Bernadeth Novita B October 2022

The Nervous System

The Brain and Cranial Nerves

i n i , F . , e t al.
Mart
n A n a t o my
Huma
7th Ed.
Brain
The adult human brain contains
almost 95 per cent of the neural
tissue in the body
An average adult brain weighs 1.4 kg
(3 lb) and has a volume of 1350 cc.
There is considerable individual
variation, and the brains of males are
on average about 10 percent larger
than those of females, owing to
differences in average body size
Major Regions

and Landmarks
The Medulla

The Mesencephalon
Oblongata

1 3

The Pons The Diencephalon

2 4

The Cerebellum

The Cerebrum

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The Ventricles of the Brain
Ventricles (VEN-tri-kls) are fluid-filled cavities
within the brain

They are filled with cerebrospinal fluid and lined

by ependymal cells

There are four ventricles in the adult brain:

one within each cerebral hemisphere,

specifically lies in parietal lobe,

a third within the diencephalon, and
a fourth that lies between the pons and

cerebellum and extends into the superior

portion of the medulla oblongata.

 The Cranial

Meninges
The brain lies cradled within the cranium of the skull.

Within the cranial cavity, the cranial meninges that

surround the brain

provide this protection, acting as shock absorbers

that prevent contact with surrounding bones

The cranial meninges are continuous with the spinal

meninges, and they have the same three layers:

Dura mater (outermost),
Arachnoid mater (middle),
and Pia mater (innermost).
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounds and bathes the exposed

surfaces of the central nervous system. It has several vital

functions, including:

Prevent contact between delicate neural structures and

the surrounding bones.

Supporting the brain: The brain is suspended inside the

cranium, floating in the cerebrospinal fluid. A human brain

weighs about 1400 g in air, but it is only a little denser than

water; when supported by the cerebrospinal fluid, it

weighs only about 50 g.

Transporting nutrients, chemical messengers, and waste
1
products:

CSF is produced in the Choroid Plexuses in the Ventricle.

Flow through ventricles and subarachnoid space and central

canal of spinal cord

Medula Oblongata
PONS
The Mesencephalon

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MDM Company June 1, 2021

The Diencephalon
The diencephalon connects the brain stem to the cerebral hemispheres. It consists
of the epithalamus, the left and right thalamus, and the hypothalamus

The Epithalamus
The epithalamus is the roof of the third ventricle. The posterior portion of the

1 epithalamus contains the pineal gland, an endocrine structure that secretes the

hormone melatonin.

The Thalamus
The thalamic nuclei provide the switching and relay centers for both sensory and motor

2 pathways. Ascending sensory information from the spinal cord and cranial nerves (other than

the olfactoryis processed in the thalamic nuclei before the information is relayed
to the cerebrum or brain stem.
The Hypothalamus

Function of Hypothalamus
1. Subconscious control of skeletal muscle

contractions
2. Control of autonomic function
3. Coordination of activities of the nervous

and endocrine systems

4. Secretion of hormones
5. Production of emotions and behavioral

drives
6. Coordination between voluntary and

autonomic functions
7. Regulation of body temperature:
8. Control of circadian rhythms
The Cerebellum
The cerebellum has two cerebellar hemispheres, each with a highly convoluted surface composed of neural

cortex.
Each hemisphere consists of two lobes, anterior and posterior, which are separated by the primary fissure.
The anterior and posterior lobes assist in the planning, execution, and coordination of limb and trunk

movements.
The flocculonodular lobe is important in the maintenance of balance and the control of eye movements.
The Cerebrum
The cerebrum is the largest region of the brain. It consists of the paired cerebral
hemispheres, which rest on the diencephalon and brain stem
 Cranial nerves are components of the peripheral

nervous system that connect to the brain rather

The Cranial
than the spinal cord.
Nerves Twelve pairs of cranial nerves can be
found on the ventrolateral surface of the brain
The Olfactory Nerve (N I)
Primary function: Special sensory (smell)
Origin: Receptors of olfactory epithelium
Passes through: Cribriform plate of ethmoid
Destination: Olfactory bulbs
The Optic Nerve (N II)
Primary function: Special sensory (vision)
Origin: Retina of eye
Passes through: Optic canal of sphenoid
Destination: Diencephalon by way of the

optic chiasm
The Oculomotor Nerve (N III)
Primary function: Motor, eye movements
The oculomotor nerve controls four of the six extra-ocular muscles and the levator palpebrae superioris muscle,

which raises the upper eyelid.

Origin: Mesencephalon
Passes through: Superior orbital fissure of the sphenoid
Destination: Somatic motor: superior, inferior, and medial rectus muscles;
the inferior obliquemuscle; the levator palpebrae superiorismuscle
Visceral motor: intrinsic eye muscles

The Trochlear Nerve (N IV)

Primary function: Motor, eye movements
The trochlear nerve innervates the

superior oblique muscle of the eye

Origin: Mesencephalon
Passes through: Superior orbital fissure of

the sphenoid
Destination: Superior oblique muscle
The Trigeminal Nerve (N V)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor); ophthalmic and maxillary branches sensory, mandibular branch mixed

(muscle of mastication)

Origin: Ophthalmic branch (sensory): orbital structures, nasal cavity, skin of forehead, superior eyelid, eyebrow, and

part of the nose

Maxillary branch (sensory): inferior eyelid, upper lip, gums, and teeth; cheek; nose, palate, and part of the pharynx
Mandibular branch (mixed): sensory from lower gums, teeth, and lips; palate and tongue (part); motor from motor

nuclei of pons
The Abducens Nerve (N VI)
Primary function: Motor, eye movements
The abducens nerve innervates the lateral rectus, the sixth of the extrinsic eye muscles. Innervation of this muscle

makes lateral movements of the eyeball possible

Origin: Pons
Passes through: Superior orbital fissure of sphenoid
Destination: Lateral rectus muscle

The Facial Nerve

Primary function: Mixed (sensory and

motor)
Origin: Sensory from taste receptors on

anterior two-thirds of tongue; motor

from motor nuclei of pons
Passes through: Internal acoustic

meatus of temporal bone, along facial

canal to reach stylomastoid foramen
Destination: Sensory to sensory nuclei

of pons
Somatic motor: muscles of facial

expression
The Vestibulocochlear Nerve (N VIII)
Primary function: Special sensory: balance and equilibrium (vestibular
branch) and hearing (cochlear branch)
Origin: Receptors of the inner ear (vestibule and cochlea)
Passes through: Internal acoustic meatus of the temporal bone
Destination: Vestibular and cochlear nuclei of pons and medulla oblongata
The Glossopharyngeal Nerve (N IX)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor)
(Motor: The glossopharyngeal nerve innervates
the tongue and pharynx)
Origin: Sensory from posterior one-third of the tongue,

part of the pharynx and palate, the carotid arteries of

the neck; motor from motor nuclei of medulla

oblongata
Passes through: Jugular foramen between occipital and

temporal bones
Destination: Sensory fibers to sensory nuclei of

medulla oblongata.
Somatic motor: pharyngeal muscles involved in

swallowing
Visceral motor: parotid salivary gland, after synapsing

in the otic ganglion

The Vagus Nerve (N X)
Primary function: Mixed (sensory and motor)

the majority of the vagal afferents provide visceral sensory information from receptors along the esophagus,

respiratory tract, and abdominal viscera as distant as the terminal segments of the large intestine. Vagal afferents are

vital to the autonomic control of visceral function, but because the information often fails
to reach the cerebral cortex, we are seldom aware of the sensations they provide.

The motor components of the vagus nerve are equally diverse. The vagus nerve carries preganglionic autonomic

fibers that affect the heart and control smooth muscles and glands within the areas monitored by its sensory

fibers, including the respiratory tract, stomach, intestines, and gallbladder

The Accessory Nerve (N XI)
Primary function: Motor
The internal branch joins the vagus nerve and innervates the voluntary swallowing muscles of the

soft palate and pharynx and the intrinsic muscles that control the vocal cords.
The external branch controls the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles of the neck and back.

Origin: Motor nuclei of spinal cord and medulla oblongata

Passes through: Jugular foramen between occipital and temporal bones
Destination: Internal branch innervates voluntary muscles of palate, pharynx,
and larynx; external branch controls sternocleidomastoid and trapezius
muscles

The Hypoglossal Nerve (N XII)

Primary function: Motor, tongue movements
Origin: Motor nuclei of the medulla oblongata
Passes through: Hypoglossal canal of
occipital bone
Destination: Muscles of the tongue