Frontal Lobe Precentral Gyrus

Seperated by Central Sulcus

Cerebral Parietal Lobe Postcentral Gyrus
Hemispheres Seperated by Lateral Fissure
(L&R) Temporal Lobe
Occipital Lobe
Insula
Primary Motor Area

Primary Sensory Areas

Neocortex
Grey Matter
Cerebrum
Association Areas

Caudate Nucleus
Basal Nuclei Putamen
Global Pallidus
Commissural Fibers Corpus Callosum
White Matter Projection Fibers
Association Fibers
Cingulate Gyri
Limbic Lobe Parahippocampal
Gyrus
Brain Limbic System
Hippocampus
Fornix
Amyglada
Two Lobes Third ventricle
Specific Nuclei
Thalamus
Nuclei of the Thalamus

Diencephalon
 Thalamus
Nuclei of the Thalamus Association Nuclei
Nonspecific Nuclei
Diencephalon Connected by Mammilliary Bodies
Pituitary Gland
Hypothalamus
Infundubulum
Epithalamus Pineal Gland Melatonin
Subthalamus
Cerebellar Vermis
Hemispheres
Cerebellar
Surface Folia

Cerebellar Cortex
Cerebellum (gray matter)

Cerebellar
Interior Deep Cerebellar Nucei
Cerebellar Peduncles
(white matter)

Tectum Superior and Inferior Colluculi

Midbrain Substancia Nigra
Red Nucleus
Tegmentum
Pons
Brainstem
Pyramids
Posterior Columns
Medulla Oblongata
Nucleus Gracilis
Nucleus Cuneatus
Relticular formation
 How to use th
Clicking any link
Primary Motor Cortex
with more inform
Primary Somatosensory from a mixture o
Cortex
items do not hav
Primary Visual Cortex do not have link
Primary Auditory Cortex follow a link to m
Gustatory Cortex to get to your pr
Olfactory Cortex helpful. Happy s
Premotor Cortex
Somatasensory
Association Cortex
Visual Association Cortex
Unimodal Association
Auditory Association
Cortex
Frontal Eye Fields
Wernick's Area
Broca's Area
Multimodal Association Prefrontal Cortex
Parietal and Temporal Association Corticies
Superior Peduncle
Middle Peduncle
Inferior Peduncle
Branches posteriorly into Arbor Vitae
 Key
Red Text In the book but did not cover in lecture
Grey Text Indicated that structures are linked/seperated by the following structure

How to use this flow chart:

Clicking any link will bring you to another page in the document
with more information on that topic. This information was derived
from a mixture of the powerpoint slides and class notes. Some
items do not have links because they were not covered. Some items
do not have links because the name is self explanatory. Once you
follow a link to more information you can use the "Jump Back" link
to get to your previous place in the flow chart. I hope you find this
helpful. Happy studying.
Brain – soft, whitish-gray organ, anatomically continuous with spinal cord; resides in cranial cavity and directly or indirectly c
body’s functions
o   Weighs between 1250 and 1450 grams; made of mostly nervous tissue; contains epithelial and connective tissues
o   Internal cavities called ventricles; filled with cerebrospinal fluid
o   Receives about 20% of total blood flow during periods of rest; reflects its requirements for huge amounts of oxyg
nutrients
Major Divisions of the Brain
Cerebrum
Dienchephalon
Cerebellum
Brainstem
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Cerebrum – structure responsible for higher mental functions
o   Gross anatomical features of cerebrum include:
§  Sulci – shallow grooves on surface of cerebrum; gyri – elevated ridges found between sulci; together inc
maximizing limited space within confines of skull; example of Structure-Function Core Principle
§  Fissures – deep grooves found on surface of cerebrum
§  Longitudinal fissure – long deep groove that separates left and right cerebral hemispheres
§  A cavity is found deep within each cerebral hemisphere; right hemisphere surrounds right lateral ventri
lateral ventricle
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The Cerebrum – Lobes
Frontal lobe – origin of motor movement, personality
Parietal lobe – somatosensory (aware of) information processing – skin senses
Temporal lobe – auditory info
Occipital lobe – vision
Insula – taste/gustatory
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Gray Matter: Cerebral Cortex – functionally most complex part of cortex; covers underlying cerebral hemispheres
o   Most of cerebral cortex is neocortex (most recently evolved region of brain); has a huge surface area
o   Composed of 6 layers (of neurons and neuroglia) of variable widths (Figure 12.5)
o   All neurons in cortex are interneurons
o   Functions of neocortex revolve around conscious processes such as planning movement, interpreting incoming se
functions
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o   Neocortex is divided into three areas:
§  Primary motor areas – plans and executes movement
§  Primary sensory areas – first regions to receive and process sensory input
§  Association areas integrate different types of information:
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§  Primary motor areas – plans and executes movement
Primary motor cotex
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§  Primary sensory areas – first regions to receive and process sensory input
Primary somatosensory cortex – general senses at skin joints etc.
Primary visual cortex - vision
Primary auditory cortex - hearing
Gustatory cortex - taste
Olfactory cortex - smell
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§  Association areas integrate different types of information:
Unimodal areas integrate one specific type of information
Multimodal areas integrate information from multiple different sources and carry out many higher mental function
Jump Back
Unimodal areas integrate one specific type of information
o   Somatosensory association cortex
o   Visual association cortex
o   Auditory association Cortex
o   Frontal Eye Fields – movement of eyes needed for reading
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Multimodal areas integrate information from multiple different sources and carry out many higher mental functions
o   Prefrontal cortex occupies most of frontal lobe; communicates with diencephalon, other regions of cerebral gray
in other lobes; many functions including modulating behavior, personality, learning, memory, and an individual’s pe
o   Parietal and temporal association areas – occupy most of their respective lobes; perform multiple functions inclu
information, language, maintaining attention, recognition, and spatial awareness
o   Broca’s Area – skeletal muscles used to verbalize (damage = cannot speak but knowing what you want to say)
o   Wernicke’s Area – logical order of words (damage = can speak but it comes out like nonsens)
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Basal nuclei, found deep within each cerebral hemisphere; cluster of neuron cell bodies, involved in movement; separated fr
matter called internal capsule
Involved in initiation of voluntary motion and inhibition of unwanted motion
Composed of the…
o   Caudate nuclei - can inhibit the globus pallidus
o   Putamen - can inhibit the globus pallidus
o   Globus pallidus - inhibits the thalmus from initiating motor movement
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White Matter
Commissural Fibers – communication between hemispheres
o   Corpus callosum – main source of commissural fibers
Association Fibers – communication within a hemisphere
Projection Fibers – from higher to lower regions
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Limbic system – important functional brain system, includes limbic lobe (region of medial cerebrum), hippocampus, amygdal
regions of gray matter with rest of brain
o   Found only within mammalian brains
o   Involved in memory, learning, emotion, and behavior
Components of Limbic System
o   Hypocampus – learning memory (short term à long term)
o   Amygdala – fear response (removed = no response)
o   Fornix
o   Limbic Lobe
§  Cingulate Gyri
§  Parahippocampal gyrus
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Diencephalon – at physical center of brain; composed of four components, each with its own nuclei that receive specific inpu
other brain regions
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Thalamus – main entry route of sensory data into cerebral cortex (Figure 12.10a, b)
o   Consists of two egg-shaped regions of gray matter (2 lobes); make up about 80% of diencephalon
§  Third ventricle is found between these two regions
o   Thalamic nuclei receive afferent fibers (WM) from many other regions of nervous system excluding information a
smell
§  Regulates cortical activity by controlling which input should continue to cerebral cortex
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o   Each half of thalamus has three main groups of nuclei separated by thin layers of white matter
§  Specific (relay) nuclei
Function as relay stations that receive input, integrate information, then send information to specific moto
cerebral cortex
Input received is often somatosensory info, “map” info from the cerebellum, and basil nuclei information f
§  Association nuclei
Receive input from variety of sources
o   Some sources include: limbic system, 1° visual system
Process information related to emotions, memory, and integration of sensory information
Processed information is sent on to appropriate association areas of cerebral cortex
§  Nonspecific nuclei
Receive information from basal nuclei, cerebellum, and motor cortex
o   Also the reticular formation
Send information to a wide range of locations including cerebral cortex and other brain regions
Involved in controlling arousal, consciousness, and level of responsiveness and excitability of cerebral cort
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Mammillary bodies – connect hypothalamus with limbic system
o   Receive input from hippocampus (limbic system); involved in memory regulation and behavior
o   Input from outside nervous system; endocrine system (among others) provides information from receptors that d
body temperature and receptors that detect changes in osmotic concentration of blood
o   In Korsakoff’s syndrome chromic alcohol abuse damages the mammillary bodies and causes anterograde amnesia
form new memories). Also indicated in schizophrenia, alzheimers, and sleep apnea.
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Hypothalamus – collection of nuclei anterior and inferior to larger thalamus
o   Neurons perform several vital functions critical to survival; include regulation of autonomic nervous system, sleep
and hunger, and body temperature
§  1) Regulation of ANS – receives input from viscera and controls BP, HR, glandular secretion etc. Input fro
important for physiological aspects of emotion. Input from the cerebrum important in physiological respo
thoughts and cognition.
§  2) Sleep wake cycles – controls our circadian rhythm, based in large part on light dark cycles.
§  3) Thirst regulation – all about BP. As fluids drop BP drops. Thalamus measures solute concentration in b
concentration = dec. in fluid volume, triggers thirst
 Synthesized antidiuretic hormone (which is involves in thirst and the retention of water). Alcoho
hormone.
§  4) Hunger control
§  5) Body Temp – maintains 98.6. When fighting a bacterial infection raises body temp by 1 degree to sup
growth.
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Epithalamus – superior to thalamus; most of its posterosuperior bulk is an endocrine gland called pineal gland; secretes mela
involved in sleep/wake cycle
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Cerebellum – makes up posterior and inferior portion of brain; functionally connected with cerebral cortex, basal nuclei, brain

o   Interactions between these regions together coordinate movement

§  Easily affected by alcohol
o   Anatomically, divided into two cerebellar hemispheres connected by structure called vermis
o   Ridges called folia cover exterior cerebellar surface; separated by shallow sulci; increases surface area of region
o   Inner white matter contains clusters of gray matter (deep cerebellar nuclei) scattered throughout
o   White matter converges into three large tracts called cerebellar peduncles; only connection between cerebellum
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o   Cerebellum communicates to brain stem by the following cerebellar peduncles…
§  Superior peduncle – cerebellum to midbrain
§  Middle peduncle – cerebellum to pons
§  Inferior peduncle – cerebellum to medulla oblongata
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Brainstem – one of oldest components of brain; vital to our immediate survival as its nuclei control many basic homeostatic f
breathing rhythms
o   Controls many reflexes (programmed, automatic responses to stimuli); functions in movement, sensation, and m
o   Three subdivisions; superior midbrain, middle pons, and inferior medulla oblongata, where following structures r
§  Fibers of cerebellum and related nuclei travel through portions of brainstem where they either synapse
on to other destinations in cerebral cortex or spinal cord
§  Nuclei of reticular formation – group of connected nuclei scattered throughout brainstem, many functio
respiration, blood pressure, sleep/wake cycle, pain perception, and consciousness
§  Tracts of white matter between spinal cord and brain – nearly all pathways to and from brain and spina
§  Cranial nerve nuclei – many cranial nerves originate in brainstem; their nuclei have many sensory, moto
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o   Midbrain:
§  WM found anteriorly (crus cerebri – projection tracts)
§  Tectum “roof” located posterior
Superior colliculus – involved in the visual startle response
Inferior colliculus – involved in the auditory startle response
§  Contains the cerebral aqueduct which connects the 3rd and 4th ventricle
§  Many cranial nerve nuclei are found in midbrain
§  Midbrain tegmentum – region of midbrain between cerebral aqueduct and substantia nigra
Contains numerous nuclei, many of which are components of reticular formation; both ascending and des
found in this region as well
§  Contains the red nuclei (function unknown)
§  The substancia nigra makes dopamine (degradation leads to Parkinson’s)
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o   Pons – inferior to midbrain
§  Has a prominent anterior surface that contains descending motor tracts from crus cerebri, some of which pass thr
§  Other tracts enter cerebellum by way of middle cerebellar peduncle
§  Reticular formation and cranial nerve nuclei are located posterior to these tracts
§  Helps to coordinate movement and have a smooth transition between inhaling and exhaling
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o   Medulla oblongata:
§  Pyramids are projection cotricospinal tracts
Right and left corticospinal fibers decussate (crossover) within pyramids; motor fibers originating from righ
through left side of spinal cord and vice versa
Fibers connecting to axial skeleton do not decussate
§  Posterior columns – paired tracts of white matter found on medulla’s posterior surface; carry sensory information
and nucleus cuneatus
Posterior columns also decussate within medulla so sensory information from right side of spinal cord is p
cortex and vice versa
§  Olive – lateral to each pyramid; protuberance that contains inferior olivary nucleus; receives sensory fibers from
to cerebellum
§  Several cranial nerve and reticular formation nuclei are found in medulla
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Reticular formation – collection of over 100 nuclei found in central core of three brainstem subdivisions making this one of m
12.15)
o   Input is received from multiple sources including: cerebral cortex, limbic system, and sensory stimuli
o   Output is sent throughout entire brain and spinal cord
Functions:
o   Central nuclei (center of reticular formation) function in sleep, pain transmission, and mood
o   Nuclei surrounding central nuclei serve motor functions for both skeletal muscles (somatic) and autonomic nervo
o   Other nuclei are instrumental in homeostasis of breathing and blood pressure
o   Lateral nuclei play a role in sensation and in alertness and activity levels of cerebral cortex
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