1. Neuroanatomy and limbic system functionsÂ
Functions regulated by the limbic system Mnemonic Use the acronym HOME. H Homeostasis: Maintains internal physiological balance via hypothalamic connections. O Olfaction: Processes smell through olfactory pathways. M Memory: Especially episodic and spatial memory via the medial temporal lobe. E Emotion: Modulates emotional responses through the Papez circuit and amygdala. Medial temporal lobe: Central to […]
Limbic system and functional neurocircuitry
Learning goals Identify and localize the neuroanatomy of the limbic system on diagrams and MRI images Describe how specific brain regions and functional neural pathways are involved in short- and long-term memory Explain how long-term potentiation is associated with establishing memories Describe the functional neural pathways and neurotransmitter circuits associated with neuronal excitation, inhibition, and […]
Nervous System—Draft
Welcome to the Nervous System block of FMS 512! For the 2025–2026 school year, Shannon Brodersen, MD, and Kimberly Honn, PhD, have teamed up to co-direct and redesign the section. We have made changes based on student and faculty feedback from previous years, including beginning the block with a strong foundation of basic science—neuroanatomy including […]
Neuroanatomy
The material contained in the Nervous System volumes on the Medicine Digital Learning site addresses fundamental concepts of Neuroanatomy and Basic Neurology that will serve to reinforce the content in FMS 512. These resources are supplemental but succinctly organized and include: A review of nervous system development starting with neurulation, neural crest formation, and partitioning […]
Lab 5: Blood supply and circulation
Arterial blood supply Review from FMS 501 Vertebral arteries Read More Supplying the brainstem and cerebellum Anterior and posterior spinal Posterior inferior cerebellar Basilar (unpaired)—multiple pontine branches also come directly off the basilar artery Anterior inferior cerebellar Superior cerebellar Posterior cerebral posterior communicating Internal carotid Read More Supplying the midbrain, thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebrum Middle […]
Lab 4. Meninges and ventricles
Meninges See Figure 4.1 and Figure 4.2. Pia mater Arachnoid mater Dura mater Falx cerebri: Separating the cerebral hemispheres Tentorium cerebelli: The tentorium cerebelli separates the cranial cavity into two compartment (Figure 4.1), and there is also a prominent tentorial notch that allows for passage of the brainstem The supratentorial compartment contains the cerebrum. The […]
Lab 3: The brainstem
Parts of the brainstem Midbrain Mesencephalon Pons Metencephalon Medulla Myelencephalon See Figure 3.1, Review 3.1, and Review 3.2. The basal subdivision of the brainstem is the most anterior and contains mostly the descending fiber tracts. The tegmentum is the location of the cranial nerve nuclei, ascending fiber tracts, and the reticular formation. In the medulla, […]
Lab 2. Diencephalon
Thalamus See Check Yourself 2.1. The thalamus is key structure that relays information to the cortex associated with motor and sensory information. (These will further be described during the Functional Neuroanatomy lectures.) There are also thalamus nuclei that form the connections in the memory and emotion circuit from the hippocampal formation. This portion of the […]
1. Development of the Nervous System
Neurulation and formation of the Central Nervous System A quick review of neurulation from FMS 501 . . . 1. After migration and patterning, the dorsal layer of ectoderm further differentiates into neuroectoderm. Read More Neuroectoderm begins to invaginate at ~18 days, forming a neural groove between paired neural folds. The neural folds later fuse […]
Lab 1. Cerebrum, sulci, and gyri
Introduction to neuroanatomy Figure 1.1. Anatomic directional terms. From Neuroanatomy: A Laboratory Guide (2e); Jansen and Lampa. Introduction to the Central Nervous System Watch this excellent Introduction to the Central Nervous System from University of British Columbia Neuroanatomy. Cerebrum, sulci, and gyri Lobes of the cerebrum See Interactive 1.1 and Figure 1.2. The surfaces of […]