Medulla Oblongota
- Sensory and motor cranial nerve nuclei (IX, X, XI, XII)
2. Autonomic Regulator (cardiac, vasomotor, respiratory)
Pons
- Controls sleep, hearing, balance, taste, bladder
- Nuclei of sensory and motor cranial nerves (V, VI, VIII)
- Peduncles carry sensory info to cerebellum
Mesencephalon/Midbrain
- Tegmentum: Connects to cerebellum and helps control fine motor movements
- Cranial Nerves III & IV
- Substantia nigra: sends inhibitory signals to basal ganglia and thalamus
- allows for sound and object tracking in eyes and ears
- Peduncles hold corticospinal tract
Cerebellum
- Corrects voluntary muscle contraction & posture based on real time sensory data from movements
- “Arbor vitae” = Tree of Life
- Locomotion/coordination/sensing
Diencephalon (innermost region)
“Reptilian brain”
- Contains thalamus, hypothalamus, 3rd ventricle
Thalamus
- Receives all sensory info before cerebral cortex
- Connected to limbic system (memory and emotion)
- “Crude” perception of sensations
Hypothalamus
Autonomic: controls and integrated ANS; regulates cardiac and smooth muscle, glands
Hormones: synthesizes hormones that control Pituitary gland
Hormones: regulates rage, aggression, pain, pleasure, arousal
Memory: long term memory nuclei
Fullness centers (thirst, hunger)
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (hypothalamus)
Circadian rhythm
Preoptic nucleus (hypothalamus)
Controls body temp
Epithalamus
Pineal gland: secretes melatonin; promotes sleepiness and sets biological clock
Cerebrum
- Conscious thought processes
- Memory storage, processing
- Regulates skeletal muscle
Corpus collosum: band of white matter connecting left and right hemispheres
Frontal lobe
- Voluntary motor functions
- Areas for planning, mood, smell, social judgement
- Contains Broca’s Area in the left hemisphere, ass. with speech (Broca’s Aphasia)
Parietal lobe
- Sensory reception and integration of sensory info
2. Touch, pain, and pressure
Occipital lobe
- Visual center
Temporal lobe
- Hearing, smell, learning, memory, emotional behavior
2. Contains Wernicke’s Area, ass. with comprehending speech and written language (Wernicke’s Aphasia)
Cerebral white matter
Projection tract: Form internal capsule extending from brain to spinal cord
Commissural tract: crosses hemispheres (Corpus Collosum)
Association tract: Connect to diff. regions of one hemisphere together
Colliculus (abs of midbrain)
Tectum (4): corpora quadrigemina ‘complex’
Superior Colliculus: tracks moving objects
Inferior Colliculus: reflex turning head to sound
