EXP 17 ANATOMY OF THE BRAIN

Brain and spinal cord are derived from the embryologic

neuroectoderm layer. In the embryologic development, the
brain and spinal cord origins are the first ones to specialize.
They separate from the somatoectoderm which will become
the epithelial lining. The neuroectoderm will be the nervous
tissue.

The brain and spinal cord specialize out of the

ectoderm to become neuroectoderm.
The neuroectoderm will have the neural crest.
Ectoderm will separate from somatoderm.
There is the presence of a neural groove, and then it
would go up to form neural tube. Neural crest
(nervous tissue seen outside of central nervous
system such as sympathetic chain of ganglion &
adrenal medulla) will separate from neural tube.
The rostral portion (anterior) of the neural tube
develops protuberances due to prosencephalon
which produces telencephalon, diencephalon, and
rhombencephalon which produces metencephalon
and mesencephalon

PARTS OF THE BRAIN

A. PROSENCEPHALON (forebrain)
Telencephalon
Anterior part of the prosencephalon which is the
most rapid and developed because it will become
the cerebrum which is the seat of higher of mental
function; the caudal portion will become the spinal
cord.
Telencephalon from being the biggest bulge will
develop and folds back on itself.
It then develops into the cerebrum, the largest and
most complex part of the brain
* The two cerebral hemispheres (right and
left hemispheres) are divided by a deep fissure
known as the sagittal or longitudinal fissure.

Diencephalon
covers the cerebrum as it folded back
comprises of the thalamic nuclei: hypothalamus,
epithalamums, and thalamus
*Nuclei cell bodies inside CNS
*Ganglion cell bodies outside CNS
Thalamus (two thalami) egg shaped,
and is enveloped by the cerebrum
B. MESENCEPHALON (midbrain)
develops into the mid brain or cerebral peduncle
C. RHOMBENCEPHALON (hindbrain)
Metencephalon
bulges develops into pons and cerebellum
Myelencephalon
develops to form the medulla
GRAY MATTER
represents a collection of
cell bodies

WHITE MATTER
a myelinated axon

ANTERIOR PORTION
Motor function

POSTERIOR PORTION
Sensory function

CEREBRUM
Cerebral Cortex outermost, strip of gray matter on the
surface of cerebrum; deeper to it is already white matter
Divides the cerebral hemispheres into lobes:
Sulcus or fissure is a depression or division
Gyrus protrusion

Corpus Callosum
a white matter that connects the hemispheres when
divided
largest white matter which connects the left brain to
the right brain
follows the contour of the cerebral hemisphere, c
shaped
FISSURES
A. Lateral fissure or Sylvian fissure deep sulcus, divides
frontal and temporal lobe
B. Central fissure or Rolandic fissure divides frontal and
parietal lobe, interconnects with the sagittal fissure, can be
seen laterally and medially
C. Calcarine fissure divides parietal and occipital lobe, cant
be seen laterally but can be seen in midsagittal
LOBES
A. Frontal lobe
- controls voluntary muscle
- First gyrus, known as precentral gyrus, anterior to
the central sulcus, is the primary motor area
- the finer the movement, the more motor neurons
that control it
B. Parietal lobe
- includes the postcentral gyrus which is the
somatosensory where it processes the sensation
- Somatosensory - body sensation: temperature,
touch, pressure, pain, vibration, proprioception
C. Occipital lobe
- where visual cortex is found
D. Temporal lobe
- for hearing and balance
LEFT BRAIN
Controls right side of body
Analytical, critical

RIGHT BRAIN
Controls left side of body
Artistic, creative

Thalamus everything that comes from the cerebral cortex

passes it, modulates and refines action potential coming
from the cerebral cortex
Hypothalamus emotions, related to endocrine system via
hypothalamic pituitary, mammillary bodies
Epithalamums posteriorly seen, sleep and wake cycle

Brain stem
- is as large as the thumb
- has three parts:
a. Mid brain or cerebral peduncle connection to
diencephalon and cerebrum going to the spinal cord
b. Pons horizontal fibers; posteriorly connects with
the cerebellum
**Cerebellum subserves balance and
proprioception
midline is the vermix
left and right cerebellar hemispheres
flocculonodular lobes
c. Medulla inferior to the pons, anatomically
continuous with that to the spinal cord
the only anatomical landmark; when it
goes down at the level of the foramen magnum
medulla, it becomes the spinal cord
functions: respiratory and cardiac center
SPINAL CORD

White matter is in periphery in the cross section

Gray matter is in inner gray horn
In the Middle there is spinal canal

VENTRAL/ANTERIOR SIDE
For motor action

DORSAL/POSTERIOR SIDE
For sensory action

Posterior horn entry of sensory nerve because cell

body of sensory nerve is in the dorsal root ganglion
Dorsal root meets the ventral root
Upper motor neuron is in the cortex
Lower Motor neuron is in the ventral root

a.
b.
c.

sensory nerve goes down through the anterior white

matter, corticospinal tracts
they will synapse in the lower motor neuron and
goes up a via ventral root
ventral root together with the dorsal root unites to
form spinal nerves

At the level of the medulla, there is a continuation

going to the central canal of the spinal cord
CSF flows from choroid plexus going down
MENINGES
covers the brain

31 Pairs of Spinal Nerves

*Dura mater adherent to the
periosteum of the skull
*Arachnoid mater contains
blood vessels
*Pia mater- lining attached to
the nervous tissue

C8, T12, L5, S5, C1

C1 exits above cervical vertebrae 1
C2 exits above cervical vertebrae 2
C7 exits above cervical vertebrae 7
C8 exits below C7
T1 exits below T1

Cerebrospinal fluid Drain

Cerebrospinal Fluid

CSF is produced by choroid plexus which will have

ependymal cells
Ependymal cells filters the blood to produce CSF
CSF is an ultra-filtrate of the blood
Less sodium less glucose less oxygen

Why produce CSF?

Because the blood irritates the neurons due to high
sodium content

At the level of the medulla there are apertures:

Median aperture foramen of magendie
Lateral aperture foramen of luschka
They puncture through the meninges and they will drain into
the subarachnoid space where pacchionian bodies are
present. The pacchionian bodies reabsorbs CSF back into
circulation.

CRANIAL NERVES
NAME
Olfactory
Optic
Oculomotor

type

I
II
III
IV

Trochlear

MO

Trigeminal

MI

VI

Abducens

MO

VII

Facial

MI

VIII
IX

Vestibulocochlear
Glossopharyngeal

SE
MI

Vagus

MI

XI

Accessory

MO

XII

Hypoglossal

MO

SE
SE
MO

coronal cut of the brain

Lateral ventricles they nourish the neurons of the

cerebrum, c shaped
Lateral ventricle communicates with third ventricle
via foramen of monro
Third ventricle nourishes the thalamus since its
walls are already the thalamus
Below the third ventricle is the cerebral aqueduct or
aqueduct of slyvius which is aligned with the
midbrain
The cerebral aqueduct connects to the fourth
ventricle which nourishes the pons anteriorly and
the cerebellum posteriorly, tent-shaped ventricle

FUNCTION
Sense of smell
Vision
Eye movement; pupil
constriction
Eye movements,
proprioception
Somatosensory info
(touch, pain) from the
face and head; muscles
for chewing.
Produce movements of
the eyes
Facial expressions,
secretion of saliva, taste.
Balance; hearing.
Taste, somatosensory
info from tongue, tonsil,
pharynx; controls some
muscles in swallowing.
Functions of viscera
(glands, digestion, heart
rate)
Turning movements of
the head, movements of
the shoulder& viscera,
voice production.
Tongue movements