Ronald A. Bergman, Ph.D., Adel K. Afifi, M.D., Paul M. Heidger,
Jr., Ph.D.
Peer Review Status: Externally Peer Reviewed
Abducens: L. abducere, to move away. The abducens nerve supplies the lateral rectus muscle, which draws the pupil of the eye away from the midline.
Amygdala: L. from Gr. amygdalO, almond. An almond-shaped structure in the tip of the temporal lobe.
Ansa: L. loop, handle (of a jug). Ansa lenticularis loops around the internal capsule on its way from globus palliclus to thalamus.
Aqueduct: L. aqueductus, a conduit or canal. Cerebral aqueduct connects the fourth and third ventricles.
Arcuate: L. arcuatus, bowed. Arcuate nucleus of medulla oblongata. Internal arcuate fibers of medulla oblongata.
Brachium: L. from Gr. brachion, arm. Brachium conjunctivurn, brachium of inferior colliculus, brachium of superior colliculus.
Callosum: L. hard. Corpus callosum, a massive bundle of myelinated fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres. Galen described the corpus callosurn as a firm, tough body.
Caudate: L. tailed, having a tail. Cauclate nucleus has a head, body, and slender tail.
Centrum: L. from Gr. kentron, a center. Centrum semiovale, the mass of white matter composing the interior of the cerebral hemisphere. Has a sernioval shape in horizontal sections.
Cerebellar: Pertaining to cerebellum.
Cerebellum: L. diminutive of cerebrum, the brain. The cerebellum is thus the little brain. The term appeared in English in 1565.
Cerebrum: L. brain. The word first appeared in English in 1565.
Chiasma: Gr. chiasma, two crossing lines. Optic chiasma is the site of crossing of optic nerve fibers to form the optic tract.
Choroid: Gr. choroeid6s, a delicate membrane. Choroid plexus within the brain ventricles was first described by Herophilus (~300 BC).
Cingulate: Pertaining to cingulum. Cingulate gyrus of the limbic lobe.
Cingulum: L. a girdle, from cingere, to bind or gird. The white matter core of the cingulate gyrus surrounds the corpus callosurn like a girdle.
Claustrum: L. a barrier or fence, from claudere, to shut or close. A thin layer of gray matter between the cortex of the insula (island of Reil) and the putamen. The claustrum was described by Meynert (1833 -1892).
Cochlea: L. snail shell. The receptor organ of hearing is so-named because of its striking resemblance, with its two and a half turns, to a snail shell.
Cochlear: Pertaining to cochlea.
Colliculus: L. diminutive of collis, hill. A small elevation. Superior and inferior colliculi are elevations on the dorsal surface of the mid-brain.
Column: L. columna, a pillar, a vertical object. Posterior (dorsal) columns of the spinal cord are disposed in a vertical manner.
Commissure: L. a joining together, from corn-mitto, to bring together. The anterior, posterior, and habenular commissures join two sides of the nervous system.
Corona: L. from Gr. koróné, a crown. Corona radiata, fibers radiating out like a crown from the internal capsule to various parts of the cerebral hemispheres. The corona radiata was described and named by Reil (1759-1813).
Corpus: L. body. The corpus callosurn Is a massive bundle (body) of myelinated nerve fibers connecting the two cerebral hemispheres. The term corpus callosurn is a translation of Galen's term (callosus, hard), who noted the structure and called it the firm, tough body.
Crus: L. leg. The crus of the fornix. Crus cerebri.
Cuneatus: L. cuneus, wedge. Wedge-shaped. Nucleus and tractus cuneatus.
Decussation: L. decussatio, from decussis, the intersection of two lines, the letter x. Crossing of tracts, motor clecussation, sensory clecussation.
Dentate: L. dentatus, toothed. Dentate nucleus of cerebellum; dentate gyrus of hippocampal formation.
Diencephalon: Gr. dia, through, between; enkephalos, brain. The between brain.
Fasciculus: L. fascis, bundle. Fiber bundle or tract. Fasciculus gracilis, fasciculus cuneatus, medial longitudinal fasciculus.
Fimbria: L. firnbria, fringe or border. Fimbria of fornix.
Folia: plural of folium, L. leaf. A leaf-like structure. Cerebellar folia.
Forceps: L. a pair of tongs. U-shaped, or pincer-like appearance of forceps major and forceps minor of the corpus callosum.
Fornix: L. arch. The forn'x is an arched structure connecting the hippocampus with the mamillary body. First described by Vesalius (1514-1564).
Funiculus: L. funis, cord. A cord-like area of white matter containing several neural tracts. Anterior and lateral funiculi of spinal cord.
Geniculate: L. geniculo, to bend the knee, from genu, knee. Lateral and medial geniculate nuclei.
Genu: L. genu, knee. Genu of the corpus callosurn betwee-n its body and head. Genu of internal capsule between the anterior and posterior limbs. Genu of facial nerve in the pons.
Globus: L. globe, sphere, round body, a ball. Globus pallidus, the pale globe. Globose nucleus of cerebellum.
Glossopharyngeal: Gr. glossa, tongue; pharynx, throat. Relating to tongue and throat. Glossopharyngeal nerve.
Gracilis: L. slender. Fasciculus gracilis, a long and slender fiber tract in the spinal cord.
Gyrus: L. from Gr. gyros, circle. Cerebral gyri.
Habenula: L. habena, strap or bridle rein; from habere, to hold. Habenular nuclei, so-named because early anatomists considered the pineal gland the seat of the soul, and the adjacent habenulae were the reins by which the soul controlled the brain.
Hippocampus: Gr. hippocampos, sea horse. The hippocampus is so-named because of its resemblance to a sea horse.
Hypoglossal: L. hypoglossus; from hypo, under, glossus, tongue. The hypoglossal nerve was so-named by the Danish anatomist Winslow (1669-1760).
Innominate: L. innominatus, unnamed, nameless; from in, not, nornen, name. Substantia innominata.
insula: L. island. The insula or island of Reii in the depth of the lateral (sylvian) fissure. Previously noted by other writers, it was described by Johann Christian Reil in 1809.
Lemniscus: Gr. li~mniskos, ribbon, fillet. Medial lemniscus, lateral lemniscus.
Lenticular: L. lenticula, a lentil. Relating or resembling a lens. Lenticular nucleus (putamen and globus pallidus) is so-named because of its resemblance to a lens.
Mamillary: L. mammilla, nipple. Shaped like a nipple. Mamillary bodies are nipple-like elevations from the surface of the diencephalon.
Medulla: L. medius, middle. The middle or marrow of bone. Medulla oblongata.
Mesencephalon: Gr. mesos, middle, enkephalos, brain. The mid-brain between the pons and thalamus.
Occipital: Relating to occiput.
Occiput: L. the back of the head; from ob, before or against, caput, head.
Oculomotor: L. oculomotorius; from oculus, eye, motorius, moving. Related to or causing movement of the eye. Oculomotor nerve.
Olivary: Pertaining to olive.
Olive: L. oliva, olive. The inferior olive is a smooth oval prominence on the surface of the medulla oblongata.
Optic: Gr. optikos, relating to the eye, sight. Optic nerve is the nerve of vision. Discovered by Alcmaeon about 500 B.C.
Pallidus: L. pallidus, pale. Globus pallidus, the pale gray portion of the corpus striatum.
Peduncle: L. pedunculus, diminutive of pes, foot. A stem or narrow part by which some part is attached to another. Cerebral peduncle, inferior, middle, and superior cerebellar peduncles connect different parts of the neuraxis.
Pellucidum: L. pellucidus, allowing the passage of light, transparent. Septum pellucidum is a thin membrane extending between the corpus callosurn and fornix. It separates the frontal horns of the lateral ventricle. First described by Galen (130-201 A.D.)
Pineal: L. pineus, relating to pine. Pineal gland resembles a pine cone. First described by Berengarius about 1500. Descartes (1596-1650) declared it the residence of the soul.
Pons: L. bridge. The pons is the part of the brain stem intermediate between the medulla oblongata and mid-brain. Also known as pons varolii. Described by Varolius of Padua in 1573.
Pulvinar: L, pulvinus, a cushion. The posterior extremity of the thalamus slung over the posterior aspect of the internal capsule like a cushion.
Putamen: from L. puto, to prune. That which falls off in pruning.
Pyramid: Gr. pyramis, a pyramid. The pyramidal tract was so-named by Duverney from the pyramids, two eminences on the medulla oblongata formed by the corticospinal tracts.
Radiata: L. radius, ray, atus, to shine. Corona radiata spreads out in all directions from the internal capsule like the rays of light.
Rectus: L. rectus, straight. Cyrus rectus.
Restiform: L. restis, rope, forma, shape. Shaped like a rope. Restiform body is a compact bundle of nerve fibers connecting the medulla and the cerebellum. Described and named by Humphrey Ridley, an English anatomist, in 1695.
Rostrum: L. beak, or bill of a bird. The rostrum . a furrow or groove. Stria medullaris thalami.
Substantia: L. substantia, essence, substance, material. Substantia gelatinosa of Rolandi was first described by Luigi Rolando (1773 -1831), an Italian anatomist, as a formation of a peculiar transparent substance at the tip of the posterior horn of the spinal cord. Substantia nigra is a pigmented area in the mid-brain described by Soemmering (1755 -1830).
Sulcus: L. a furrow or ditch. Suld of the brain are furrows between the gyri.
Tectal: Pertaining to tectum.
Tectum: L. roof, from tego, to cover. The tectum of the mid-brain refers to the dorsal parts of the mid- brain, the superior and inferior colliculi.
Tegmental: Pertaining to tegmentum.
Tegmentum: L. tego, cover. Tegmentum of the brain stem.
Thalamus: Gr. thalamos, inner chamber, bridal chamber. The term was used by Galen.
Trapezoid: Gr. trapezodes, from trapezoin, a table or counter, eidos, resemblance. Resembling a trapezium. The trapezoid body of the pons.
Trigeminal: L. trigerninus, three-fold. Trigeminal nerve has three divisions. It was described by Fallopius and again by Meckel in 1748. The name trigerninal was given by Winslow on account of its three divisions.
Trochlea: Gr. trochileia, a pulley. Trochlear nerve supplies the superior extraocular oblique muscle, whose tendon passes through a fibrous ring, the trochlea.
Trochlear: Relating to trochlea.
Velum: L. veil. Anterior medullary velum.
Ventricle: L. ventriculus, from venter, belly, chamber, cavity. Ventricles of the brain were so-named because it was at one time fashionable to name parts of the brain for other parts of the body that they resembled.
Vermis: L. worm. Vermis of cerebellum, so-named because of its worm-like appearance.
Vestibular: Related to vestibule. Vestibular nuclei.
Vestibule: L. vestibulum, antechamber, entrance court.
Please send us comments by filling out our Comment Form.
All contents copyright © 1995-2024 the Author(s) and Michael P. D'Alessandro, M.D. All rights reserved.
"Anatomy Atlases", the Anatomy Atlases logo, and "A digital library of anatomy information" are all Trademarks of Michael P. D'Alessandro, M.D.
Anatomy Atlases is funded in whole by Michael P. D'Alessandro, M.D. Advertising is not accepted.
Your personal information remains confidential and is not sold, leased, or given to any third party be they reliable or not.
The information contained in Anatomy Atlases is not a substitute for the medical care and advice of your physician. There may be variations in treatment that your physician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.
URL: http://www.anatomyatlases.org/