AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The lectures of Neuroanatomy aim to provide students with adequate knowledge on the Nervous System organization that allow them to understand its normal physiology and the pathologies that may arise from the impairment of its normal function. The goal of the lectures is to provide the knowledge of the different structures of the nervous system and the understanding of how they are interconnected for a correct functioning. The understanding of the issues discussed during the lectures should allow the students to deepen specific neuroanatomy issues autonomously.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching activity is organized in lectures for a total amount of time of 20 hours. During these lectures all the issues the student has to know for the final exam will be explained and discussed with the help of visual aids.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

General organization of the nervous system

The meninges

The ventricular system

General topographic concepts (sub/supratentorial, intra/extra-axial)

Introduction to the telecephalon: the main anatomic landmarks (central sulcus, silvian fissure, parieto-occipital sulcus, cingulate sulcus), the cerebral cortex

The main anatomo-functional landmarks of the telencephalon

The central sulcus (omega sign, Dalì sign, hook sign, L sign, gyral and cortical thickness)

Functional organization of the telencephalon:

• Motor homunculus and sensory homunculus
• Primary motor area
• Primary somato-sensory area
• Primary visual area
• Language areas
• Primary auditory area

The limbic system

Organization of the white matter (projection, association and comissural fibers)

The basal ganglia

The diencephalon (thalamus, hypothalamus, and brief notes on epithalamus and subthalamus)

Introduction to the brainstem

The brainstem (midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata): external structure and internal structure

The cranial nerves (function, course and location of the main nuclei)

The cerebellum (anatomy of the posterior fossa, anatomic and functional structure of cerebellum)

The spinal cord (external and internal structure)

The main ascending and descending systems:

• Efferent (lateral cortico-spinal tract and anterior cortico-spinal tract)
• Afferent (medial lemnicus tract and spino-thalamic tract)

Vasculature of the nervous system: supra-aortic trunks, intracranial arterial system (circle of Willis), intracranial venous system (deep and superficial venous systems).