Neuroanatomy Review Information
The cross-references within the definitions are generated automatically from
a source HTML file by making all defined terms anchors and all other instances
of them references to the anchors. I find that this helps me keep all of the
inter-related terms straight, particularly when there are so many synonyms and
terms which have overlapping definitions.
Obviously this document is a long, long way from being complete!
Neuroanatomy Glossary
- Abducent Nerve
-
- Abducent Nucleus
- also called: cranial nerve VI
- location: motor nucleus location: mid pons on floor of IV ventricle
- location: nerve starts at pontomedullary junction, close to median plane, and
exits cranium at superior orbital fissure, sphenoid
- connects to lateral rectus muscle
- Accessory Nerve
-
- Accessory Nucleus
- also called: cranial nerve XI
- location: motor neurons in nucleus ambiguous in upper medulla oblongata and
spinal nucleus in anterior horn (C1-C5)
- location: cranial part of nerve starts lateral to olive in upper medulla
oblongata, and exits cranium at jugular foramen, temporal and occipital
- connects to muscles of pharynx, palate, larynx
- Ambiguous Nucleus
-
- Amydala
- also called: amydaloid nucleus
- location: medial temporal lobe, lateral to uncus and parahippocampus gyrus
- coordinates autonomic and endocrine responses in conjunction with
emotional states
- Anterior Cerebral Artery
-
- Anterior Choroidal Artery
-
- Anterior Commissure
-
- Anterior Communicating Artery
-
- Anterior Corticospinal Tract
- location: in anterior funiculus in spinal cord
- contralateral descending tract for voluntary control of motor activity
(fibers cross near level of termination)
- Anterior Funiculus
-
- Anterior Horn
-
- Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery
-
- Anterior Lobe
-
- Anterior Median Fissure
-
- Anterior Spinal Artery
-
- Anterior Spinocerebellar Tract
- location: laterial funiculus in spinal cord
- crossed, ascending, sensory tract for unconcious proprioception which ends in
vermis of the cerebellum
- (Anterior White Column)
-
- Anterolateral Sulcus
-
- Arachnoid
-
- Auditory Cortex
-
- Basal Nuclei
- consists of caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus
- support for fine pyramidal control of reflexes, arm swinging, etc
- connects to contralateral body via corticospinal tract
- disorders include tremor, chorea, athetosis, dystonia, hemiballismus,
bradykinesia, akinesia, Parkinson's, Huntington's, etc.
- Basilar Artery
- paramedian branches supply median portions of pontine nuclei and
pyramidal tract in pons; short circumferential branches supply lateral
portions of pontine nuclei and pyramidal tract in pons
- Basilar Fissure
-
- Brain Stem
-
- (Broca's Area)
-
- Calcarine Fissure
- location: in visual cortex in occipital lobe
- upper visual field (lower retina) maps onto lower surface, lower visual field
(upper retina) maps onto upper surface
- Cauda Equina
-
- Caudate Nucleus
-
- Central Canal
-
- Central Fissure
-
- Cephalic Flexure
-
- Cerebellopontine Angle
-
- Cerebellar Cortex
- histology is uniform throughout cerebellum: superficial molecular layer,
piriform neuron layer (Purkinje cells), deep granular layer
- receives mossy fibers from vestibular, spinal, and cortical sources
which synapse (excitatory) with many granule cells, whose axons
bifurcate and synapse (excitatory) with many Purkinje cells
(most afferents are mossy fibers)
- receives climbing fibers from inferior olivary nucleus which traverse
granular layer and synapse (excitatory) with a single Purkinje cell
- sends Purkinje axons through white matter to synapse (inhibitory) on
cerebellar nuclei
- Cerebellar Nuclei
-
- Cerebellum
- location: anterior to the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, and
inferior to the cerebral hemisphere
- consists of piriform neurons (Pirkinje), granule cells, glomeruli
- contains parallel fissures and folia, vermis and hemispheres,
tonsil, flocculus, cerebellar peduncles
- works with cerebral cortex, basal nuclei, brain stem reticular formation,
red nucleus, vestibular nucleus, and spinal cord to help regulate movement
- maintains equilibrium, regulates posture and balance of trunk; regulates
muscle tone, execution of limb movements, planning, initiation, timing,
and coordinate of discrete movements of limbs, eyes, and vocal apparatus,
modulates the force and range of movement, involved in motor skill learning
- receives connections from most sensory systems and brain regions involved
in motor function
- afferent and efferent connections related to ipsilateral side of body
(fibers that cross eventually cross back)
- concious perception and voluntary control do not occur, and defects cannot
be voluntarily controlled to any extent
- Cerebral Aqueduct
-
- Cerebral Arterial Circle
-
- Cerebral Cortex
- consists of pyramidal cells, granule cells, stallate cells
- Cerebral Hemispheres
-
- Cerebral Peduncle
-
- Cervical Enlargement
-
- Cervical Flexure
-
- Choroid Plexus
-
- Cingulate Gyrus
- anterior portion activated during pain (part of limbic emotion circuit)
- Cisterna Magna
-
- Claustrum
-
- Conus Medullaris
-
- Corona Radiata
- location: fibers connecting cortical and subcortical areas
- Corpus Callosum
- location: connects one cerebral hemisphere to the other
- consists of rostrum, genu, trunk, and splenium
- (Corticobulbar Tract)
-
- Corticocerebellumcerebellum
-
- Corticonuclear Tract
- also called corticobulbar tract
- location: from cerebral cortex to cranial nerve motor nuclei
- contains corticorubral fibers and corticoreticular fibers
- similar to corticospinal tract but much less lateralized
- deficits are less noticable due to redundancy
- (Corticospinal Tract)
-
- Cranial Nerve
- motor (somatic or branchial efferent) (medial); parasympathetic
(visceral eferent); sensory (somatic or visceral afferent) (lateral)
- purely sensory: I,II,VIII
- largely motor: III,IV,VI,XI,XII
- mixed (sensory & motor): V,VII,IX,X
- listing: "HAV GV FAT TOOO"
- Crus Cerebri
-
- Cuneocerebellar Tract
-
- Dentate Gyrus
- location: narrow, notched band along medial aspect of hippocampus
- consists mostly of granule cells
- Dentate Nucleus
-
- Denticulate Ligament
-
- Diencephalon
-
- Dorsolateral Sulcus
-
- Dorsolateral Tract
-
- Dorsal Median Sulcus
-
- Dorsal Nucleus
-
- Dorsal Rami
-
- Dorsal Root
-
- Dura Mater
-
- Emboliform Nucleus
-
- Facial Colliculus
-
- Facial Nerve
-
- Facial Nucleus
- also called: cranial nerve VII
- location: motor nucleus in lower pons
- location: motor fibers run toward and around abducent nucleus, forming facial
colliculus, then ventrally to exit at cerebellopontine angle,
exits cranium at internal acoustic meatus
- connects to muscles of facial expression
- location: parasympathetic cells form superior salivatory nucleus in pons
- location: sensory cells in geniculate ganglion enter pons and descend into
medulla oblongata to form tractus solitarius, end in nucleus solitarius,
medial to tract in upper medulla oblongata
- Falx Cerebri
-
- Fasciculus Cuneatus
- location: laterally in posterior funiculus in spinal cord
- uncrossed, ascending, sensory tract for discriminative touch and pressure
vibration, and concious proprioception from upper limb (above T6)
- Fasciculus Gracilis
- location: medially in posterior funiculus in spinal cord
- uncrossed, ascending, sensory tract for discriminative touch and pressure
vibration, and concious proprioception from lower limb (below T6)
- Fastigial Nucleus
-
- Filum Terminale
-
- (Fissure)
- a sulcus deep enough to affect the ventricular system; separates brain into lobes
- (Flocculonodular Lobe)
-
- Foramen Magnum
-
- Forebrain
-
- Fornix
- consists of crura (wings), body, and columns
- IV Ventricle
-
- Frontal Eye Field
-
- Frontal Lobe
- located anterior to the central fissure and the parietal lobe
- separated into the superior frontal gyrus, the medial frontal gyrus,
and the inferior frontal gyrus by the superior frontal sulcus and the
inferior frontal sulcus
- the anterior limb of the lateral fissure splits the inferior frontal
gyrus into the orbital part, the triangular part, and the opercular part
- approximately 40% of the cerebral cortex
- Geniculocalcarine Tract
-
- Globose Nuclei
-
- Globus Pallidus
-
- Glossopharyngeal Nerve
-
- Glossopharyngeal Nucleus
-
- Gray Matter
- interior of spinal cord, exterior of cerebral cortex
- consists mainly of neuron bodies and dendrites
- in spinal cord, arranged in longitudinal columns
(10 transverse laminae) according to appearance and function
- Gyrus Rectus
-
- Hindbrain
-
- Hippocampus
- involved in memory storage
- Hypoglossal Nerve
-
- Hypoglossal Nucleus
- also called: cranial nerve XII
- location: motor cells in hypoglossal trigone on floor of IV ventricle in
upper medulla oblongata
- location: nerve exits cranium at hypoglossal canal
- connects to all extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of tongue (except palataglossus)
- Hypoglossal Triangle
-
- HypthalamusHypothalamus
- part of the diencephalon
- regulates autonomic, endocrine, and visceral function, including temperature,
heart rate, blood pressure, blood osmolarity, water & food intake
- also involved in regulating emotional behavior and reproduction
- Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle
-
- Inferior Colliculus
-
- Inferior Olivary Nucleus
-
- Infundibulum
- location: stalk of the pituitary gland
- Insular Gyrus
-
- Intermediate Zone
-
- Internal Capsule
-
- Internal Carotid Artery
-
- Interneurons
-
- Interpeduncular Fossa
-
- Interthalamic Adhesion
-
- Interventricular Foramen
-
- Labyrinthine Artery
-
- Lamina Terminalis
-
- Lateral Corticospinal Tract
- location: lateral funiculus in spinal cord
- ipsilateral descending, motor tract concerned with voluntary control of motor activity
- fibers cross in pyramidal decussation
- Lateral Fissure
-
- Lateral Funiculus
-
- Lateral Geniculate Body
-
- Lateral Horn
-
- Lateral Lemniscus
-
- Lateral Ventricle
-
- Lateral White Column
-
- Lentiform Nucleus
-
- Longitudinal Fissure
-
- Lower Motor Neuron
- problems affect larger areas (since everything is close together)
- paralysis (pegia) or weakness (peresis)
- hyporeflexia or areflexia (reflexes weak or absent)
- flaccidity (subtle resistance to movement) and muscular atrophy
- fasciculations (muscle twitches) due to spontaneous firing of anterior horn
cell as it dies, with accompanying EMG changes
- Lumbar Cistern
-
- Lumbar Enlargement
-
- Mammilary Body
-
- Mammilothalamic Tract
-
- Massa Intermedia
-
- Medial Eminence
-
- Medial Geniculate Body
-
- Medial Lemniscus
-
- Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
-
- Medulla Oblongata
- also called: medulla
- location: superior to the spinal cord and inferior to the pons
- contains pyramidal tract, pyramidal decussation, olive,
inferior cerebellar peduncle, medial lemniscus, spinal lemniscus,
lower half of central canal, upper half of IV ventricle,
inferior olivary nucleus
- includes centers responsible for autonomic functions such as digestion,
breathing, and control of heart rate
- Medullary Reticulospinal Tract
- ipsilateral from medullary reticular formation to anterior horn cells
- Midbrain
-
- Middle Cerebellar Peduncle
-
- Middle Cerebral Artery
-
- Motor Cortex
-
- Motor Speech Area
- also called Broca's area
- lesions interfere with speech production but not comprehension; typically
only key words are spoken, with very simple grammar
- (Necerebellum(Neocerebellum)
-
- Neuroglia
- include astrocyte (50%), oligodendrocyte (40%), microglia (0-5%),
and ependymal cell (5%)
- Nucleus Cuneatus
-
- Nucleus Gracilis
-
- Obex
-
- Occipital Lobe
-
- Occipital Notch
-
- Oculomotor Nerve
-
- Oculomotor Nucleus
-
- Olfactory Bulb
-
- Olfactory Cortex
-
- Olfactory Nerve
- also called: cranial nerve I
- location: nerve exits cranium at cribiform plate, ethmoid
- connects to nasal mucous membrane (smell)
- Olfactory Tract
-
- Olive
-
- Opthalmic Artery
-
- Optic Chiasm
- location: connects optic nerve and optic tract
- nasal retinal fibers cross, temporal retinal fibers remain uncrossed
(partial decussation)
- Optic Nerve
-
- Optic Radiations
-
- Optic Tract
-
- (Palecerebellum(Paleocerebellum)
-
- Parahippocampal Gyrus
-
- Parietal Lobe
- location: posterior to the central fissure and frontal lobe;
anterior to the occipital lobe; superior to parts of the temporal lobe
- separated into the superior parietal lobule and the inferior parietal
lobule by the intraparietal sulcus
- the inferior parietal lobule contains the supramarginal gyrus (anterior)
and the angular gyrus (posterior)
- Parieto-Occipital Fissure
-
- Pia Mater
-
- Pineal Gland
-
- Pituitary Stalk
-
- Planum Temporale
-
- Pons
-
- Pontine Artery
-
- Pontine Flexure
- location: bend that occurs in hindbrain during development, later straightens
- Pontine Reticulospinal Tract
-
- Postcentral Gyrus
-
- Posterior Cerebral Artery
-
- Posterior Commissure
-
- Posterior Communicating Artery
-
- Posterior Funiculus
-
- Posterior Horn
-
- Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery
-
- Posterior Intermediate Sulcus
-
- Posterior Lobe
-
- Posterior Median Septum
-
- Posterior Median Sulcus
-
- Posterior Spinal Artery
-
- Posterior Spinocerebellar Tract
-
- Posterior White Column
-
- Posterolateral Sulcus
-
- Precentral Gyrus
-
- (Primary_Somatosensory_Cortex)
-
- (Primary_Visual_Cortex)
-
- Projection Neurons
-
- Putamen
-
- Pyramidal Deccusation
-
- Pyramidal Tract
-
- Quadrigeminal Plate
-
- Red Nucleus
-
- Rhomboid Fossa
-
- Rubrospinal Tract
-
- Semicircular Canals
- horizontal, superior, posterior
- Sensory Pathway
-
- Sensory Speech Area
- also called Wernicke's area
- lesions interfere with speech comprehension but not production, although
speech often conveys little meaning
- Septum Pellucidum
-
- Solitary Nucleus
-
- Solitary Tract
-
- Somatosensory Association Cortex
- location: superior parietal lobule (Brodmann area 5,7)
- receives input from primary somatosensory cortex
- integrates and interprets sensory stimuli for object identification
- lesions result in astereognosis
- Somatosensory Cortex
- location: postcentral gyrus and posterior part of paracentral lobule
in parietal lobe (Brodmann area 3,1,2)
- also called primary somatosensory cortex
- somatotopic localization (upside-down representation of body)
- modality specificity and place specificity - neurons clustered in columns
respond to stimulation of one receptor type at one skin site
- Spinal Cord
- location:ferior to the medulla oblongata
- ascending tracts tend to be lateral, descending tracts medial
- consists of multipolar neurons, projection neurons, interneurons
- controls movement of the trunk and limbs, receives and processes sensory
information from skin, joints, and muscles of trunk and limbs
- Spinal Meninges
-
- Spinal Lemniscus
-
- Spinal Nerve
- types: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, 1 coccygeal
- Spinal Nucleus
-
- (Spinocerebellar Tract)
-
- Spinocerebellumcerebellum
-
- Spinocervical Tract
- from spinal cord to lateral cervical nucleus
- touch and pain?
- Spinohypothalamic Tract
-
- Spinoreticular Tract
- from spinal cord to reticular formation
- alerting and arousal
- Spinoreticulothalamic Tract
- multisynaptic ascending pathways that transmit sensory stimuli,
particularly pain
- Spinothalamic Tract
-
- Straight Sinus
-
- Stria Medulares
-
- Striatum
-
- Subcallosal Gyrus
-
- Substantia Nigra
-
- Superior Cerebellar Artery
-
- Superior Cerebellar Peduncle
-
- Superior Colliculus
-
- Superior Saggital Sinus
-
- Tectum
-
- Tegmentum
- location: pons, contains medial, spinal, lateral, trigeminal lemnisci
- Temporal Lobe
- location: inferior to the frontal lobe and the parietal lobe
- lateral surface separated into the superior temporal gyrus, the
medial temporal gyrus, and the inferior temporal gyrus by the
superior temporal sulcus and the inferior temporal sulcus
- medial/inferior surface separated into the parahippocampus gyrus,
the medial occipital temporal gyrus, and the lateral occipital temporal
gyrus by the collateral sulcus and the occipital temporal sulcus
- Tentorium Cerebelli
-
- Thalamus
- processes most information reaching cerebral cortex from the rest of the
central nervous system
- III Ventricle
-
- Transverse Fissure
-
- Trigeminal Lemniscus
-
- Trigeminal Nerve
- located mid pons
- opthalamic division exits cranium at superior orbital fissure, sphenoid
- connects to skin of face, scalp, nasal cavity, and frontal air sinuses
- maxillary division exits cranium at foramen rotundum, sphenoid
- connects to mucosa of nasal cavity, part of pharynx and palate,
gums and teeth of upper jaw, lower eyelid, nose, upper lip
- mandibular division exits cranium at foramen ovale, sphenoid
- connects to cheek, tongue, gums and teeth of lower jaw, skin of chin
- cranial nerve V
- Trigeminal Nucleus
-
- Trigeminothalamic Tract
-
- Trochlear Nerve
-
- Trochlear Nucleus
-
- Tuber Cinereum
-
- Uncus
-
- Upper Motor Neuron
- problems affect smaller areas (depending on cortical mapping)
- paralysis or weakness, especially for coordinated, skilled, voluntary movement
- hypertonia or spasticity (increase in muscle tone)
- absence of profound atrophy, fasciculations, or EMG changes
- diminished or absent superficial reflexes
- Vagus Nerve
-
- Vagus Nucleus
-
- Vagal Triangle
-
- Ventral Median Fissure
-
- Ventral Rami
-
- Ventral Root
-
- Ventrolateral Sulcus
-
- Vertebral Artery
-
- Vestibulocerebellumcerebellum
- consists of flocculus and nodule of cerebellum
- also known as flocculonodular node and archicerebellum (oldest in evolution)
- Vestibulocochlear Nerve
-
- Vestibulocochlear Nucleus
- also called: cranial nerve VIII
- location: sensory cell bodies consist of dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei
in lower pons and four vestibular nuclei located partly in the
medulla oblongata and partly in the pons
- location: nerve emerges near cerebellopontine angle,
exits cranium at internal acoustic meatus (does not leave skull)
- connects to inner ear (audition and equilibrium)
- Vestibulospinal Tract
- ipsilateral from lateral vestibular nucleus to anterior horn cells
- Visual Association Cortex
- location: parastriate cortex and peristriate cortex (Brodmann area 18,19)
- located oartly on the medial surface and largely on lateral surface of
occipital lobe
- receive afferents from primary visual cortex
- interpretation of visual impressions and their integration with other senses
- important for accommodation reflex and conjugate eye movements
- Visual Cortex
- located along the calcarine fissure in the occipital lobe, includes lingual
gyrus and cuneus (Brodmann area 17)
- also called primary visual cortex, striate cortex, or calcarine cortex
- upper retinal quadrant fibers terminate in cuneus (above calcarine fissure)
- lower retinal quadrant fibers terminate in lingual gyrus
- deficits are named according to the visual field areas affected
- (Wernicke's Area)
-
- White Commissure
-
- White Matter
- exterior of brain stem, interior of cerebral cortex
- consists of myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibres
- consists of association fibers, commissural fibers, and projection fibers
Neurochemistry Glossary
- Axonal Transport
- slow anterograde (1-5 mm/day) - material for axon structure and renewal
- fast anterograde (200-400 mm/day) - material for presynaptic terminals and
neurotransmission
- retrograde transport (100 mm/day) - regulation/feedback
- Neuromodulators
-
- Neurotransmitter
- fundamental messengers at synapses
- four steps in neurotransmission: synthesis, storage/release, receptor
interactions, inactivation
- criteria (hard to demonstrate that a candidate satifies all of them):
- specific postsynaptic membrane receptors
- electrical effects on postsynaptic cell equivalent to physiological activation
of presynaptic nerve
- released in calcium-dependent manner from presynaptic ending
- has rapid and specific inactivation process
- synthesized in presynaptic terminal
- stored in vesicles within presynaptic ending
- Class I (fast) receptors: (msecs) ligand-gated
- Class II (slow) receptors: (secs) indirectly linked to ion channels, coupled
to enzyme systems
- Synaptoneurosome
- resealed postsynaptic vesicle
- Synaptosome
- resealed presynaptic vesicle
Non-Anatomical Glossary
- Akinesia
- poverty of all movements in the absence of paralysis or apraxia
- Allodynia
- pain evoked by normally non-painful stimulus
- Anopsia
- loss of vision in entire field
- Aphasia
- language disorders that may also interfere with other cognitive functions
- Astereognosis
- inability to identify objects held in hands with eyes closed
- Ataxia
- veer or fall toward side of lesion, associated with cerebellar dysfunction
- Athetosis
- slow, sinuous, writhing, purposeless movements that flow into one another,
caused by lesion of caudate nucleus and putamen
- Bradykinesia
- slowness of all movements in the absence of paralysis or apraxia
- Chorea
- involuntary, arrhythmic movements which are rapid and jerky, presumably
caused by lesion of caudate nucleus and putamen
- Dysarthria
- scanning, explosive, staggered, irregular speech, irregular volume,
associated with cerebellar dysfunction
- Dysdiadochokinesis
- decompensation of rapid alternating movements, such as slapping or pecking,
associated with cerebellar dysfunction
- Dysmetria
- difficulty judging distance
- Dystonia
- persistent maintenance in an exaggerated posture or position, which may
involve lesions in the caudate and putamen
- may be general or focal
- Hemianopsiaanopsia
- loss of vision in half of a vision field
- Hemiballismus
- violent, flinging movements of the proximal limb muscles on one side of the
body, caused by lesion of the contralateral subthalamic nucleus or
fasciculus
- Huntington's Disease
- autosomal dominant disease causing degeneration of striatum and cerebral cortex,
which includes choreoathetosis, dementia, and sometimes psychiatric
problems (underdamped)
- Hyperalgesia
- descreased threshold and increased sensitivity to pain after accident
- Hypotonia
- pendular reflexes, reduction in muscle tone, associated with
cerebellar dysfunction
- Papilledema
-
- Parkinson's Disease
- degeneration of dopamine-synthesizing neurons in substantia nigra, which
causes rigidity, resting tremor, bradykinesia, postural instability,
slow shuffling gait (everything is overdamped)
- Pupillary Light Reflex
- shining light in one eye results in pupillary constriction of both eyes
- Quadrantanopsiaanopsia
- loss of vision in one quadrant of visual field
- Stretch Reflex
- neuromuscular spindle is stretched when muscle is stretched
- afferent spinal ganglion neuron connected to center of spindle
- anterior horn cell (alpha motor neuron) via ventral root to motor end plates
- gamma efferent neurons (smaller than alpha, also in anterior horn) supply
contractual elements at ends of neuromuscular spindle to keep it taut
- Titubation
- rhythmic tremor of body or head, associated with cerebellar dysfunction
- Tremor
- rhythmic alternating contraction of opposing muscle groups, possibly generated
in contralateral ventral lateral nucleus of the thalamus
- in Parkinson's, is present at rest and damped with voluntary movement