➢ Parietal
➢ Temporal
➢ CNS
– Brain
– Spinal Cord
➢ PNS
– Cranial and Spinal Nerves
– Ganglia
Weight of an Adult Brain
– Male: 1,380 grams
– Female : 1,280 grams
3 major divisions:
– Prosencephalon –
Telencephalon (cerebrum)
Diencephalon (Central Part)
– Mesencephalon (midbrain)
– Rhombencephalon
• Metencephalon (pons)
• Myelencephalon (medulla
oblongata)
• Cerebellum
Cerebrum
1. Consist of two cerebral
hemispheres
2. Connected by corpus callosum
3. Separated by longitudinal fissure
which contains the falx cerebri and
anterior cerebral arteries.
4. Thrown into folds called gyri
5. Separated by fissures called sulci
Main Sulci of the Brain
➢ Lateral Surface
• Central Sulcus
-anterior: motor cortex
-posterior: sensory cortex
• Lateral Sulcus – deep cleft
on the inferior and lateral
surface divided into:
• Anterior horizontal
ramus, anterior
ascending ramus,
continuous as the
posterior ramus
➢ Medial Surface
• Parieto-occipital
sulcus
• Calcarine sulcus
Lobes of the Brain
➢ Frontal
➢ Occipital
Frontal Lobe – 3 sulci into 4 gyri
• Precentral sulcus
• Superior frontal sulcus
• Inferior frontal sulcus( superior,
middle and inferior frontal gyri)
Parietal Lobe – 2 sulci into 3 gyri
• Postcentral sulcus(postcentral
gyrus)
• Intraparietal sulcus( superior
parietal gyrus/lobule, inferior
parietal gyrus/lobule)
Temporal Lobe – 2 sulci into 3 gyri
• Superior temporal sulci
• Middle temporal sulci
Occipital Lobe- occupies the small area
behind the parieto-occipital sulcus.
Medial Surface of the Cerebral
Hemisphere
 Corpus Callosum – largest
commisure of the brain; C-shaped
 Cingulate Gyrus – begins beneath
the anterior end of the corpus
callosum and continuous above the
corpus callosum until it reaches its
posterior end.
 Callosal sulcus – gyrus that
separates the corpus callosum.
3 main parts:
 Paracentral lobule-
rectangular in shape.
- surrounds the indentation
produced by the central
sulcus on the superior
border.
 Precuneus – bounded
anteriorly by the upturned
posterior end of the
cingulate sulcus and
posteriorly by the parieto-
occiptal sulcus.
 Cuneus – triangular area of
cortex bounded
above :parieto-occipital
sulcus
inferiorly: calcarine sulcus
posterioerly: superior medial
margin.
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Inferior Surface of the Cerebral
Hemisphere
 Collateral sulcus- runs anteriorly
below the calcarine sulcus
 Lingual gyrus- between the
collateral sulcus and the calcarine
sulcus
 Parahippocampal gyrus-
anterior to the lingual gyrus
 Uncus – hooklike that terminates
in front.
 Medial occipitotemporal gyrus
– bounded by:
Medially: collateral and rhinal sulci
Laterally: occipitotempral sulcus
 Lateral occipitotemporal gyrus
–lateral to the occipito temporal
sulcus
 Olfactory Bulb & Tract – overlie
sulcus called olfactory sulcus
Medial to olfactory sulcus: gyrus
rectus
Lateral to olfactory sulcus: orbital
gyri
Internal structures of the Cerebral
Hemisphere
➢ Lateral ventricle
➢ Basal Nuclei
➢ White Matter
1. Lateral Ventricles
• There are two lateral ventricles and
one is present in each cerebral
hemispheres
• Roughly C-shaped cavity lined with
ependyma and filled with CSF.
• Divided into: body, anterior,
posterior and inferior horn.
• Communicates with the cavity of
the 3rd ventricle through
interventricular foramen
2. Basal Nuclei
• Applied to a collection of gray
masses of gray matter situated
within each cerebral hemisphere.
• Consist of :
○ Corpus striatum
○ Amygdaloid Nucleus
○ Claustrum
a) Corpus striatum –
situated lateral to the
thalamus
- completely divided by
a band of nerve
fibers(internal capsule)
-divided into:
1) Caudate nucleus-
large C-shaped mass
of gray matter that is
closely related to the
lateral ventricles.
- divided into : head,
body & tail.
2) Lentiform nucleus
- wedge-shaped
mass of gray matter
related medially to
the internal capsule
w/c separates it to
from the caudate
nucleus and
thalamus divided
into:
A. Putamen
B. Globus Pallidus
b) Amygdaloid Nucleus - situated in the
temporal lobe close to the uncus.
- considered part of the limbic system.
c) Claustrum – thin sheet of gray matter
that is separated from the lateral surface
of the lentiform nucleus by the external
capsule.
Function of the Basal Nuclei
Collaborates as a collective whole with the
cerebral cortex.
3. White Matter
• Composed of myelinated nerve
fibers of different diameter
supported by neuroglia.
• Classified into 3 groups according
to their connections: Commisural
fibers, Association fibers,
Projection Fibers
a) Commissure Fibers
• Essentially connect corresponding
regions of the two hemispheres.
They are as follows: Corpus
Callosum, Anterior Commisure,
Posterior Commisure, Fornix,
Habebular Commisure
a) Corpus callosum –largest
commisure of the brain that
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 connects the two cerebral
hemispheres.
- for purpose of description, it is
divided into : rostrum, the genu,
the body, and the splenium
✔ Rostrum- thin part of the
anterior end of the corpus
callosum.
✔ Genu- curved anterior end
of the corpus callosum that
bends inferiorly in front of
the septum pellucidum.
✔ Body of the corpus
callosum- thickened part
(Splenium)
b) Anterior Commisure – small
bundle of nerve fibers that
crosses the midline in the
lamina terminalis.
c) Posterior Commisure –
crosses midline immediately
above the opening of cerebral
aqueduct into the 3rd ventricle.
d) Fornix – myelinated nerve
fibers and constitutes the
efferent system of the
hippocampus that passes to the
mammilary bodies of the
hypothalamus.
– The nerve fibers first form the
alveus.
e) Habenular Commisure-
small bundle of nerve fiber that
crosses the midline in the
superior part of the root of the
pineal stalk.
DIENCEPHALON
➢ Consist of the third ventricle and
the structures that form its
boundaries.
➢ Extends posteriorly to the point
where the third ventricle becomes
continuous with the cerebral
aqueduct and anteriorly as far as
the interventricular foramina
Gross Features
Bounderies
Superior wall: roof of the 3rd ventricle
Lateral surface: internal capsule
Medial surface: superior part by the
medial surface of thalamus.
Four (4) major parts:
1. Thalamus
2. Subthalamus
3. Epithalamus
4. Hypothalamus
1) Thalamus
• -large ovoid mass of gray
matter that forms the major
part of the diencephalon.
• -region of great fxnal
importance and serves cell
station to all the main
sensory system (except the
olfactory pathway).
• -anterior end: narrow and
rounded and forms the
small boundary of the
interventricular foramen.
• posterior end: expanded to
form the pulvinar( which
overhangs the superior
colliculus and the superior
brachium.
• -lateral geniculate body
forms a small elevation on
the under aspect of the
lateral portion of the
pulvinar.
• -superior surface of the
thalamus is covered
medially by the tela
choroidea and the fornix.
• medial surface of the
thalamus forms the superior
part of the lateral wall of the
third ventricle and is usually
connected to the opposite
thalamus by a band of gray
matter, the interthalamic
connection(interthalamic
adhesion)
• lateral surface is separated
from the lentiform nucleus
by the very important band
of white matter called
internal capsule.
2) Subthalamus
• Lies inferior to the thalamus,
situated between the thalamus and
the tegmentum of the midbrain;
craniomedially, it is related to the
hypothalamus.
• Collection of nerve cells are the
following:
○ Red nuclei
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 ○ Substantia nigra
• Subthalamic nucleus has the
shape of a biconvex lens,involved
in the control of the muscle activity
due to its conncetion to corpus
striatum
3) Epithalamus
• -consist of the habenular nuclei
and their connections and the
pineal gland.
 Habenular Nucleus
• small group of
neurons situated just
medial to the
posterior surface of
the thalamus.
• believe to be the
center for integration
of olfactory, visceral,
and somatic afferent
pathway.
 Pineal Gland(body)
• small, conical
structure that is
attached by the
pineal stalks to the
diencephalon.
• it projects backward
so that it lies
posterior to the
midbrain.
• the superior part of
the base of the stalk
contains the
habenular
commisure
• the inferior part of
the base of the stalk
contains the
posterior commisure
• completely divide
into lobules by
connective tissue
septa that extends
into the gland from
the capsule
• types of cell found:
pinealocytes and
the glial cells. Optic chiasma
• concretion of
calcified material
called brain sand
progressively
accumulate within
the pineal gland with
age
• possess no nerve
cells.
functions
 Recognized as an
endocrine gland
capable of
influencing the
activities of the
pituitary gland, the
islets of langerhan,
the parathyroid , the
adrenal and the
gonads.
 for Melatonin
production.
 Plays an important
role in the regulation
of reproductive
function.
4) Hypothalamus
• part of the diencephalon that
extends from the region of the
optic chiasma to the caudal border
of the mamillary bodies.
• Lies below the hypothalamic sulcus
on the lateral wall of the 3rd
ventricle.
• Relatively the small area of the
brain that is strategically well
placed close to the limbic system,
the thalamus, the ascending and
descending tracts, and the
hyphophysis
• Controls and integrates the fxns of
the ANS and endocrine system and
plays important role in maintaining
body homeostasis.
• Involved in such activities as
regulation of body temperature,
body fluids, drives to eat and drink,
sexual behavior and emotion.
Relations of the Hypothalamus
 Optic chiasma
 Tuber cinereum and
infundibulum
 Mamillary bodies
• Flattened bundle of nerve fibers
situated at the junction of the
anterior wall and floor of the third
ventricle.
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 • Superior surface: attached to the
lamina terminalis
• Inferiorly: related to hypophysis
cerebri from which it is separated
by the diaphragm sellae.
• Anterolateral corner : continuos
with optic nerves
• Posterolateral corner: continuous
with the optic tracts
• Superior surface: optic recess of
the 3rd ventricle
• It is important to remember that
the fibers originating from the
nasal half of each retina cross the
medial plane at the chiasma to
enter the optics tract of the
opposite side.
– Posterior wall is formed by the
opening into the cerebral
aqueduct,
– Lateral wall is formed by the
medial surface of the thalamus
superiorly and hypothalamus
inferiorly.
– Superior wall or roof is formed
by a layer of ependyma that is
continuous with the lining of the
ventricle.
– The te;a choroidea of the third
ventricle – two-layered fold of pia
mater

Tuber Cinereum
• Convex mass of gray matter, as
seen from the inferior surface.
• Continuos inferiorly with the
infundibulum (hollow and become
continuous with the posterior lobe
of the hypophysis cerebri.
• Median eminence is a raised part of
the tuber cinereum to which is
attached the infundubulum.

Mammilary Bodies
• Two(2) hemispherical bodies
situated side by side posterior to
the tuber cinereum
• Possess a central core of gray
matter invested by a capsule of
myelintated nerve fibers.
• Posterior to the mammilary bodies
lies an area of the brain that
pierced by a number of small
apertures and is called posterior
perforated substance (transmits
the central branches of posterior
cerebral arteries)

Third Ventricle
– Derived from the forebrain vesicle
– Slitlike cleft between two thalami.
– Communicates anteriorly with the
lateral ventricles through the
interventricular foramina (foramina
of monro)
– Communicates posteriorly with the
fourth ventricle through the
cerebral aqueduct.
– Anterior wall is formed by a thins
sheet of gray matter(lamina
terminalis)
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