Anatomy of the Central Nervous System

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• Class content includes:

  • Anatomy of the skull

  • Encephalic distribution

  • Meninges and ventricles

  • Cortical organization and functional areas

  • Subcortical nuclei and structures

  • Encephalic irrigation

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• Sutures in the skull:

  • Fibrous joints with collagen

  • Categories: Calvarial sutures, Facial sutures, Internal sutures

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• Encephalic distribution:

  • Telencephalon: Neocortex, hippocampus, lateral ventricles

  • Diencephalon

  • Mesencephalon: Brainstem, cerebral peduncle

  • Rhombencephalon: Cerebellum, pons, medulla

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• Meninges and ventricles

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• Meninges:

  • Membranous cover of the CNS

  • Provides mechanical and immunological protection

  • Framework for vascularization

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• Dura mater:

  • Closest to the skull

  • Loosely arranged

  • Highly vascularized

  • Projections: Falx cerebri, Tentorium cerebelli, Diaphragm

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• Arachnoid mater:

  • Barely vascularized

  • Subdural and subarachnoid spaces

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• Pia mater:

  • Highly vascularized

  • Primary function: nutrition

  • Holds the shape of the gyri and sulci

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• Ventricles:

  • Production of CSF

  • Protection against mechanical damage

  • Adjustment of ICP

  • Lateral, third, and fourth ventricles

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• Cerebral lobes:

  • Frontal, Parietal, Occipital, Temporal

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• Frontal lobe:

  • Delimitation and structures

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• Parietal lobe:

  • Delimitation and structures

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• Occipital lobe:

  • Delimitation and structures

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• Insular lobe:

  • Involved in sensory processing, addictive urges, behavioral modulation

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• Dominant vs. Non-dominant hemisphere:

  • Differences in connection complexity and activation in various processes

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• Penfield homunculus:

  • Representation of the body in the primary motor and somatosensory cortex

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• Primary cortical areas:

  • Primary somatosensory cortex, Primary motor cortex, Primary visual cortex, Primary auditory cortex, Entorhinal cortex

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• Secondary cortical areas:

  • Responsible for combining inputs from primary areas

  • Includes Frontal eye fields, Supplementary motor area, Premotor cortex, Broca area, Secondary visual cortex, Wernicke area

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• PMC and SMA are involved in motor processing.

  • They utilize procedural memory to facilitate M1 activation.

  • PMC is activated in long-term procedural memory activities.

  • SMA is related to short-term procedural memory and spatial navigation.

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• Broca area and Wernicke area are part of a network for communication.

  • Broca area is for speech production and syntax.

  • Wernicke area is for speech comprehension and understanding language.

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• Tertiary areas like prefrontal cortex and temporal pole are responsible for interpreting information and decision-making.

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• Prefrontal cortex has different regions like dmPFC, mPFC, dIPFC, vmPFC, vIPFC, and OFC.

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• Different regions of the frontal cortex have specific functions related to cognitive processes and decision-making.

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• Temporal pole links sensory areas and subcortical memory.

• Laterality plays a role in language and abstraction.

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• Temporal pole subdivisions are connected to different brain regions for various functions.

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• Corpus callosum connects the right and left hemispheres, involved in disconnective disorders.

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• Limbic system processes emotions, reasoning, and body responses.

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• Hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, hypothalamus, and other structures are involved in memory, emotions, and hormonal production.

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• Amygdala is involved in emotional processing, memory, decision-making, attention, and fear responses.

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• Cingulate cortex plays a role in reasoning, executive functions, and cognitive processes.

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• Thalamus plays a crucial role in perception and communication between peripheral and central systems.

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• Hypothalamus connects the nervous and endocrine systems, producing hormones for regulating body functions.

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• Basal nuclei and ventral striatum regulate motor processes.

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• Striatum connects the cerebral cortex for inputs and outputs, regulating movements and behavior.

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• Putamen is involved in the regulation of movements and addictive behavior.

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• SNc and SNr are divided compact and reticulate.

  • They are the main producers of dopamine for the central nervous system.

  • They are the main output nucleus of regulatory pathways.

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• NbM connects ACh to different parts of the frontal and temporal cortices and the Amygdala.

  • It appears with a decreased volume in different types of dementia and severe cognitive deficit.

  • Suggests an excitatory/regulatory role in rational and emotional processes.

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• Claustrum is not considered a part of the basal nuclei.

  • It connects cortical areas for high cognitive functions.

  • It has high neuroplasticity due to high concentrations of BDNF and GNF.

  • In disorders of consciousness, it can be used as an on/off switch for deep brain stimulation.

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• Locus coeruleus produces norepinephrine, affecting behavior, memory, and hormone regulation.

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• Rhaphes nuclei belong to the reticular formation.

  • They are 6 nuclei deep embedded in the brainstem.

  • Their main function is to produce serotonin.

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• Cerebellum is involved in postural control and can be divided into 3 areas: vermis cerebellaris, flocculonodular lobe, anterior lobe, and posterior lobe.

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• Deep cerebellar nuclei represent the last station in the cerebellum before output leaves to other areas of the central nervous system.

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• Fastigial nucleus, Interposed nuclei, Dentate nucleus, and Lateral vestibular nucleus are involved in postural adaptation, sensory feedback affecting reflexes, voluntary movements, and regulation.

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• Red nucleus supports the transmission of motor information from the cerebellum to the spinal cord, involved in postural control and coordination.

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• Nucleus Edinger Westphal, Nucleus Oculomotorii, Nucleus Trochlearis, Nucleus Abducens, Nuclei Cochlearis, and Nuclei Vestibularis are brainstem nuclei responsible for various functions related to eye movements, pupillary reflex, and somatomotory innervation.

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• Various brainstem nuclei and cranial nerves are responsible for sensory and motor functions related to different parts of the body.

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• Different cranial nerves are responsible for various sensory and motor functions in the body.

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• CN3 innervation involves different branches responsible for innervating various facial muscles.

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• Main arteries and structures in the brain include the Internal carotid artery, Paravertebral artery, Basilar artery, Anterior inferior cerebellary artery, Posterior inferior cerebellary artery, Circle of Willis, Anterior cerebral artery, Middle cerebral artery, and Posterior cerebral artery.

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• Anterior Cerebral Artery (A.C.A.) branches:

  • Pericallosal artery

  • Recurrent Artery of Heubner

  • Communicating Artery A1 Segment

• Location: Coronal Plane

• Source: meddean.luc.edu

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• Middle Cerebral Artery (M.C.A.) segments:

  • Cortical (M3) Segment

  • L