ventricle

space between cerebellum and the medulla and pons.

Areas 3,1, & 2 (Primary somatosensory area)

the areas are components of the primary somatosensory cortex; Area 3 is further subdivided into area 3a (receives proprioceptive signals that originate in deep receptors, and area 3b, which receives discriminative mechanosensory signals that arise from cutaneous receptors.

Medial

toward midline

Dorsal - Ventral

toward the back - toward the belly

Vestibulocochlear Nerve (VIII)

transmits sound and vestibular information from the ear to the brainstem, inferior colliculus, medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus, and onto the primary auditory cortex.

Third Ventricle

within the diencephalon, surrounding the thalamus and hypothalamus