Brain Impractical Uno
Gross Brain Structures
Compiled by MF Dauzvardis
Cerebellum
Covers the fourth ventricle, responsible for the initiation and planning of
movement, cerebellar signs are ipsilateral, midline lobe is called vermis,
highly crenated cortex is called “arbor vitae”, key cells = pyramidal,
granular, and molecular
Pineal
Secretes melatonin, seat of the soul, biological clock?, third eye in some
fishes and amphibians.
Medulla
Just rostral to cervical cord, contains critical breathing centers, fed by
vertebral and pica arteries (lateral wallenberg syndrome when pica is
blocked)
Pons
“bridge” Covered largely by the 4th ventricle and the cerebellum. Fed in
part by the basilar artery, Many cortical pontine fibers end in the pontine
gray nuclei which in turn project to the cerebellum via the MCP
Midbrain
Key features: cerebral peduncles, aqueduct of Sylvius, substantia nigra,
tectum (inferior and superior colliculi) red nucleus, CN III, IV
Fourth ventricle
Contains csf, choroid plexuses, foramen luscka(lateral) and
magendie(medial) lead to cisterna magna and subarachnoid space. CSF
leaves midbrain via aqueduct of Silvius
Aqueduct of Silvius
Connects 4th ventricle to 3rd ventricle, obstruction can lead to
hydrocephaly, surrounded by periaqueductal gray (PAG)—related to
pain
3rd ventricle
Filled with CSF, sits between thalami and enters hypothalamus, connects
to lateral ventricles via foremen of monroe, contains some choroid and
also the stria medullaris thalami which connect habenula to septal nuclei
Tectum
Consists of superior and inferior colliculi, don’t forget SLO-AIM
Medulla
Just rostral to cervical cord, contains critical breathing centers, fed by
vertebral and pica arteries (lateral wallenberg syndrome when pica is
blocked)
Pons
“bridge” Covered largely by the 4th ventricle and the cerebellum. Fed in
part by the basilar artery, Many cortical pontine fibers end in the pontine
gray nuclei which in turn project to the cerebellum via the MCP
Midbrain
Key features: cerebral peduncles, aqueduct of Sylvius, substantia nigra,
tectum (inferior and superior colliculi) red nucleus, CN III, IV
Cerebellum
Covers the fourth ventricle, responsible for the initiation and planning of
movement, cerebellar sighs are ipsilateral, midline lobe is called vermis,
highly lobulated cortex is called “arbor vitae”, key cells = pyramidal,
granular, and molecular
4th ventricle
Contains csf, choroid plexuses, foramen luska(lateral) and
magendi(medial) lead to cisterna magna and subarachnoid space. CSF
leaves midbrain via aqueduct of Silvius
Aqueduct
Connects 4th ventricle to 3rd ventricle, obstruction can lead to
hydrocephaly, surrounded by periaqueductal gray (PAG)—related to
pain
3rd ventricle
Filled with CSF, sits between thalami and enters hypothalamus, connects
to lateral ventricles via foremen of monroe, contains some choroid and
also the stria medullaris thalami which connect habenula to septal nuclei
Tectum
Consists of superior and inferior colliculi, don’t forget SLO-AIM
Medulla
Pons
Midbrain, interpeducular fossa
Cerebellum
Temporal lobe
mammillary bodies
optic chiasm
Pia mater
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX, X, XI
Location of XII, between pyramid and olive
Blood vessels, MCA
Flocculus
Cerebellum (vermis)
Floor of 4th ventricle
Cerebellar peducles
Superior (brachium conjunctivum), Middle (brachium pontis), Inferior
(restiform body)
Superior and inferior colliculi
Slo-aim--------superior colliculi, lat geniculate, optic stuff-------auditory
stuff, inf colliculus,med geniculate,
Pineal
Thalami
Major relay station for sensory information
Lateral geniculate for visual relay
Area of medial geniculate, relay for audition
Area of vestibular nuclei—remember inferior vestibular nucleus is
“peppered”
Pulvinar nucleus of thalamus
Obex—opening of central canal into 4th ventricle
Cerebral peduncle—connects cerebrum to brainstem—mainly
descending motor fibers. Rostrally it turns into the internal capsule
Brachium(arm) of the superior colliculus
Brachium of the inferior colliculus
3rd ventricle
Genu of corpus collosum
Anterior limb of
internal capsule
Genu of internal
capsule
Posterior limb of
internal capsule
Splenium of corpus
collosum
Visual cortex
Head of caudate
Putamen
Globus pallidus
Insula
Thalamus
Columns of fornix—
hippocampus to
mammilary bodies