LAB EXERCISE 9 – NEUROANATOMY

REQUIRED:
Reading required:
 Laboratory manual: Human Anatomy & Physiology Laboratory Manual with Rat Dissections, 3rd
Custom Edition for St. John's University, 2017. Read below for specific Exercises & Activities.
 Lab Guide - Laboratory Exercise # 9 (printout)
 A dissecting Kit

Personal Protective Equipment and required materials:

 White Lab coat (full knee length & long sleeves)
 Nicely fitting gloves (optional)
 Goggles (optional)

PRE LAB ASSIGNMENT:

Read over the lab guide and familiarize yourself with the nervous system, Know its breakdown and
classifications.
Familiarize yourself with the various cranial nerves.

In today’s lab, you will be provided with:

1. A dissecting tray, pins, a bench-top mat and a lamp
2. A sheep brain
3. A human brain model
4. A spinal cord model
5. A Biopac MP36 data acquisition unit, laptop and accessories

BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD

Read Exercise 17, pages 279-302
Read Exercise 19, pages 311-325

The nervous system is divided into two main divisions: the central nervous system (CNS) and the
peripheral nervous system (PNS). The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. The
peripheral nervous system consists of the cranial and spinal nerves, ganglia, and sensory receptors. The
PNS has two subdivisions: the sensory portion (nerve fibers that conduct impulses toward the CNS) and the
motor portion (nerve fibers that conduct impulses away from the CNS. The motor portion of the peripheral
system consists of the somatic division (voluntary system)-controls the skeletal muscle and the autonomic
nervous system (involuntary nervous system)-controls smooth, cardiac muscles and glands. The PNS is
made up of all the somatic myelinated nerves that enter or leave the central nervous system. The autonomic
system is composed of visceral nonmyelinated nerves and ganglia.

Follow the dissection instructions of the sheep brain on pages 292-296.

Use Exercise 17 and Exercise 19 Figures to identify brain structures and spinal cord models.

Note: Discard sheep brain in a biological waste container.

Rinse trays in the sink.
Do not dispose papers in a biological waste container.

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The Brain
Before removing the dura mater, examine the external anatomy of the sheep’s brain. Note the pituitary
gland and the optic chiasma. Carefully proceed to cut and remove the dura mater without tearing off the
pituitary gland, optic chiasma and other nerves. Leave nerves intact by carefully snipping the nerve
stalks close to the dura mater. Note the thickness of the outer coat.

Pituitary gland or Hypophysis:

Sheep - Before viewing the nerves on the ventral surface observe the pituitary gland that has been left intact
beneath the body of the brain. Under the pituitary gland you will find the infundibulum that connects the
pituitary gland to the brain.

The Arterial Circle – (Circle of Willis) Figure 32.4(b&c), pg. 475.

- identify the basilar artery (formed from the vertebral arteries), anterior communicating and posterior
cerebral arteries, internal carotids. The internal carotids normally supply the arteries of the anterior half of
the cerebrum, and the rest of the brain receives blood from the vertebral arteries. But this circulatory
pattern can easily change, because the internal carotid arteries and the basilar artery are interconnected in a
ring-shaped anastomosis called the cerebral arterial circle, or Circle of Willis, which encircles the
infundibulum of the pituitary gland. With this arrangement, the brain can receive blood from either the
carotid or the vertebral arteries, and the chances for a serious interruption of circulation are reduced.

External Dorsal View:

Human - Exercise 17
Sheep - Exercise 17, Fig. 17.11(c&d) & Fig. 17.12.
Identify the following:
6. Parts of the Midbrain:
The corpora quadrigemina- Superior colliculi &
1. Right cerebral hemisphere (not labeled) Inferior colliculi.
2. Left cerebral hemisphere (not labeled) 7. Cerebellum: Cerebellar vermis (not labeled)
Cerebellar hemispheres (not labeled)
3. Longitudinal fissure (not labeled) 8. Medulla oblongata
4. Transverse fissure (not labeled) 9. Spinal cord
5. Pineal gland (body)

External Ventral View

Using Exercise 17, Fig. 17.11(a&b).
Identify the following in the sheep brain:
1. Right & left cerebral hemisphere (not labeled) 8. Mammillary body
2. Olfactory bulbs 9. Cerebral peduncle
3. Olfactory tracts 10. Pons
4. Optic nerve 11. Right & left cerebellar hemisphere (not labeled)
5. Optic chiasma 12. Ventral median fissure (not labeled)
6. Optic tract 13. Medulla oblongata
7. Infundibulum (stalk of pituitary gland) 14. Spinal cord (not labeled)

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Cranial Nerves in ventral view:
SHEEP: Using Exercise 17, Fig. 17.11(a&b). Identify the following nerves (I to VI).
Number and Name of the Cranial Nerves
I. Olfactory nerve Olfactory nerves are not visible as the other nerves.
They extend to the Olfactory bulb.
II. Optic nerves Comes out from the eyeball to the optic chiasma.
III. Occulomotor nerve Emerges from the peduncles.
IV. Trochlear nerve Behind the trigeminal nerve, above the pons
V. Trigeminal nerve The thickest nerve on each side of the pons.
VI. Abducens nerve A thin curved nerve lying along the medulla
oblongata./ below the pons

Mid-sagittal view
Turn the brain onto its side and use a long knife to make a smooth longitudinal cut (through the
longitudinal fissure, corpus callosum and midline of the cerebellum). Notice the white matter beneath the
longitudinal fissure, this is the corpus callosum.

Using Exercise 17, Fig. 17.13. Identify the following parts of the brain.

1. Corpus callosum (surrounds the lateral ventricle): 9. Intermediate mass of the thalamus
Fornix, genu (not labeled) &
splenium (not labeled)
2. Lateral ventricle (not labeled) 10. Pons
3. Third ventricle (not labeled) 11. Pineal body (gland)
4. Fourth ventricle 12. Superior colliculi
5. Olfactory bulb (not labeled) 13. Inferior colliculi
6. Optic chiasma 14. Cerebellum
7. Pituitary gland (not labeled) 15. Medulla oblongata
8. Mammillary body (not labeled) 16. Spinal cord

Coronal View:
Make a coronal cut through the infundibulum.
Use Exercise 17, Fig. 17.14. Identify the following parts of the brain.

1. Cerebral cortex (not labeled) 6. Third ventricle

2. Corpus callosum (not labeled)
Fornix
3. Lentiform nucleus (not labeled)
4. Caudate nucleus (next to the lateral ventricles)
5. Lateral ventricle
7. Intermediate mass of thalamus
8. Hypothalamus
9. A portion of the optic nerve

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Spinal Cord and Nerves:
Follow Exercise 19, Figure 19.1 & 19.3.
Identify the following parts of the spinal cord in the spinal cord model.
1. Central canal 4. Ventral median fissure
2. Gray matter: Gray commissure 5. Dorsal median sulcus
Ventral horn 6. Spinal meninges: Pia mater
Lateral horn Arachnoid mater
Dorsal horn Dura mater
3. White columns: Ventral funiculus 7. Ventral root
Lateral funiculus 8. Dorsal root ganglion
Dorsal funiculus 9. Body of a vertebra

A Spinal tap - is taken from the arachnoid space – through a lumbar puncture

Meningitis - is an inflammation of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord

CRANIAL NERVES pg. 288-292

Create your own mnemonic device to remember the 12 cranial nerves or use the following mnemonic:

“On occasion, our trusty truck acts funny -- very good vehicle any how”

# Cranial Nerves Functions: Comments:

 Special visceral afferent - Smell
I Olfactory (sometimes classified as special somatic
afferent)
The filaments composing this nerve arise in
the olfactory mucous membrane of the nasal
cavity. The fibers end in the olfactory bulb.
The olfactory tract runs backward from the
bulb and it ends at the base of the brain near
the optic chiasma.

This nerve arises from the retina of the eye. It

runs posteriorly and, in joining the other optic
nerve, forms the optic chiasma. Two bundles,
the optic tracts, extend posteriorly from the
chiasma, proceed around the cerebral
II Optic  Special somatic afferent - Vision peduncles, and end near the superior colliculi.
These structures (the optic nerves and tracts)
are not true peripheral nerves, but are fiber
tracts of the central nervous system. The
retina is a part of the central nervous system.
 Somatic efferent - Movements of the After its origin from the midbrain, the
eyeball oculomotor nerve runs anteriorly into the
 General somatic afferent- orbit, where it ends in muscles that attach to
Proprioception from extrinsic eye the eyeball and move it in various directions.
III Oculomotor A portion of the nerve is distributed to the
muscles
 General visceral efferent smooth muscles within the eye.
(parasympathetic) pupillary constriction

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  Somatic efferent - Movements of the
eyeball
IV Trochlear  General somatic afferent -
Proprioception from extrinsic eye
muscles
 Special visceral efferent - Movements
of mastication
 General somatic afferent - General
sensation from face and head
V Trigeminal
The trochlear nerve is a bundle of fibers that
arise from the back of the midbrain, around
which it winds anteriorly to runs into the
orbit. Here, the nerve ends in a single muscle
attached to the eyeball.
The trigeminal nerve has a motor and a
sensory root, both attached to the side of the
pons. Near the pons, the sensory root has an
enlargement, the trigeminal ganglion, from
which 3 large branches arise to be distributed
to the muscles of mastication, to the skin of
the face and part of the scalp, to mucous
membranes of the mouth and nasal cavity, to
the eye (especially cornea), to the teeth, and
to the dura mater. The motor root joins the
branch which is distributed to the muscles of
mastication.

 Somatic efferent - Movement of eyeball The abducens nerve arises from the front of
 General somatic afferent - the pons, just above its junction with the
VI Abducens Proprioception from extrinsic eye medulla. It enters the orbit, where it supplies a
muscles single muscle attached to the eyeball.

 Special visceral efferent - facial This nerve is attached laterally, just at the
expression junction of the pons and medulla oblongata.
 General visceral efferent - Salivation Its main distribution is to the muscles of
and lacrimation expression (the facial muscles), located
(parasympathetic) around the mouth, nose and eyes, and on the
 Special visceral afferent - Taste forehead and scalp. Some fibers are also
VII Facial distributed to the mucous membrane at the
anterior two-thirds of the tongue (for taste)
and some fibers travel to certain of the
salivary glands and to the lacrimal gland. The
geniculate ganglion is found on the nerve in
its course through the skull.

 Hearing and equilibrium This nerve is attached laterally at the junction

(Vestibulocochlear, statoacoustic, of the pons and medulla oblongata. It has
auditory) cochlear and vestibular divisions, each of
Vestibulocochlear which arises in the inner ear. Each has a
VIII
/ Acoustic small ganglion along its course in the inner
ear, called the spiral and vestibular ganglia,
respectively.
 Special visceral efferent - Pharyngeal This nerve is closely associated and hard to
movements distinguish from the Vagus. There is a series
 General visceral efferent – Salivation of rootlets attached to the lateral surface of
(parasympathetic) the medulla. The upper one or two of these
IX 
Glossopharyngeal Special visceral afferent – Taste
rootlets form the glossopharyngeal nerve,
 General visceral afferent - Visceral which supplies the mucous membranes and a
reflexes, sensation in the tongue and muscle of the pharynx, a salivary gland, and
pharynx the mucous membrane of the posterior third
of the tongue for taste.

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  Special visceral efferent - Pharyngeal
and laryngeal movements
 General visceral efferent - Movements
and secretions of thoracic and
abdominal viscera
(parasympathetic)
X Vagus  Special visceral afferent – Taste
 General visceral afferent - Visceral
reflexes; sensations in tongue and
pharynx
 General somatic afferent - Sensation
from external ear
 Special visceral efferent -Movements of
pharynx, larynx, head and shoulders
 General visceral efferent -Same as vagus
(parasympathetic)
XI Spinal accessory
 Somatic efferent - Movements of the
XII Hypoglossal tongue
The majority of the rootlets attached to the
lateral surface of the medulla form the vagus
nerve, which supplies the mucous membranes
of the pharynx and larynx and also the
muscles of these organs. In addition, it has a
complex distribution to the viscera in the
thorax and abdomen. It has two main ganglia,
the superior and inferior, which are found on
the nerve within and just below its foramen of
exit.
The lower of the nerve rootlets from the
medulla oblongata joins others which have
ascended through the foramen magnum from
the cervical spinalcord. The accessory nerve
formed by this mingling of fibers then
divides. One division, which is composed of
fibers arising from the medulla, joins the
vagus nerve and is distributed with it to the
muscles of pharynx and larynx. The other
division supplies the trapezius and
sternocleidomastoid muscles.
Formed from a number of rootlets attached to
medulla oblongata between pyramid and
olive.

Electroencephalography (EEG)
Read Exercise 18, pages 303-310

Objective:
To measure brain waves and to distinguish different electrical activity.
When awake: Most people exhibit two types of brain waves (EEG) patterns; beta and alpha.
 Beta waves (14-30 Hz) are associated with day to day wakefulness. These waves are the highest in
frequency and lowest in amplitude, and also more desynchronous (not very consistent in their
pattern) than other waves.
 Alpha waves (8-13 Hz ) are observed during periods of relaxation, while still awake, our brain
waves become slower, increase in amplitude and become more synchronous.
When asleep: There are 5 sleep stages: 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.
Adults spend about 20 percent in REM sleep.
Infants, by contrast, spend about half of their sleep time in REM sleep.
 Stage 1 - theta waves (4-7 Hz) with spindles of alpha waves, drift in and out of sleep and can be
awakened easily

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  Stage 2 - theta waves, peaceful sleep, and dreams may occur, eye movements stop and our brain
waves become slower.
 Stage 3 - beta & delta waves (< 4 Hz), extremely slow brain waves called delta waves begin to
appear, interspersed with smaller, faster waves
 Stage 4 - delta waves (< 4 Hz) almost exclusively delta waves, very difficult to wake someone
during stages 3 and 4
 REM - combination of alpha, beta, and desynchronous waves, breathing becomes more rapid,
irregular, and shallow, eyes jerk rapidly in various directions, limb muscles become temporarily
paralyzed, active dreaming,

Follow the directions in Exercise 18, Activity 2, Electroencephalography Using Biopac ®, pg. 305.
Make sure to read and understand Exercise 18

For this activity you will be provided:

 Biopac MP36 unit with power cord

 Laptop with power cord and mouse
 Three electrodes
 Electrode lead set- Lead set, shielded, SS2LB