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(Loads of great info/images at Harvard's Whole Brain Atlas)
(Excellent neuroscience history & biographies of Neuroscientists)

  I. Protection of Brain:
   A. Cranial Bones (8)
   B. Cranial Meninges
      1. Dura mater
      2. Arachnoid mater
      3. Pia mater
      4. Meningitis(see also infectious CNS diseases)

II. Cerebrospinal Fluid
   A. Choroid plexus
   B. Functions
   C. Production and Circulation (for more info see CSF Flow)
    D. Lumbar Puncture (good site for Spinal Tap info) 

III. Blood Supply
   A. Circle of Willis
      1. cerebrovascular disease (stroke, aneurysm, CVA info here)
   B. Oxygen requirements
   C. Glucose requirements

IV. Blood-Brain Barrier
   A. Tight junctions
   B. Basement membrane specialization
   C. Astrocytes
   D. Drugs passing BBB

V. Brain Structure:
   A. Brainstem(various Brainstem sections with labels)
      1. Medulla Oblongata
         a. vital functions
            i. cardiovascular center
            ii. respiratory rhythm center
            iii. swallow/vomit reflexes
         b. contains pyramids (pyramidal decussation of motor tracts)
      2. Pons
         a. "bridge" between cerebellum and brainstem
         b. also contains respiratory centers (works with medulla)
      3. Midbrain
         a. Corpora quadrigemina (Tectum)
            i. superior colliculi
              aa. controls visual reflexes
            ii. inferior colliculi
              aa. controls auditory reflexes
         b. Substansia nigra
            i. helps fine-tune voluntary motor activity
            ii. dopamine-producing neurons
            iii. degenerates in Parkinson's disease
         c. Red nucleus
         d. Reticular formation
            i. extends along entire brainstem
            ii. maintains consciousness and alertness
            iii. releases norepinephrine to higher brain areas ("wake-up call")
   B. Cerebellum
      1. Compares intended action with actual motor actions
      2. Oversees learned actions (e.g. bicycle riding)
      3. Ipsilateral control (right cerebellar lobe regulates right side motor function)
      4. Structural features
         a. Folia (surface folds)
         b. Vermis (central connecting region)
         c. Arbor vitae (white matter branches "tree of life")
         d. Cerebellar peduncles (attaches to brainstem "feet")
   C. Diencephalon
      1. Thalamus
         a. Major sensory relay center
            i. medial geniculate nucleus
              aa. relays auditory signals
            i. lateral geniculate nucleus
              bb. relays visual signals
      2. Pineal
         a. produces melatonin hormone
                i. (check out Mayo Clinic Letter on melatonin)
         b. regulates circadian rhythm
      3. Hypothalamus
         a. Location
         b. Many functions (homeostasis, examples)
            i. thirst, hunger centers
            ii. sleep & wake centers
            iii. thermoregulatory center
            iv. blood osmolarity center
            v. emotional aspects
            vi. MAJOR endocrine center (controls pituitary)
         c. mammillary bodies
            i. triggers smell-induced memories
         d. infundibulum
   D. Limbic System
      1. System of structures communicating together
      2. Functions of limbic system
         a. governs learning, memory & emotions
      3. Major structures involved
         a. amygdala
            i. rage, fear, emotions
         b. hippocampus
            i. located in temporal lobe (deep)
            ii. memory processing
            iii. severely affected in Alzhiemer's disease)
         c. fornix
            i. fiber tract connecting hypothalamus and hippocampus
         d. mammillary bodies
    E. Basal Nuclei
      1. Several regions working with cerebral cortex & cerebellum for motor control and muscle tone
      2. Corpus striatum ("striped body")
         a. caudate nucleus
         b. lenticular (lentiform) nucleus
   F. Cerebrum
      1. Review Structural terms (gyri/sulci; grey/white matter; lobes/hemispheres; etc.)
      2. Major Functions of each lobe
         a. Frontal lobe
            i. motor, precentral gyrus (damage causes apraxia)
            ii. speech motor in Broca's area (damage causes of aphasia)
            iii. aggression/motivation/personality/judgement in prefrontal area
                iv. (Learn about Walter Freeman's Lobotomies)
      3. Parietal lobe
         a. sensory, postcental gyrus speech understanding in Wernicke's area
      4. Temporal lobe
         a. auditory, memory processing
         b. hippocampus
      5. Occipital lobe
         a. visual cortex
         b. visual association area (damage causes agnosia)
      6. Cerebral Lateralization
         a. right hemisphere
            i. spatial, artistic, imagination, left side motor & sensory cortex
         b. left hemisphere
           i. language, reasoning, logic, mathematics, right side motor & sensory cortex
      7. Corpus Callosum
         a. largest fiber tract in brain
         b. connects R & L hemispheres
         c. involvement in certain forms of epilepsy

VI. Cranial Nerves (Try an interactive cranial nerve tutorial...)
    I. Olfactory
    II. Optic
    III. Oculomotor
    IV. Trochlear
    V. Trigeminal
    VI. Abducens
    VII. Facial
    VIII. Vestibulocochlear (auditory)
    IX. Glossopharyngeal
    X. Vagus
    XI. Spinal Accessory
    XII. Hypoglossal

VII. Neurotransmitters
   A. Acetylcholine
      1. all neurons exiting CNS release Ach
   B. GABA
      1. derived from glycine
      2. major inhibitory neurotransmitter in CNS
      3. Valium enhances GABA's "calming" effects - alleviates anxiety
   D. Catecholamines
      1. derived from tyrosine
      2. dopamine
         a. produced in substantia nigra
         b. dopaminergic cells degenerate in Parkinson's disease
      3. norepinephrine
         a. produced by RAS - wakefullness, alertness
         b. effects enhanced or mimicked by cocaine, amphetamines ("speed"), ritalin
   E. Serotonin (5-HT)
      1. derived from tryptophan
      2. possible roles in sleep, psychoses, schizophrenia, hallucinogenic effects of LSD
      3. Prozac enhances effects of serotonin - alleviates depression
   F. Enkephalins & Endorphins
     1. peptide neurotransmitters
     2. pain modulators
     3. morphine, heroin, codeine mimic endorphins
   G. Substance P
     1. pain signal neurotransmitter
     2. capsacin (in hot peppers) triggers release
   H. Nitric oxide (NO)
     1. newly discovered neurotransmitter
     2. only neurotransmitter not stored in vesicles
     3. role in CNS unclear - possibly involved in memory

 
 


 
 This is only a general outline. There is much that has been discussed and presented in lecture that is not included in this outline. All material discussed in lecture is test-material whether or not it is included in this outline.


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Try the sheep brain tutorial for lecture and lab material review:

Brain Tutorial: (Covers both anatomy and physiology of the brain (over 200 multiple choice questions) in an interactive tutorial to challenge your cortical synapses!!)