Basic Anatomy of the CNS

Basic Anatomy of the CNS

1. BRAIN SECTIONS

   • THE FOREBRAIN
     • Thalamus
       • RELAYS SENSORY INPUT to PRIMARY SENSORY AREAS of the CEREBRAL CORTEX including:
         • Globus Pallidus
         • Spinothalamic Pathway
         • Brain Stem
         • Superior and Inferior Colliculus
         • Reticular Formation
         • Hypothalamus
     • Cerebrum
     • Hypothalamus
       • Involved in HOMEOSTASIS
       • RECEIVES INPUT from the LIMBIC SYSTEM
       • NUCLEI RESPONDS to things like [SEX HORMONE] in blood and GROWTH associated needs
   • THE MIDBRAIN
     • Substantia Nigra
       • Part of MOTOR SYSTEM
       • PROJECTS to the BASAL GANGLIA
       • LOTS of DOPAMINE CONTAINING CELLS
       • Associated with PARKINSON'S DISEASE
     • Superior Colliculus
       • Receives VISUAL INPUTS and brings EYES TO FOCUS
       • Works in conjunction with MOTOR SYSTEM
     • PAG
       • EMOTIVE PAIN PATHWAYS and FEAR
       • Controls SOMATIC PAIN SENSATIONS
       • NOT HEAVILY MYELINATED
     • Red Nucleus
       • MOTOR CONTROLLED STRUCTURE
   • THE HINDBRAIN
     • Pons
     • Medulla Oblongata
     • Cerebellum
     • Recticular formation
       • DISTRIBUTES AXONS WIDELY
       • RECEIVE AFFERENT INPUT from ASCENDING and DESCENDING PATHWAYS from
         • Cochlear Reflex
         • Vestibular Reflex
         • Cranial Nerves
         • Thalamus
         • Cerebellum
         • Frontal, Sensory and Motor Cortex
       • ACTIONS
         • Regulating ALERTNESS
         • Modulating HEART RATE and BLOOD PRESSURE via BARORECEPTORS
         • SENSORIMOTOR CONTROLLER
       • In the MIDBRAIN and MEDULLA
     • Raphe Nuclei
       • Lots of SEROTONIN CONTAINING CELLS projecting to the FOREBRAIN and SPINAL CORD
       • In the MEDULLA and MIDBRAIN
     • Area Postrema
       • In the PONS and MEDULLA
       • Contains the CHEMORECEPTOR TRIGGER ZONE
         • Involved in VOMITING
     • Locus Coerulus
       • NORADRENALINE CELL RICH
       • Projects ALL OVER the CNS
       • In the PONS

2. MID-SECTIONED BRAIN

   • SULCI / GYRI
     • Cingulate Gyrus
     • Cingulate Sulcus
     • Central Sulcus
     • Calcarine Sulcus
     • Parieto-occipital sulcus
   • OTHER
     • Diencephalon
       • Limbic System
         • Involved in MOOD and EMOTION
         • Cingulate Gyrus
         • Hypothalamus
         • Mammillary Body
         • Nucleus Accumbens
         • Septal Areas
         • Oribitofrontal Cortex
         • Amygdala
       • Pituitary Gland
         • HORMONE RELEASE
     • Anterior Comissure
     • Corpus Collosum
       • Connection between 2 hemispheres allowing communication

3. THE DEVELOPING BRAIN

   • PROENCEPHALON (Forebrain)
     • Telencephalon
       • Cerebral Hemispheres
         • Neocortex + Cerebral Cortex
         • Cerebral Cortex = the OUTER LAYER of CEREBRAL HEMISPHERE
         • WHITE MATTER beneath = large AXON BUNDLES
       • Basal Ganglia
         • Controls MOTOR ACTIVITY
         • DEGENERATES in PARKINSON'S and HUNTINGTON'S
         • Corpus Striatum
         • Caudate Nucleus
     • Diencephalon
   • MESENCEPHALON (Midbrain)
   • RHOMBENCEPHALON (Hindbrain)
     • Myencephalon
     • Metencephalon
   • SPINAL CORD