Human Brain Anatomy Flashcards

Brain Anatomy Overview

• Medulla Oblongata: Vital for autonomic functions such as breathing and heart rate, located at the base of the brainstem.
• Pons: Connects the upper and lower parts of the brain, plays a role in regulating sleep and arousal.
• Cerebellum: Responsible for coordination and balance, located at the back of the brain.
• Spinal Cord: Transmits signals between the brain and the body, a key component of the central nervous system.

Olfactory System

• Olfactory Tract: Transmits sensory information related to smell from the olfactory bulb to the brain.
• Olfactory Bulb: Processes smells and is located at the front of the brain.

Visual System

• Optic Nerve: Carries visual information from the retina to the brain.
• Optic Chiasm: The crossover point where the optic nerves from both eyes meet and partially cross, enabling depth perception.
• Optic Tract: Continuation of the optic nerve behind the optic chiasm, carries visual signals to the brain.

Limbic System

• Mammillary Bodies: Involved in memory processing, located at the base of the brain, part of the hypothalamus.

Sheep Brain Anatomy (Sagittal View)

• Cerebrum (Gyrus): The largest part of the brain, responsible for higher brain functions like thought and action.
• Corpus Callosum: Connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres, facilitating communication between them.
• Lateral Ventricles: Responsible for the production and flow of cerebrospinal fluid.
• Thalamus: Acts as a relay station for sensory information before it is sent to the cerebral cortex.
• Hypothalamus: Regulates vital bodily functions like temperature, hunger, and thirst.
• Pituitary Gland: Known as the "master gland," it regulates hormones and various bodily functions.

Brainstem Components

• Tegmentum: Part of the midbrain involved in various functions including motor control and regulation.
• Pons: Along with the medulla oblongata, part of the brainstem, involved in communication between different parts of the brain.
• Medulla Oblongata: Houses centers for controlling autonomic functions.

Cerebellum and Neuroanatomy

• Arbor Vitae: The tree-like structure within the cerebellum, crucial for motor control.
• Cerebral Aqueduct: Connects the third and fourth ventricles, allowing cerebrospinal fluid flow.

Brain Structures in Coronal and Superior View

• Cerebral Cortex: Outer layer of the brain, involved in high-level functions including perception, thought, and decision-making.
• White Matter: Comprises myelinated axons that connect different parts of the brain.
• Basal Nuclei: Controls voluntary motor movements and procedural learning.

Lobe Identification

• Frontal Lobe: Associated with reasoning, planning, emotions, and problem-solving.
• Parietal Lobe: Processes sensory information such as touch, temperature, and pain.
• Occipital Lobe: Responsible for visual processing.

Additional Structures

• Superior Colliculi: Involved in visual processing and eye movement coordination.