The Brain I

The Brain
The part of CNS that lies within the skull & continues with spinal cord through foramen magnum Nervous tissue divisions: Anatomically: 1. Central Nervous System: Brain & Spinal Cord 2. Peripheral Nervous System: Peripheral nerves distributed throughout the body ( the cranial and spinal nerves which will form the peripheral nerves later on ) Functionally or physiologically : 1. Somatic nervous system ( subdivided into sensory and motor ) 2. Autonomic nervous system ( subdivided into sympathetic mainly by the sympathetic trunk and parasympathetic mainly by vagus nerve )

Forebrain: (prosencephalon) Cerebrum Diencephalon ( two structures within the cephalon, the thalamus and the hypothalamus) Midbrain (mesencephalon) Hindbrain or tail brain: (rumbencephalon) Pons (means bridge, its brigding horizontally the two halves of the cerebellum and vertically the upper parts of the brain with the medulla oblongata and spinal cord below) Medulla oblongata Cerebellum

Major Parts of The Brain

Brain Stem
Mid brain Pons Medulla Oblongata

Cerebrum
Largest part of brain 2 hemispheres: (Rt. & Lf.) separated by a fissure (longitudinal fissure) - Within the longitudinal fissue you can find a dural reflection falx cerebri extends over: ant. & middle cranial fossae tentorium cerebelli

Internal Structure of Cerebrum

Outer Layer: The Cerebral Cortex Gray matter folded from outside into: gyri & sulci Inner Layer: white matter What do gray & white matters refer to? Gray matter = nerve cells bodies, dendrites, unmyelinated axons White matter = myelinated axons - The myelin has a glistening white appearance

External Aspect of Cerebrum

Folded into Gyri & Sulci * surface area Subdivided by sulci into lobes:

1. Frontal
2. Parietal

3. Occipital
4. Temporal

Cerebral Lobes

Main Cerebral Sulci

Central Sulcus: separates the frontal from parietal lobes Parietooccipital Sulcus: more prominent medially Lateral Sulcus (Fissure): Celvian Fissure separates the temporal from the frontal and parietal lobes

Located between 2 important gyri: Precentral gyrus - frontal lobe

Postcentral gyrus - parietal lobe

Precentral Gyrus
The primary motor area (large motor neurons) Controls voluntary movement on opposite side of the body Because: Nerve fibers from precentral gyrus cross over to other side within medulla oblongata Decosation : crossing over Motor control in precentral gyrus is represented in an inverted position

Postcentral Gyrus
The primary sensory area (sensory nerve cells)

Receives inputs for: pain, thermal sensation, touch & pressure (tickling) ( General sensation ) Receives the sensations from opposite side of the body

Sites of cross over - two sites : 1- Spinal cord : general senstion 2- Medulla oblongata : fine sensation ( fine touch ) or vibration

Main Cerebral Sulci

Central Sulcus separates the frontal from parietal lobes Lateral Sulcus separates the temporal from the frontal and parietal lobes Parieto-occipital Sulcus Calcarine Sulcus: on medial surface of occipital lobe communicates with the parietooccipital sulcus ( anteriorly ) region of visual interpretation

Main Functional Regions in Cerebrum

1. Motor area: location? Precentral gyrus 2. Sensory area: location? Postcentral gyrus

3. Auditory area: interpretation of sound location? In the middle of the superior temporal gyrus

4. Visual area: interpretation of vision medial aspect of occipital lobe (post. pole of cerebrum)
5. Motor Speech area: (Brocas area) Planning & production of speech in a comprehensive way location? In the middle of inferior frontal gyrus 6. Wernickes (Language) area interprets the meaning of speech by recognizing spoken words Location? In the posterior part of the superior temporal gyrus

 Brocas area & Wernikes area are only located in the dominant half of the cerebral hemispheres

Clinical: Brocas Aphasia

Difficulty in speech due to damage to brocas area The person knows what he wants to say but cannot speak expressive aphasia agramatic aphasia

non-fluent aphasia

Diencephalon
Hidden by cerebrum

Consists of:
Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Thalamus
Paired oval masses of gray matter (contains many nuclei) what are the brain nuclei ? Islands of gray matter surrounded by white matter in the CNS : nucleus ( nuclei ) in the PNS : ganglion ( ganglia ) - Usually occupies 80% of diencephalon The main function of the thalamus : its a major relay station for sensory pathways Interthalamic connexion: a bridge of gray matter joins the two halves of the thalamus (in 70% of human brains) Fxn: a major relay station for sensory pathways

Hypothalamus
Contains special nerve cells that secrete several neurohormones

Most common: 1. hypothalamus-releasing hormones: control pituitary gland secretions 2. vasopressin: (ADH) secreted by: hypothalamus stored in: posterior pituitary gland Fxn.: retention of water (kidneys) vasoconstriction bld. Pressure
Hypothalamus links 2 systems?? The nervous system with the endocrine system

Midbrain
Sup. Part of brain stem Connects forebrain to hindbrain Consists of 2 halves ant.: Cerebral Peduncles Each peduncle consists of: ant. Part: crus cerebri

post. Part: tegmentum

middle part: substantia nigra (the black substance - contains melanin ) 1 part posteriorly: Tectum *Contains the nuclei of which C.N.??

Done by : Muad Al-Zoubi Best wishes