Stanford Brain Bee

A local chapter of the International Brain Bee Championship

2015 Anatomy Study Guide
Note: Any yellow highlighted items will NOT be tested on the 2015 Stanford Brain Bee Anatomy
Section, but are fair game for the USA National and International Brain Bee Anatomy Tests. We have
therefore included them for your reference should you wish to start studying for the National contest,
but you will NOT be expected to know them for the Stanford Brain Bee Anatomy Section.

General anatomical termsNote: Although not explicitly tested, knowing what these terms refer
to may be helpful as you will likely come across them in supplementary texts, and being able to
recognize different anatomical planes quickly will be helpful on the Stanford Brain Bee.
o Directional termsRealize that some terms change when speaking of the Meynert axis
versus the Forel axis. Know which axis corresponds to what parts of the brain.
Dorsal vs. Ventral
Rostral vs. Caudal
Anterior vs. Posterior
Superior vs. Inferior
Proximal vs. Distal
Medial vs. Lateral
o Anatomical planes
Sagittal
Coronal
Horizontal/Axial/Transverse

Central Nervous System

o Brain
Major lobes
Frontal
Temporal
Parietal
Occipital
Insula/insular lobe
The cephalon classification system, derived from developmental
neurobiologyKnow what areas they give rise to in the mature brain.

Prosencephalon/Forebrain
o Telencephalon
o Diencephalon
Mesencephalon/Midbrain
Rhombencephalon/Hindbrain
o Metencephalon

o Myelencephalon
Major sulci
Interhemispheric fissure/great longitudinal fissure
Sylvian fissure/lateral sulcus
Rolandic fissure/central sulcus
Calcarine sulcus
Major gyri
Precentral, and associated primary motor cortex/homunculus
Postcentral, and associated somatosensory cortex/homunculus
Fusiform
Parahippocampal
Other cortical areas
Prefrontal cortex
Cingulate cortex
Brocas area (pars triangularis and pars opercularis of the inferior frontal
gyrus; Broadmann areas 44 and 45)
Wernickes area
Primary visual cortex/V1/striate cortex
Preoccippital notch
Pineal gland
Pituitary gland
Anterior pituitary/adenohypophysis
Posterior pituitary/neurohypophysis
Pituitary stalk/infundibulum
Mammillary bodies
Olfactory bulbs
Olfactory tractsNOT the same as the olfactory nerves!
Hindbrain structures
Cerebellum
Pons
Medulla oblongata
o Decussation of the pyramids
Midbrain structuresNote: There are several different, conflicting classification
schemes for the midbrain, especially regarding what substructures comprise the
tegmentum. You are NOT expected to know all the different classification
schemes; the term tegmentum is simply listed here for completeness.
Tectum
o Superior & inferior colliculi/corpora quadrigemina
Tegmentum
Red nuclei
Raphe nuclei
Substantia nigra
Crus cerebri/cerebral peduncles
Subcortical structures
Corpus callosum
Basal ganglia
o Caudate nucleus

Putamen
Globus pallidus
Substantia nigraNote: Functionally classified as part of the
basal ganglia, but developmentally part of the mesencephalon
o Subthalamic nucleusNote: Functionally classified as part of
the basal ganglia, but developmentally part of the diencephalon
Thalamus
o Interthalamic body/middle commissure
Hypothalamus
Anterior commissure/precommissure
Posterior commissure/epithalamic commissure
Ventricular system
o Lateral ventricles
o Third ventricles
o Fourth ventricle
o Interventricular foramen
o Cerebral aqueduct
o Choroid plexus
o Septum pellucidum
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Fornix of the brain
Claustrum
Internal, external, and extreme capsules
Stria medullaris
Stria terminalis
o
o
o

Spinal Cord
General butterfly structure, be able to recognize ventral/anterior and
dorsal/posterior sides of horizontal cross section
Funiculi
Anterior white commissure
Spinal canal
Anterior/ventral nerve roots and posterior/dorsal nerve roots
Dorsal root ganglia
Corticospinal tract
Lateral
Anterior
Spinothalamic tract
Posterior
Anterior
Dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway
Fasciculus gracilis
Fasciculus cuneatus
Nucleus gracilis
Nucleus cuneatus
Internal arcuate fibers

Peripheral Nervous System

o The 12 cranial nerves & their associated nuclei
CN I Olfactory
CN II OpticNote: Technically part of central nervous system
Optic disc/head of the optic nerve
Optic chiasm
Optic tract
CN III Oculomotor
CN IV Trochlear
CN V Trigeminal
CN VI Abducens
CN VII Facial
CN VIII Vestibulocochlear
CN IX Glossopharyngeal
CN X Vagus
CN XI Accessory
CN XII Hypoglossal
o Autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
General ganglia locations (i.e., adjacent to spinal column)
Nerve exit from spinal cord locations
Parasympathetic nervous system
General ganglia locations (i.e., close to target organ)
Nerve exit from spinal cord locations
o Sciatic nerve

Other
o Vasculature
Circle of Willis & associated arteries
Anterior communicating artery
Anterior cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery
Internal carotid artery
Posterior communicating artery
Superior cerebellar artery
Pontine arteries
Basilar artery
Internal acoustic artery
Anterior inferior cerebellar artery
Vertebral artery
Posterior spinal artery
Anterior spinal artery
Meningeal arteries
Anterior meningeal artery
Middle meningeal artery

Posterior meningeal artery

Dural venous sinuses
Superior sagittal sinus/superior longitudinal sinus
Inferior sagittal sinus/inferior longitudinal sinus
Straight sinus/sinus rectus/tentorial sinus
Occipital sinus
Confluence of the sinuses/torcula/torcular herophili
Transverse sinus/lateral sinus
Sphenoparietal sinuses
Cavernous sinus/lateral sellar compartment
Superior petrosal sinus
Inferior petrosal sinus
Sigmoid sinus/pars sigmoid
Internal jugular vein
Meninges
Dura mater
Falx cerebri
Tentorium cerebelli
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
Eye structure
Cornea
Anterior chamber
Aqueous humor
Lens
Posterior chamber
Vitreous humor
Retina
Choroid
Optic disc/head of optic nerve
Ear layout
External ear
Pinna/auricle
Ear canal
Eardrum/tympanic membrane
Middle ear
Malleus (hammer)
Incus (anvil)
Stapes (stirrup)
Inner ear
Cochlea
Semicircular canals