Basic Neuroscience: Neuroanatomy

Dr. Bodnar: Lecture 1

Gross Brain Neuroanatomy

Human Brain

Weighs ~1400 grams; 2% of body weight

Consumes 20% of oxygen
Requires 17% of cardiac output
Blood flow: ~750 ml/min
Oxygen consumption: 46 ml/min

Planes of Section

Dorsal or Posterior: towards the back

Superior: towards the vertex of skull
Ventral or Anterior: towards the stomach
Inferior: towards the palate

Axes of Central Nervous System

Vertical axis: parallel to spinal cord
Use dorsal (posterior) for vertical axis
Use ventral (anterior) for vertical axis
Horizontal axis: parallel to eye sockets
Use superior for horizontal axis
Use inferior for horizontal axis

Axes of the CNS

Horizontal

Vertical

Other Directions

Rostral: towards the head (vertical)

Rostral: towards the nose (horizontal)
Caudal: towards the tail (vertical)
Caudal: towards the occiput (horizontal)
Medial: towards the midline or middle
Lateral: towards the outside

Horizontal

Coronal

Sagittal

CNS Axes and Cuts

Horizontal Cuts
Horizontal
Parallel to dorsal-ventral
Perpendicular to rostral-caudal and mediallateral

Coronal Cuts
Coronal
Parallel to rostral-caudal
Perpendicular to medial-lateral and
dorsal-ventral

Sagittal Cuts
Sagittal
Parallel to medial-lateral
Perpendicular to rostral-caudal and
dorsal-ventral

Oblique Cuts
Oblique
Any other angular cut; observed in virtually
all CAT, PET or MRI scans

Superior Surface
Longitudinal fissure
Cerebral Hemispheres
Cerebral Cortex
Gyrus (gyri): ridges of cerebral cortex
Sulcus (sulci): smaller fissures containing
blood vessels

Central Sulcus or Rolandic Fissure

Rostral to Central Sulcus:
Immediate: Pre-Central Gyrus (Primary Motor
Cortex)
General: Frontal Lobe
Caudal to Central Sulcus:
Immediate: Post-Central Gyrus (Primary
Somatosensory Cortex)
General: Parietal Lobe
No sulcus on superior surface demarcating
occipital lobe

Lateral Surface
Central Sulcus
Separates frontal and parietal lobe on lateral
surface
Lateral sulcus or Sylvian fissure
Separates temporal lobe from frontal and
parietal lobes on lateral surface
No sulcus demarcating occipital lobe on
lateral surface

Frontal Lobe and Lateral Surface

Pre-Central Gyrus
Pre-Central Sulcus
Superior Frontal Gyrus
Superior Frontal Sulcus
Middle Frontal Gyrus
Inferior Frontal Sulcus
Inferior Frontal Gyrus

Inferior Frontal Gyrus

Pars opercularis
Pars triangularis
Pars orbitalis (Brocas
area)

Temporal Lobe and Lateral Surface

Superior temporal gyrus (Heschels gyrus,
Wernickes area; primary auditory cortex)
Superior temporal sulcus
Middle temporal gyrus
Middle temporal sulcus
Inferior temporal gyrus
Inferior temporal sulcus
Parahippocampal gyrus (not seen)

Parietal and Occipital Lobes and

Lateral Surface
Parietal Lobe
Post-central gyrus
Superior Parietal Lobule (Temporo-parietal
auditory Association area)
Inferior Parietal Lobule (Temporo-occipital
visual Association area)
Occipital Pole (Primary Visual Cortex)

Inferior Surface

Encephalic Levels and Development

Cranial Nerves
Hypothalamo-Hypophysial Axis
Frontal Lobe: Orbital gyri and Longitudinal
Fissure
Temporal Lobe: Parahippocampal Gyrus and
Uncus
Cerebral and Cerebellar Peduncles
Pyramids and Olives

Encephalic Development
Prosencephalon
Telencephalon: Cortex, Basal Ganglia and Limbic
System
Diencephalon: Thalamus and Hypothalamus
Mesencephalon: Midbrain
Rhombencephalon
Metencephalon: Pons
Mylencephalon: Medulla and Cerebellum

Cranial Nerves 1-6

Number

Name

Level

Type

Path

Olfactory

Telenceph.

Sensory
(Smell)

Enters
Medial

Optic

Dienceph.

Sensory
(Vision)

Enters
Medial

Oculomotor Mesenceph.

Motor (Eye
Movements)

Exits Medial

Trochlear

Mesenceph.

Motor (Eye
Movements)

Exits Medial

Trigeminal

Metenceph.

Mixed

Lateral Path

Abducens

MetencephMylenceph.

Motor (Eye
Movements)

Exits Medial

Cranial Nerves 7-12

Number

Name

Level

Type

Path

Facial

Mylenceph.

Mixed

Lateral Path

VestibuloCochlear

Mylenceph.

Sensory
(Audition)

Enters
Lateral

Glossophar- Mylenceph.
yngeal

Mixed

Lateral Path

10

Vagus

Mylenceph.

Mixed
(Largest)

Lateral Path

11

Spinal
Accessory

Mylenceph.

Motor
(Smallest)

Exits Lateral

12

Hypoglossal Mylenceph.

Motor

Exits Medial

Cranial Nerve Schematic

Sensory (Afferents)
1, 2, 8
Motor (Eyes) (Efferents)
3, 4, 6
Motor (Face, Throat)
11, 12
Mixed
5, 7, 9, 10

Cerebellar Peduncles
Superior Cerebellar Peduncle or Brachium
Conjunctivum: connections to thalamus and
basal ganglia
Middle Cerebellar Peduncle or Brachium
Pontis: connections to ventral midbrain,
pons and medulla
Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle or Restiform
Body: afferent connections from spinal cord

Cerebral Peduncle and Pyramids

Cortico-spinal tract
Pre-Central gyrus (telencephalon)
Internal capsule and Crus cerebri
(diencephalon)
Cerebral peduncle (mesencephalon)
Cortico-spinal tract (metencephalon)
Pyramids and Pyramidal decussation
(mylencephalon)

Hypothalmo-Hypophysial Portal
System
Paraventricular & Supraoptic Hypothalamus
Neurohypophysial System: MagnocellularMedian eminence, zona interna to infindibular
stalk to posterior lobe- Vasopressin, Oxytocin
release into blood.
Adenohypophysial System: Parvocellular- Median
eminence, zona externa (hypothalamic releasing
factors: e.g., LHRH) to portal system to anterior
and intermediate lobe (pituitary releasing factors:
e.g., LH) into blood acting on target (e.g., ovaryprogesterone).

Medial Surface

Mid-sagittal cut
Central sulcus
Septum pellucidum
Pineal gland
Calcarine sulcus: Macula and Primary
Visual Cortex
Three Means of Interhemispheric
Communication

Means of Interhemispheric Communication

Corpus callosum
Frontal, parietal, temporal & occipital lobes
Anterior commissure
Medial temporal lobe structures
Posterior commissure
Medial parietal and mesencephalic
subcortical structures

Somatosensory Systems
Dorsal Column System, Anterior
Spinothalamic and Lateral Spinothalamic
pathways from Medulla to Thalamus
Somatosensory: Dorsal or Posterior Path
Motor: Ventral or Anterior Path

Circumventricular Structures
Lateral Ventricles
Dorsal: Corpus Callosum and Cingulate
Gyrus (limbic system)
Ventral: Fornix (hippocampal-septal and
mammillary body interconnections)
Medial: Septum Pellucidum
Lateral: Caudate Nucleus of the Basal
Ganglia

Superior View without Cortex

Thalamus, Medial Geniculate Body and Pineal
Gland
Corpus quadragemini
Superior Colliculus or Optic Tectum
Inferior Colliculus or Auditory Tectum
Cerebellar Peduncles
Gracile and Cuneate Tubercles and Fasciculi
Obex

Inferior View without Cortex

Optic nerve (PNS) to optic chiasm
(decussation) to optic tract (CNS)
Tuber cinerium and infindibulum
Mamillary bodies
Cerebral Peduncle
Middle Cerebellar peduncle
Olives and pyramids

Lateral Surface without Cortex or

Cerebellum

Thalamus
Fornix
Cerebral Peduncle
Optic Tract
Hypophysis
Oculomotor nerve
Trigeminal nerve

Crus Cerebri
Superior and Inferior
Colliculi
Superior, Middle and
Inferior Cerebellar
Peduncles
Gracile and Cuneate
nuclei
Olives and Pyramids