Overview of the Nervous System Anatomy

Central Nervous System: Brain and Spinal Cord. Peripheral Nervous System: Cranial Nerves and Spinal Nerves, Ganglia, Sensory receptors.

Regions of the Brain

Cerebral hemispheres Diencephalon

Brain stem (Mid-Brain, Pons and Medulla)

Cerebellum

Basic Pattern (Histology)

Central cavity surrounded by gray matter core. External to this is the white matter (myelinated fiber tracts) Both cerebral hemispheres and the cerebellum have an additional outer layer of gray matter called the cortex. At the anterior parts of the brain stem the cortex disappears but scattered gray matter nuclei are seen in white matter.

Cerebral Hemispheres (Cerebrum)

Paired (left and right) superior parts of the brain
Include more than half of the brain mass

Cerebral Hemispheres (Cerebrum)

The surface is made of ridges/elevati ons (gyri) and grooves (sulci)

Layers of the Cerebrum

Gray matter
Outer layer Composed mostly of neuron cell bodies

Figure 7.13a
Copyright 2003 Pearson Education, Inc. publishing as Benjamin Cummings

Slide

Layers of the Cerebrum

White matter
Fiber tracts inside the gray matter Example: corpus callosum connects hemispheres
Figure 7.13a

Lobes of the Cerebrum

Deeper grooves are called fissures. Longitudinal fissure separated the two cerebral hemispheres. Transverse cerebral fissure separates the cerebral hemispheres from the cerebellum. Central sulcus separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe (Pre-central gyrus anteriorly and postcentral gyrus posteriorly). The parieto-occipital sulcus separates the parietal lobe from the occipital lobe. Lateral sulcus separates the temporal lobe from the frontal and parietal. The fifth lobe insula lies at the floor of the lateral sulcus.

Lobes of the Cerebrum

Cerebral Cortex
Gray matter, hence made up of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites and unmyelinated axons. Executive suite of the nervous system: enabling us to be aware of ourselves, our sensations, remember and understand and to initiate voluntary movements. K Brodmann (1906) mapped the regions of the cortex according to the functions they were involved in, giving rise to an elaborate numbered mosaic of 52 cortical areas. These are called the Brodmann areas. Although specific sensory and motor functions are localized, higher mental functions like memory and language have overlapping domains and extend over greater areas of the cortex.

Specialized Areas of the Cerebrum

Motor Areas

Sensory Areas
Association Areas Each hemisphere controls the sensory and motor functions of the other side of the body. There is specialization (Lateralization) of function, with some functions localized at only one particular hemisphere.

Sensory and Motor Areas of the Cerebral Cortex

Specialized Area of the Cerebrum

Motor Areas
Primary (somatic) motor cortex. Pre-motor cortex. Brocas area. Frontal eye field.

Sensory Areas
Primary somato-sensory cortex. Somato-sensory association cortex. Visual areas: Primary visual cortex and Visual association area. Auditory areas: Primary auditory cortex and the auditory association area. Olfactory (smell) cortex. Gustatory (taste) cortex. Vestibular (equilibrium) cortex.

Association Areas
Generally association areas are connected with primary somato-sensory cortex or with other special sense areas. Those that are not directly associated with sensory cortices are as follows. Pre-frontal cortex (personality development). Language areas: Wernicks, Brocas and Lateral pre-frontal cortex. General common interpretation area. Visceral association area.

Cerebral White Matter

Myelinated nerve fibers bundled into tracts. There are three types of tracts. Commissures: Connect corresponding gray areas of the two cerebral hemispheres. Ex. Corpus Callosum. (Horizontal fibers) Association fibers: Connect different parts of the same hemisphere (Horizontal fibers) Projection fibers: Connect the cortex to lower brain and cord centers. (Vertical fibers). These form the internal capsule between the thalamus and some basal nuclei and later radiate anteriorly to form corona radiata

Basal Nuclei
Caudate nuclei, Putamen and Globus pallidus together constitute the basal nuclei group of each hemisphere. Putamen and Globus pallidus together constitute the lens shaped, lentiform nucleus flanking the internal capsule laterally. Caudate nuclei and the lentiform nucleus together constitute the corpus straitum. Amygdala lies at the tail of the caudate nucleus, functionally belongs to the limbic system. Basal nuclei regulate intensity of activities executed by the cortex (refining movements).

Diencephalon
Sits on top of the brain stem
Enclosed by the cerebral hemispheres Made of three paired parts
Thalamus Hypothalamus

Epithalamus

Diencephalon

Thalamus
Surrounds the third ventricle The relay station for sensory impulses Transfers impulses to the correct part of the cortex for localization and interpretation

Hypothalamus
Under the thalamus Extends from the optic chiasma to the mammillary bodies. Important autonomic nervous system center. Center for emotional response

Helps regulate body temperature.

Controls water balance and thirst. Regulates metabolism.

Regulation of food intake.

Regulation of sleep wake cycles. Control of endocrine functions.

Hypothalamus

An important part of the limbic system (emotions) The pituitary gland is attached to the hypothalamus

Epithalamus

Forms the roof of the third ventricle Houses the pineal body (an endocrine gland) Includes the choroid plexus forms cerebrospinal fluid

Brain Stem
Attaches to the spinal cord

Parts of the brain stem

Midbrain Pons Medulla oblongata

Brain Stem

Midbrain
Mostly composed of tracts of nerve fibers. Reflex centers for vision and hearing Cerebral aqueduct connects 3rd-4th ventricles Pair of Cerebral peduncles ventrally. Contain corticospinal motor tracts descending down from the cortex

Cerebellar peduncles present dorsally connect the midbrain to the cerebellum.

Dorsal roof of midbrain is called the tectum

Peri-aqueductal gray matter involved in fear suppression.

Nuclei scattered in the white matter include, corpora quadrigemina (Superior colliculi and inferior colliculi), the substantia nigra (Parkinsons) and the red nuclei.

Pons

The bulging center part of the brain stem Mostly composed of fiber tracts, middle cerebellar peduncle present ventrally and oriented transversely and dorsally, connecting motor cortex and cerebellum. Includes nuclei involved in the control of breathing (Pneumotaxic center)

Medulla Oblongata
The lowest part of the brain stem Merges into the spinal cord Includes important fiber tracts: Pyramids on the ventral surface, these are tracts connecting motor cortex to spinal cord after crossing over to the opposite side at the decussation of the pyramids. Lateral side are olives: inferior olivary nuclei. Cranial nerves arise from the groove between the pyramids and the olives Contains important control centers Heart rate control Blood pressure regulation Breathing Swallowing

Cerebellum
Two hemispheres with convoluted surfaces connect medially by the vermis.

Pleat like convolutions or the gyri are called the folia.

Fissures divide each hemisphere into anterior, posterior and the flocculonodular lobes. The white matter of the cerebellum is called the arbor vitae (tree of life) Cerebellar peduncles (CP): Superior CP connects cerebellum to midbrain, Middle CP connects cerebellum to pons and Inferior CP connects cerebellum to medulla. Provides subconscious coordination of body movements. Processes inputs received from the cerebral cortex , the brain stem nuclei and the sensory receptors. Provides precise patterns of skeletal muscle contraction, for smooth, coordinated movements and agility.

Cerebellum

Figure 7.15a

Functional Brain Systems

These are networks of neurons that work together but span relatively large distances in the brain. Hence, they cannot be localized to specific brain regions. Example: The limbic system and the Reticular formation.

Protection of the Central Nervous System

Scalp and skin
Skull and vertebral column Meninges

Figure 7.16a

Protection of the Central Nervous System

Cerebrospinal fluid Blood brain barrier

Figure 7.16a

Meninges
Dura mater
Double-layered external covering

Periosteum attached to surface of the skull

Meningeal layer outer covering of the brain

Folds inward in several areas

Meninges
Arachnoid layer
Middle layer

Web-like

Pia mater
Internal layer Clings to the surface of the brain

Cerebrospinal Fluid
Similar to blood plasma composition Formed by the choroid plexus Forms a watery cushion to protect the brain Circulated in arachnoid space, ventricles, and central canal of the spinal cord

Ventricles and Location of the Cerebrospinal Fluid

Figure 7.17a

Spinal Cord
Extends from the medulla oblongata to the region of T12 at conus medullaris. Divided into the cervical, thoracic, lumber and sacral regions. Below T12 is the cauda equina (a collection of spinal nerves) Filum terminale anchors the spinal cord t the posterior surface of the coccyx. Enlargements occur in the cervical and lumbar regions
Figure 7.18

 Posterior median sulcus and Anterior median fissure divide the spinal cord partly into right and left halves.

Spinal Cord Anatomy

Exterior white mater conduction tracts Dorsal root: Afferent fibers from peripheral sensory receptors. Ventral root: Efferent motor fibers Roots are short and fuse laterally to form the spinal nerves.

Figure 7.19

Spinal Cord Anatomy

Internal gray matter - mostly cell bodies Dorsal (posterior) horns (interneurons)

Ventral (anterior) horns (interneurons and somatic motor neurons). Largest at the cervical and the lumber regions.
Lateral horns (autonomic motor neurons).

Figure 7.19