brain
Terms
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copy deck
- 4 main sections of ventral (under portion) of brain:
- 1. diencephalon 2. mesencephalon (midbrain) 3. pons 4. medulla oblongata
- cerebrum
- This is the largest and most obvious portion of the brain. It accounts for approximately 80% of the brain’s mass. It is divided into two equal hemispheres. Each hemisphere is then divided into four lobes
- fissures
- deep grooves that divide lobes
- gyri
- raised portions of the cerebrum
- sulci
- grooves in between gyri
- cerebellum
- located below and behind the cerebrum and looks like a smaller version of it. This is responsible for coordinating muscle movement and maintaining posture.
- meninges
- a term given to the three membranes that protect the brain and spinal cord
- dura mater
- outermost layer of meninges; contacts bones of cranium
- arachnoid
- Underneath the dura mater; this is a mesh of connective tissue, thinner and more delicate than the other two layers
- pia mater
- The innermost layer surrounding the surface of the brain; which is similar in makeup to the dura mater—a dense and highly vascular sheet of connective fibers.
- choroid plexus
- The blood vessels of the pia mater infold and are covered by a thin layer of cells which then project into the third, fourth, and lateral ventricles of the brain; responsible for making cerebrospinal fluid
- cerebrospinal fluid
- circulates through the hollow areas of the brain and spinal cord. It is then reabsorbed into the walls of the arachnoid where it drains into the circulatory system. This fluid functions primarily as a shock absorber.
- commissure
- A site of union of common parts.
- corpora quadrigemina
- Part of the mesencephalon.
- corpus callosum
- An arched mass of white matter found in the depths of the longitudinal fissure.
- diencephalon
- Contains some of the most vital centers of body activity.
- fornix
- A general term for an arch-like structure or the vault created by such a structure.
- genu
- A general term used to describe any anatomical structure shaped like a knee.
- mammillary body
- Located near the pituitary gland.
- medula oblongata
- Together with the pons, it makes up the brain stem.
- neuron
- A general term meaning nerve cell.
- optic chiasm
- Part of the hypothalamus formed by the crossing of the optic nerves.
- pituitary
- The “master gland.â€
- septum pellucidum
- A triangular membrane separating the anterior horns of the lateral ventricles.
- splenium of corpus callosum
- The posterior rounded end of the corpus callosum; it conveys visual information.