Chapter 9:

The Nervous System:

The Brain and Cranial
Nerves

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Brain
• Cerebrum
– Cerebral hemispheres
– Longitudinal fissure (fissure is a deep groove)
– Lobes
• Diencephalon
– Thalamus
– Hypothalamus
• Brain stem
– Midbrain
– Pons
– Medulla oblongata
• Cerebellum means “little brain”
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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Brain, sagittal section. Main

divisions are shown.
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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

External
surface of
the brain,
superior
view.
The division
into two
hemisphere
s and into
lobes is
visible.

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Protective Structures of the

Brain and Spinal Cord
• Meninges-3 layers of connective tissue surrounding the brain and
spinal cord
– Dura mater
• Outermost layer, thickest and toughest
• Dural sinuses
– Arachnoid
• Middle layer
– Pia mater
• Innermost layer
• Attached to the nervous tissue of the brain and spinal
cord

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Frontal (coronal) section of the top of the head.

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Cerebrospinal Fluid
• Clear fluid circulating in and around the brain and spinal cord
• Supports nervous tissue, cushions from shock
• Carries nutrients to cells
• Transports waste products from cells
• Produced in ventricles
– Choroid plexus
– Lateral ventricles
– Foramina
– Cerebral aqueduct

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Ventricles
• Choroid plexus
– Forms CSF
• Interventricular foramina-lateral ventricles communicate
with the third ventricle

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Flow of
(CSF).

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Ventricles
of the
brain.
Three
views are
shown. 

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Cerebral Hemispheres

• Lobes • Cerebral cortex
– Frontal – Gyri
– Parietal – Sulci
– Temporal • Central sulcus
– Occipital
• Lateral sulcus
– Insula (within the
hemisphere) • Basal nuclei (basal ganglia)
• Corpus callosum
• Internal capsule

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

External
surface of the
brain, lateral
view. The
lobes and
surface
features of
the cerebrum
are visible.

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Functions of the Cerebral Cortex

• Frontal lobe • Temporal lobe
– Motor area – Auditory area
– Speech centers – Olfactory area
• Parietal lobe • Occipital lobe
– Sensory area – Visual receiving area
– Estimation of distances, – Visual association area
sizes, shapes

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Functional
areas of
the
cerebral
cortex.

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Motor areas of the cerebral cortex (frontal lobe).  

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Communication Areas
• Auditory areas
– Auditory receiving
– Auditory association
– Speech comprehension (Wernicke area)
• Motor areas
– Motor speech (Broca area)
– Written speech center
• Visual areas
– Visual language images receiving

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Memory and the Learning Process

• Short-term memory
– Information lost unless reinforced
• Long-term memory
– Rehearsal (repetition)
– Alertness

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Diencephalon
• Thalamus
– Sorts sensory impulses
– Directs impulses within cerebral cortex
• Hypothalamus
– Maintains homeostasis
– *Controls sympathetic and parasympathetic
divisions of autonomic nervous system
– Influences heartbeat, blood flow, hormone secretion

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Regions of the diencephalon.

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Limbic System

• Between cerebrum and diencephalon
• Includes the hippocampus
– Located under te lateral ventricles
• Involved in emotional states, behavior
• Involved in learning, long-term memory
• Stimulates the reticular formation
– Network that extends along the brain stem and governs
wakefulness and sleep
• Links functions of cerebral cortex and brain stem

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Brain Stem

• Connects cerebrum and diencephalon with the spinal
cord
• Composed of midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Midbrain
• Superior part of brain stem
• Four masses form superior part of midbrain
– These act as centers for some reflexes involving the
eye and ear
• Conducts impulses between higher centers of cerebrum
and lower centers of pons, medulla, cerebellum, spinal
cord

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Pons
• Connecting link between cerebellum and rest of nervous
system (connects the midbrain and medulla)
• Some reflexes involving respiration

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Medulla Oblongata

• Located between the pons and spinal cord
• Respiratory center
• Cardiac center
• Vasomotor center
• Contralateral (opposite side) control

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

The Cerebellum
• Three parts
– Vermis
– Left hemisphere
– Right hemisphere
• Outer area of gray matter with inner portion mainly white
matter which is distributed in a treelike pattern
• Functions
– Help coordinate voluntary muscles
– Help maintain balance
– Help maintain muscle tone

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Brain Studies

Imaging techniques to study the brain without surgery

• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Electroencephalograph (EEG)

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Imaging the brain.

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Electroencephalograph
• Record electric currents given off by brain nerve cells
• Study sleep patterns
• Diagnose disease
• Locate tumors
• Study drug effects
• Determine brain death

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Cranial Nerves
• 12 pairs
• Four categories
– Special sensory impulses
– General sensory impulses
– Somatic motor impulses
– Visceral motor impulses

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Names and Functions of the Cranial Nerves

• I Olfactory-On • VII Facial-Finn

• II Optic-Old • VIII Vestibulocochlear-
Versus
• III Oculomotor-Olympus
• IX Glossopharyngeal-
• IV Trochlear-Towering German

• V Trigeminal-Tops • X Vagus-Viewed
• XI Accessory-All
• VI Abducens-A
• XII Hypoglossal-Hops

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Cranial Nerves-Sensory, Motor, Mixed (both)

• I-Sensory-Some • VII-Both-Brother
• II-Sensory-Say • VII-Sensory-Say
• III-Motor-Marry • IX-Both-Bad
• IV-Motor-Money • X-Both-Business
• V-Both-But • XI-Motor-Marry
• VI-Motor-My • XII-Motor-Money

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Taylor: Memmler’s Structure and Function of the Human Body

Aging of the Nervous System

• Decreased brain size and weight
• Decreased speed of information processing
• Slowed movements
• Diminished memory
• Reduced blood flow to brain

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