Cerebrum-ANATOMY

Shittu LAJ
Lerning objectives
Overview of the CNS
Cerebral anatomy
Discuss the various parts and functions
Applied anatomy
 The human brain
The brain contains roughly ~20 billion neurons
- excitatory and inhibitory interactions ensure that the
Its response can vary to meet changing circumstances
- adaptability requires multiple processing steps
- every synapse adds to the delay between stimulus and
response
- spinal reflexes provide an immediate response
Organization of the Brain
• Adult human brain contains ~95% of all
neural tissue
- weighs about 1.4kg (~3lb)
- considerable individual variation exist
- brains of males are on average ~10% larger
Organization of the Brain
The basic parts of the brain are as follows:
The cerebrum
The diencephalon
The brain stem
The cerebellum
The brain is organized into groupings of cell bodies (the gray
matter) and fibers (the white matter).
The cerebrum & the cerebellum contain gray matter on the outer
edges w/white matter below this surface.
While the diencephalon & brain stem have the white matter
superficially surrounding internal pockets of gray matter
 Cerebrum
Largest portion of brain (>=80% mass).
Responsible for higher mental functions..
The cerebrum is divided into left and right hemispheres by the
longitudinal fissure.
The cell bodies in the outer cortex require more surface area
than the underlying white matter which results in much
folding.
The upfoldings are called gyri (gyrus, singular).
The infoldings are called sulci (sulcus, singular).
Corpus callosum:
Major tract of axons that functionally interconnects right
and left cerebral hemispheres.
 Other parts of the brain
The diencephalon:
The epithalamus
The thalamus
The hypothalamus
The brain stem
The midbrain
The pons
The medulla oblongata
The cerebellum
 The Brain
Cerebral hemisphere

Diencephalon
Midbrain

Pons
Medulla Cerebellum
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Cerebrum
Largest part of the brain
Situated in the anterior and middle cranial
fossae
Two parts are involved embryologically:
Diencephalon – central core
Telencephalon – cerebral hemispheres
Fig. 14-5, p. 422
 Cerebral hemispheres
12

General Appearance:
Separated by a deep midline sagittal fissure –
longitudinal cerebral fissure
The fissure contains falx cerebri and the anterior
cerebral arteries
In the depth of the fissure, the corpus callosum
connects the hemispheres across the midline
Gyri – the folds of the surface of hemispheres
Sulci – the fissures separate the gyri
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 Cerebral Cortex-histology
Surface layer of gray matter -- 3 mm thick
Neocortex (six-layered tissue)
newest part of the cortex (paleocortex & archicortex)
layers vary in thickness in different regions of brain
2 types of cells
stellate cells
 have dendrites projecting
in all directions
pyramidal cells
 have an axon that passes
out of the area
Cerebral cortex -functions
The is particularly well developed in humans
is responsible for many higher brain functions,
including manual dexterity (eg to move the fingers
individually so as to play the piano);
conscious, discriminative aspects of sensation;
cognitive activity, including language, reasoning, and
many other aspects of learning and memory.
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Lobes of Cerebral Hemispheres
Cerebral hemispheres are divided into lobes by
the central, parieto-occipital, lateral and
calcarine sulci
Lobes are named according to the cranial bones
under which they lie
Lobes are:
Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital
The cerebral hemispheres
The cerebral cortex (consists of six lobes on
each side:
frontal,
parietal,
temporal,
occipital,
insular, and
limbic).
the underlying cerebral white matter,
the basal ganglia: a complex of deep gray
matter masses.
cerebrum
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The main sulci include

1. Central sulcus:
Indents the superior medial border of the
hemisphere, 1 cm behind the mid-point
It runs downward, forward and toward the
lateral sulcus across the lateral aspect of the
hemisphere
The central sulcus is the only sulcus that
indents the superior medial border
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cerebrum
2. Lateral sulcus: 29

Deep cleft on the inferior and lateral surfaces of

the cerebral hemisphere
It consists of a short stem and three rami.
3. Parieto-occipital sulcus:
Begins on the superior medial border of the
hemisphere, about 5 cm anterior to the occipital
pole
It passes downward and anteriorly on the medial
surface to meet the calcarine sulcus
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Calcarine sulcus:
Found on the medial surface of the hemisphere
It begins under the posterior end of the corpus
callosum
It ascends upward and backward to reach the
occipital pole
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Surfaces of Cerebral Hemisphere

Three surfaces are identifiable:

Superolateral surface
Inferior surface
Medial surface
Superolateral surface
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Frontal lobe – anterior to central sulcus

and superior to lateral sulcus
Superolateral surface of frontal lobe is
divided by three sulci into four gyri
Precentral sulcus and gyrus
Superior and inferior frontal sulci
Superior, middle and inferior frontal gyri
 Cerebral Cortex
Frontal lobe:
Anterior portion of each cerebral hemisphere.
Precentral gyri:
Contains upper motor neurons.
Involved in motor control.

Body regions with the greatest number of motor

innervation are represented by largest areas of
motor cortex.
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Superolateral surface
Temporal lobe – inferior to lateral
sulcus
Two sulci and three gyri
Occipital lobe – small area behind the
parieto-occipital sulcus
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 Cerebral Cortex
Temporal:
Contain auditory centers that receive sensory fibers from
cochlea.
Interpretation and association of auditory and visual
information.
Occipital:
Primary area responsible for vision and coordination of eye
movements.
Insula:
Implicated in memory encoding.
Integration of sensory information with visceral responses.
Coordinate cardiovascular response to stress.
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Superolateral surface
Parietal lobe –
posterior to central
sulcus and superior to
lateral sulcus, extends
upto the parieto-
occipital sulcus Lateral
sulcus

Two sulci and three

gyri
 Parietal Lobe
Primary area
responsible for
perception of
somatesthetic
sensation.
Body regions with
highest densities of
receptors are
represented by
largest areas of
sensory cortex.

Figure 8-7
Medial and Inferior Surface 45

Important areas are:

Corpus callosum
Cingulate sulcus and gyrus
Paracentral lobule
Precuneus and cuneus
Occipitotemporal, collateral and calcarine sulcus
Parahippocampal, medial and lateral
occipitotemporal gyrus and uncus
Olfactory sulcus, gyrus rectus and orbital gyri
inferior-medial surface of Cortex
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Inferior view of cortex
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Internal structure of Cerebral Hemispheres

Gray matter – cerebral cortex

Lateral ventricles
Basal nuclei – masses of gray
matter
White matter – nerve fibers
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 Lateral ventricles 51

Two lateral ventricles – one is in each cerebral

hemisphere
It communicates with the third ventricle through
interventricular foramen
C – shaped
Body – lies in the parietal lobe
Anterior horn – frontal lobe
Posterior horn – occipital lobe
Inferior horn – temporal lobe
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Basal ganglia
Anatomically, the basal ganglia include
the caudate nucleus,
the putamen, and the globus pallidus.
(Together they are called the corpus
straitum)

Functionally, the basal ganglia and their

interconnections and neurotransmitters
form the extrapyramidal system.
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Basal nuclei
Corpus striatum
Amygdaloid
nucleus
Claustrum
Basal ganglia nuclei
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White matter
Composed of mylinated nerve fibers
Classified into three groups:
Commissural fibers
Association fibers
Projection fibers

NB: “ CAP”
Corpus callosum 59

Largest
commissure Body

Parts:
Rostrum
Genu

Genu Rostrum
Splenium

Body
Splenium
Fig. 14-5, p. 422
 Commissural fibers 61

Connect corresponding
regions of two hemispheres
They are:
 Corpus callosum
 Anterior commissure
 Posterior commissure
 Fornix
 Habenular commissure
 Hippocampal commissure
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Association fibers
Connect various cortical regions within the same
hemisphere
They are:
Short association fibers - connect adjacent gyri
Long association fibers – collected into named
bundles. They are:
Uncinate fascicullus
Cingulum
Superior longitudinal fascicullus
Inferior longitudinal fascicullus
Fronto-occipital fascicullus
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Association fibers
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Projection fibers
Afferent and efferent nerve fibers passing to
and from the brainstem to the entire
cerebral cortex
They are:
Internal capsule
Corona radiata
Optic radiation
Projection fibers
Areas of the cerebrum
Brodmann numbers to identify functions-
down to individual sulci
Question localisation now that we know
more about connectionism and we have a
more dynamic view of how the brain works
Broadman number of brain
Broadman number of brain
Broadman number of brain
Homunculus
Map of motor and sensory control
Reflects the body
Sizes indicate the amount of ‘brain’ needed
for various functions
Note vast area for the face- why?