Human Anatomy Study Guide

Chapter 15: Brain and Cranial Nerves

Meninges: membranes that line the skull and vertebral canal, enclosing the brain and spinal cord. They
form major venous drainage and contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) between layers.

- Dura Mater: the outermost layer, lies directly beneath the bones of the skull and vertebral
column. It is innervated by the trigeminal nerve (V1, V2, and V3).
o Periosteal layer: lines the inner surface of the bones of the cranium
 Dural Venous Sinuses: located between the two layers. Responsible for the
venous vasculature of the cranium, draining into the internal jugular veins
o Meningeal layer: deep to the periosteal layer inside the cranial cavity. It’s the only layer
present in the vertebral column.
 In some areas of the skull, the meningeal layer folds inwards to divide the
cranial cavity into dural septa.
- Arachnoid Mater: the middle layer, lying directly underneath the dura mater. It consists of
layers of connective tissue, is avascular, and does not receive any innervation.
o Arachnoid Granulations: portion of the arachnoid that protrude into the dura mater to
allow CSF to pass from the subarachnoid space into the venous system.
- Pia Mater: deepest layer, beneath the sub-arachnoid space. It’s a thin sheet that’s tightly
adhered to the surface of the brain and spinal cord (follows the contours of the brain – the gyri
and fissures). Highly vascularized.

Meningeal Spaces

- Epidural Space: space between the roof of the skull and the superior surface of the dura mater
- Subdural Space: space between the meningeal layer of the dura mater and the arachnoid mater
- Subarachnoid Space: space between the arachnoid and pia mater. It is filled with CSF, made by
the choroid plexus, helps cushion the brain and spinal cord from trauma and supply them with
nutrients. Major arteries of the brain also run through this space.
Ventricular System: hollows within the brain in which CSF is produced and circulated. The ventricles are
continuous with the central canal of the spinal cord.

- Lateral Ventricles (2): blue

- Third Ventricle: yellow
- Cerebral Aqueduct: red
- Fourth Ventricle: purple
- Central Canal of Spinal Cord: green

CSF Formation and Flow

- Choroid Plexus: network of capillaries and modified ependymal cells that produce CSF in the
ventricles of the brain.
- Flow of CSF
o 1) CSF is produced by the choroid plexus in the ventricles.
o 2) CSF flows from the third ventricle through the cerebral aqueduct into the fourth
ventricle.
o 3) CSF in the fourth ventricle flows into the subarachnoid space and into the central
canal of the spinal cord.
o 4) As CSF moves through the subarachnoid space, it removes waste products and
provides buoyancy to support the brain.
o 5) Excess CSF flows into arachnoid villi, then drains into the dural venous sinuses. The
greater pressure on the CSF in the subarachnoid space ensures that CSF moves into the
venous sinuses without permitting venous blood to enter the subarachnoid space.

Blood Brain Barrier (BBB): highly selective semi-permeable border of endothelial cells (tight junctions),
allows passage of some molecules via passive diffusion as well as selective transport of various nutrients,
ions, and macromolecules (glucose, water, amino acids, etc). Restricts passage of pathogens, diffusion of
solutes in the blood, and large or hydrophilic molecules into the CSF.

- Composed of endothelial layer of cells (tight junctions), perivascular feet of astrocytes, and a
continuous capillary basement membrane.

Cerebrum

- Gray Matter: located on the cerebral cortex. Contains cell bodies, responsible for higher
functions of the nervous system, acts like a processing center for neurons.
o In the spinal cord, gray matter is located inside, arranged in horns
o In the PNS, gray matter is the ganglia (swelling or bump), cell bodies
- White Matter: contains myelinated (white) axons, high lipid fat content from the myelin sheath
(phospholipid bilayer), bundled in structure to form tracts.
 o In the spinal cord, white matter is located outside, arranged in columns
o In the PNS, white matter are the nerves, bundle of myelinated axons
- Gyrus (gyri): hills, bumps
o Precentral Gyrus: houses the primary motor cortex, where neurons control skeletal
muscle activity
o Postcentral Gyrus: houses the primary somatosensory cortex, where neurons receive
somatic sensory information from touch, pressure, pain, and temperature receptors
- Sulcus (sulci): valleys, grooves
o Central Sulcus: boundary between frontal and parietal lobes
o Lateral Sulcus: boundary between frontal/parietal lobes and temporal lobe
o Parieto-Occipital Sulcus: boundary between parietal lobes and occipital lobe
o Longitudinal Fissure: separates cerebral hemispheres

- Lobes
o Frontal Lobe: voluntary motor functions, concentration, verbal communication, decision
making, planning, and personality
o Parietal Lobe: general sensory functions
o Occipital Lobe: processing incoming visual information and storing visual memories
o Temporal Lobe: involved with hearing and smell
- Corpus Callosum: communication link between the cerebral hemispheres, composed of
primarily white matter
Diencephalon

- Epithalamus: secretes melatonin, which helps regulate the body’s circadian rhythm
- Thalamus: relays sensory impulses from all conscious senses (except smell) to cerebral cortex
- Hypothalamus: control of automatic nervous system and endocrine system, regulation of body
temperature and circadian rhythms, control of emotional behavior, food and water intake, smell

Brainstem

- Midbrain/Mesencephalon: visual and auditory reflex center, contains white matter tracts to
connect pons and cerebrum.
- Pons: contains white matter tracts for communication between brain and spinal cord. Contains
gray matter for control of respiration.
- Medulla Oblongata: contains white matter tracts for communication between brain and spinal
cord. Contains gray matter that regulates cardiovascular function and respiration.

Cerebellum: involved in coordinated movements, maintaining balance, and muscle/joint awareness.

Somatotopy: body map, refers to the correspondence of an area of the body to a specific point on the
central nervous system.

- Hemispheric Lateralization: refers to the distinct functions of the right and left hemispheres of
the brain. These functions are usually generalized, because not everyone’s brain functions in the
same manner.
o Right hemisphere: responsible for controlling the left side of the body, is more involved
in creativity, imagination, intuition, music ability, insight, and awareness/recognition of
shapes/faces.
o Left hemisphere: responsible for controlling the right side of the body, is more involved
with logical thought, language/speech, verbal memory, reasoning, science and math,
and writing.
- Language Processing (located on the left hemisphere of the brain)
o Motor Speech (frontal lobe): “talking”
o Wernicke Area (temporal/parietal lobe): “comprehension”
Cranial Nerves

Lab Activity 7 provides a little more detail than I expect you to know. Here's the differences, i.e. what
you should know for the lecture exam that differs from the Lab Activity 7***.

 Cranial Nerve III, Oculomotor Nerve: motor to most of the extraocular or extrinsic eye muscles
 Cranial Nerve V, Trigeminal Nerve: sensory from face and motor to muscles of mastication or
chewing
 Cranial Nerve VII, Facial Nerve: motor to muscles of facial expression
 Cranial Nerve IX, Glossopharyngeal Nerve: somatic (touch) and special (taste) sensory to part of
the tongue
 Cranial Nerve X, Vagus Nerve: autonomic functions that I will cover in Chapter 18