Brain & Cranial Nerves

Question 1

three layers of protective tissue called the dura mater, arachnoid mater, and pia mater that surround the neuraxis

Answer 1

meninges

Question 2

tough outermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord.

Answer 2

dura mater

Question 3

delicate innermost membrane enveloping the brain and spinal cord.

Answer 3

pia mater

Question 4

named for its spiderweb-like appearance, is a thin, transparent membrane surrounding the spinal cord like a loosely fitting sac.

Answer 4

arachnoid mater

Question 5

a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. it encloses the central canal

Answer 5

spinal cord

Question 6

a long stem-like structure located in the brainstem. It is anterior and partially inferior to the cerebellum. It is a cone-shaped neuronal mass responsible for autonomic (involuntary) functions ranging from vomiting to sneezing.

Answer 6

medulla oblongata

Question 7

part of the brainstem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus. is involved in the control of breathing, communication between different parts of the brain, and sensations such as hearing, taste, and balance

Answer 7

pons

Question 8

(“little brain”) is a structure that is located at the back of the brain, underlying the occipital and temporal lobes of the cerebral cortex. receives information from the sensory systems, the spinal cord, and other parts of the brain and then regulates motor movements. coordinates voluntary movements such as posture, balance, coordination, and speech, resulting in smooth and balanced muscular activity.

Answer 8

cerebellum

Question 9

(Latin for “tree of life”) is the cerebellar white matter, so called for its branched, tree-like appearance.

Answer 9

arbor vitae

Question 10

connect the cerebellum to the brain stem. there are six

Answer 10

cerebellar peduncles

Question 11

structures at the front of the midbrain which arise from the front of the pons and contain the large ascending (sensory) and descending (motor) nerve tracts that run to and from the cerebrum from the pons. composed of white matter and contain important ascending sensory fibers

Answer 11

cerebral peduncles

Question 12

midbrain, portion of the brainstem that connects the hindbrain and the forebrain. portion of the central nervous system associated with vision, hearing, motor control, sleep/wake, arousal (alertness), and temperature regulation.

Answer 12

misencephalon

Question 13

the four colliculi—two inferior, two superior—located on the tectum of the dorsal aspect of the midbrain.

Answer 13

corpora quadrigemina

Question 14

a structure in the midbrain that is part of the brain circuit for the transformation of sensory input into movement output.

Answer 14

superior colliculus

Question 15

is the principal midbrain nucleus of the auditory pathway and receives input from several peripheral brainstem nuclei in the auditory pathway, as well as inputs from the auditory cortex.

Answer 15

inferior colliculus

Question 16

a small, pea-shaped gland in the brain. it produces and regulates melatonin.

Answer 16

pineal gland

Question 17

a small region of the brain. It’s located at the base of the brain, near the pituitary gland. plays a crucial role in many important functions, including: releasing hormones. regulating body temperature.

Answer 17

hypothalamus

Question 18

an important gland in the body and it is often referred to as the ‘master gland’, because it controls several of the other hormone glands

Answer 18

pituitary gland

Question 19

a pair of small round bodies, located on the undersurface of the brain that, as part of the diencephalon, form part of the limbic system. located at the ends of the anterior arches of the fornix.

Answer 19

mammillary bodies

Question 20

a small structure within the brain located just above the brain stem between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain and has extensive nerve connections to both. relay motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex.

Answer 20

thalamus

Question 21

or middle commissure. a flattened band of tissue that connects both parts of the thalamus at their medial surfaces.

Answer 21

intermediate mass

Question 22

a C-shaped bundle of nerve fibers in the brain that acts as the major output tract of the hippocampus. also carries some afferent fibres to the hippocampus from structures in the diencephalon and basal forebrain. part of the limbic system.

Answer 22

fornix

Question 23

also callosal commissure, is a wide, thick nerve tract consisting of a flat bundle of commissural fibers, beneath the cerebral cortex in the brain. interconnect the two hemispheres. integrate motor, sensory, and cognitive performances between the cerebral cortex on one side of the brain to the same region on the other side.

Answer 23

corpus callosum

Question 24

a group of subcortical nuclei, situated at the base of the forebrain and top of the midbrain.

Answer 24

basal nuclei

Question 25

a ridge or fold between two clefts on the cerebral surface in the brain.

Answer 25

gyrus

Question 26

a groove or furrow, especially one on the surface of the brain.

Answer 26

sulcus

Question 27

darker tissue of the brain and spinal cord, consisting mainly of nerve cell bodies and branching dendrites.

Answer 27

gray matter

Question 28

areas of the central nervous system (CNS) that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called tracts.

Answer 28

white matter

Question 29

is the deep groove that separates the two hemispheres of the vertebrate brain.

Answer 29

longitudinal fissure

Question 30

divides both the frontal lobe and parietal lobe above from the temporal lobe below.

Answer 30

lateral cerebral sulcus

Question 31

the part of the brain that controls important cognitive skills in humans, such as emotional expression, problem solving, memory, language, judgment, and sexual behaviors.

Answer 31

frontal lobe

Question 32

located at the bottom of the brain below the lateral fissure. location of the primary auditory cortex, which is important for interpreting the sounds and language we hear.

Answer 32

temporal lobe

Question 33

positioned above the temporal lobe and behind the frontal lobe and central sulcus. important in language processing.

Answer 33

parietal lobe

Question 34

the visual processing center

Answer 34

occipital lobe

Question 35

a small region of the cerebral cortex located deep within the lateral sulcus, which is a large fissure that separates the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobe.

Answer 35

insula

Question 36

found in the occipital lobe in both cerebral hemispheres. highly specialized for processing information about static and moving objects and is excellent in pattern recognition.

Answer 36

primary visual cortex

Question 37

located in the frontal lobe of the brain, along a bump called the precentral gyrus. generate neural impulses that control the execution of movement.

Answer 37

primary motor cortex

Question 38

located in a ridge of cortex called the postcentral gyrus, which is found in the parietal lobe. situated just posterior to the central sulcus. concerned with the conscious perception of touch, pressure, pain, temperature, position, movement, and vibration, which arise from the muscles, joints, skin, and fascia.

Answer 38

primary somatosensory cortex

Question 39

is located on the superior temporal gyrus in the temporal lobe and receives point-to-point input from the ventral division of the medial geniculate complex

Answer 39

primary auditory area

Question 40

a plexus of cells that produces the cerebrospinal fluid in the ventricles of the brain.

Answer 40

choroid plexus

Question 41

the two largest cavities of the ventricular system of the human brain and contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). left and right

Answer 41

lateral ventricles

Question 42

one of four connected fluid-filled cavities comprising the ventricular system within the mammalian brain. a median cleft in the diencephalon between the two thalami, and is filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is in the midline, between the left and right lateral ventricles.

Answer 42

third ventricle

Question 43

within the midbrain. contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle, located dorsal to the pons and ventral to the cerebellum.

Answer 43

cerebral aqueduct

Question 44

one of four connected fluid-filled cavities comprising the ventricular system within the mammalian brain. to protect the human brain from trauma (via a cushioning effect) and to help form the central canal, which runs the length of the spinal cord. this ventricle has a roof and a floor.

Answer 44

fourth ventricle

Question 45

allows blood to drain from the lateral aspects of anterior cerebral hemispheres

Answer 45

superior sagittal sulcus

Question 46

small protrusions of the arachnoid mater (the thin second layer covering the brain) into the outer membrane of the dura mater (the thick outer layer).

Answer 46

arachnoid villi

Question 47

located in the forebrain of vertebrates that receives neural input about odours detected by cells in the nasal cavity.

Answer 47

olfactory bulbs

Question 48

a bilateral bundle of afferent nerve fibers from the mitral and tufted cells of the olfactory bulb that connects to several target regions in the brain

Answer 48

olfactory tracts

Question 49

the first cranial nerve and conveys special sensory information related to smell. it is the shortest of the cranial nerves and passes from its receptors in the nasal mucosa to the forebrain. it enters the skull through the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone.

Answer 49

olfactory nerves

Question 50

CN II. transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

Answer 50

optic nerves

Question 51

an X-shaped structure formed by the crossing of the optic nerves in the brain.

Answer 51

optic chiasm

Question 52

a part of the visual system in the brain. it is a continuation of the optic nerve that relays information from the optic chiasm

Answer 52

optic tract

Question 53

CN III. enters the orbit via the superior orbital fissure and innervates extrinsic eye muscles that enable most movements of the eye and that raise the eyelid.

Answer 53

oculomotor nerves

Question 54

CN IV. a motor nerve (a somatic efferent nerve) that innervates only a single muscle: the superior oblique muscle of the eye, which operates through the pulley-like trochlea.

Answer 54

trochlear nerves

Question 55

CN V. a nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as biting and chewing; it is the largest of the cranial nerves.

Answer 55

trigeminal nerves

Question 56

CN VI. controls the movement of the lateral rectus muscle, responsible for outward gaze. a somatic efferent nerve.

Answer 56

abducens nerves

Question 57

CN VII. emerges from the pons of the brainstem, controls the muscles of facial expression, and functions in the conveyance of taste sensations from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue.

Answer 57

facial nerves

Question 58

CN VIII. transmits sound and equilibrium (balance) information from the inner ear to the brain.

Answer 58

vestibulocochlear nerves

Question 59

CN IX. a mixed nerve that carries afferent sensory and efferent motor information. It exits the brainstem out from the sides of the upper medulla, just rostral (closer to the nose) to the vagus nerve.

Answer 59

glossopharyngeal nerves

Question 60

CN X. longest and most complex of the cranial nerves. interfaces with the parasympathetic control of the heart, lungs, and digestive tract.

Answer 60

vagus nerves

Question 61

CN IX. supplies the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.

Answer 61

accessory nerves

Question 62

CN IIX. innervates all the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue. solely motor function.

Answer 62

hypoglossal nerves

Question 63

a restriction in blood supply to tissues, causing a shortage of oxygen that is needed for cellular metabolism (to keep tissue alive). generally caused by problems with blood vessels, with resultant damage to or dysfunction of tissue.

Answer 63

ischemia

Question 64

anything that stimulates the sweat glands.

Answer 64

sudomotor

Question 65

an irregular heartbeat that's either too fast or too slow.

Answer 65

sinus arrythmia