The Senses...Are you hearing this!?

Picture this...You are one week away from the midterm and you have the duty of recalling the last 5 weeks of anatomy structures. What is going through your head right now? Some may be thinking, "Oh, it won't be that bad," others may have the thought, "All those bones and muscles...that is so much to review," and others may just as well think, "This test is going to stomp me!" If there are anatomy students out there that currently have these thoughts, don't worry, it has happened to the best of us. Believe it or not, it happened to me when I took the class. My best advice I can give this week is as follows:

1. Study hard for the Central Nervous System quiz.
2. Once that is completed, use as much time as you can gather to be in the open lab reviewing the first 5 weeks of terms before Friday, February 19th at 1PM.
3. On Friday, February 19th, at 1PM, the midterm exam will be pinned and their will only be one room open for open lab.
4. Just a word of caution concerning this, with the midterm pinned, all you have to study from is at most two cadavers and specimens that are not being used on the test. Remember that the one open lab will be occupied all week by over 800 students.

**In a nut shell, do your best to start your review studies now and don't wait to the last minute to do so. The sooner you start, the better off you will be. Also, you will be much happier and who doesn't like to be happy?!

With that in mind, lets turn our attention to the material for this week, the Peripheral Nervous System. This week is full of so many fun and interesting structures. We have the cranial nerves that are responsible for most of our sensations, the structures of the eye and ear and also the major nerves of the brachial, femoral, gluteal and popliteal regions. It may seem like alot right now but as one begins to study these terms, one will soon find out just how much these structures help us enjoy the little beauties surrounding us. If that is not impressive enough wrap your mind around these interesting details. Did you know that the nose can remember over 50,000 different scents? Did you know that the eye has over 2 million working parts and can process over 36,000 bits of information every hour? Neat, huh!? The senses truly are extraordinary when considered on that kind of scale. Overall, the peripheral nerves, as tiny as they are, allow us to see life around us, taste great food, and hear the most beautiful sounds man and nature can create.

**As you marvel at the wonder of these creations, here are this week's study tips:

The 12 Cranial Nerves: There are a few sayings that you may hear to remember all 12 of these nerves. Here is the story I learned when I took the class:

On Old Olympus Towering Top, A Finely Vested German Viewed A Hawk

Olfactory(I), Optic(II), Oculomotor(III), Trochlear(IV), Trigeminal(V), Abducens(VI), Facial(VII), Vestibulocochlear(VIII), Glossopharyngeal(IX), Vagus(X), Accessory(XI), Hypoglossal(XII)

**Remember that all these names end in "nerve"

Things to note about the Cranial Nerves:

1. Vestibulocochlear nerve is two nerves running together. When studying this nerve, look for the one that is double barreled. It looks like it is coming out of Patrick's ear and this nerve's function is hearing.
2. Trochlear nerve originates at the base of the corpora quadrigemina and wraps around to the front of the pons. This one is a tiny thing so look closely for it!
3. Glossopharyngeal nerve rests above the Vestibulorcochlear nerve. Think of this nerve as being Patrick's glossy hair.
4. Facial nerve acts like Patrick's facial hairs.
5. Abducens nerve rests on Patrick's abdominal muscles.
6. Trigeminal nerve is Patrick's armpit hairs.
7. In Review, this is the order of a few nerves going from the base of the pons up the medulla oblongata: Oculomotor nerve, Abducens nerve, Trigeminal nerve, Facial nerve, Vestibulocochlear nerve, Glossopharyngeal nerve, Vagus nerve and Accessory nerve.

Brachial Plexus

**Look for the "M" nerve in the armpit region. Each leg of the "M" is a different nerve and it goes from lateral to medial according to this saying:

• Mickey Mouse University: Musculocutaneous nerve, Median nerve and Ulnar Nerve. The Radial Nerve dives deep into the "M" because it is too RAD to go to school.
• Musculocutaneous nerve dives deep into the brachial muscles.
• Median nerve is the central leg of the "M".
• Ulnar nerve is on the ulnar side of the arm.

The Eye

The Journey of a Tear:

1. lacrimal gland
2. excretory lacrimal ductules
3. lacrimal punctum: you can see this in your own eye; just look in a mirror, pull down your lower eyelid and look for the hole in the medial portion of the eye.
4. lacrimal canals
5. lacrimal sac
6. nasolacrimal duct: runs through the nasolacrimal canal in the skull.
7. Out the nose: This is why when your cry, your nose gets runny too!

Muscles of the Eye: a few pointers

1. Make sure to orient yourself with they eye specimens and understand what is the superior, inferior, lateral and medial portions of the eye.
2. Lacrimal gland is always lateral
3. Caruncle is always medial
4. On the Superior portion of the eye, the superior oblique is under the superior rectus
5. On the Inferior portion of the eye, the inferior oblique is over the inferior rectus
6. Trochlea: a loop-like piece of tissue that sits on the inside of the orbit and feeds the superior oblique like a pulley system.

Layers of the Eye

• From Superficial to Deep: Sclera, Choroid, Retina

Chambers of the Eye:

1. Anterior Chamber: Cornea to Iris
2. Posterior Chamber: Iris to Lens
3. These two chambers are filled with Aqueous Humor
4. Vitreous Chamber: Entire posterior segment of the eye, located between the posterior side of the lens and the retina
5. This chamber is filled with Vitreous Humor

The Ear

External Ear

• Auricle: Fleshy portion of the ear composed of elastic cartilage.

Middle Ear

• Auditory Ossicles: malleus(hammer), incus(anvil), stapes(saddle stirrup)
• Vestibular window: remember it as the oval window because the semicircular canals on the vestibule are oval shaped.
• Cochlear window: remember it as the round window because the cochlea is round shaped.

Inner Ear

• Vestibule: Innervated by the vestibular nerve; portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve
• Cochlea: Innervated by the cochlear nerve; portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve

Cross Section of the Cochlea

• The two pairs of "Scalas"
• Scala Vestibuli: wear your vest on top
• Scala Tympani: wear your pants on the bottom
• Both the "scalas" are filled with perilymph(Pair-e-lymph)
• Cochlear Duct is in between both "Scalas" and is filled with Endolymph
• Tectorial Membrane: resembles a diving board
• Spiral Organ of Corti: consists of ONLY the basilar membrane and the cochlear hair cells

** Have fun learning the senses and happy studying!!!

The Brain: Our Navigation Diamond.

We have finally made it to the brain!!! We can say so long to muscles for now but don't forget them too fast! The midterm exam is coming up in a couple of weeks. So keep up the studying and don't forget to start reviewing now! It truly is amazing how complex the human brain is. With a total weight of about 3 pounds, it is the initiator of practically everything we do in a days work. From the very moment one gets out of bed to the many hours one puts into this class, the brain is highly active and always working overtime. Did you know the brain is still functioning even while we sleep? It never takes a break!!! On average, information in your brain travels at a rate of about 268 miles per hour. Also, it is estimated that the brain has 100 billion nerve cells and more connections in it than there are stars in the universe, which is about the number of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. Wow, the brain never ceases to amaze me!

This week in lab, our focus is the Central Nervous System. This system consists of the brain and the spinal cord. A good chunk of the terms you have probably heard before, but most are very new and unfamiliar I am sure. Whatever the case may be for you, with enough time and practice you will know more about the brain than ever before in your entire life. So with that, here are some tips and helpful mnemonics for you to use in your studies.

Week 5 Study Tips

1. The models are helpful, but make sure to study off of the specimens. Learn as many terms from as many brain dissections as you can. You are most likely going to be quizzed on the dissections only. Begin by orienting yourself by way of the models. As you get better and more advanced, move onto the specimens.
2. The Brain can be pinned from all sorts of angles. Think back to the very first week of anatomy. The body regions and planes were taught and we learned about the coronal and sagittal planes. These types of cuts are very popular to use in lab quizzes. If you can't find a good sagittal or coronal cut, talk to a TA and they will be able to pull out a good specimen to show you. There are some tricky pins in regards to this week. Be creative as you study!
3. Be very gentle with the brains! Brain tissue is very delicate and tears easily. Many, many hours go into preparing a brain specimen. Spray them frequently and be sure not to poke at them. One bad tear and overtime, a brain specimen will become harder and harder to learn from.

**So here are some terms for the week and ways to remember them!!!

Cerebrum: Cerebro (X-men) sits on your cerebrum...or just think the biggest part of the brain.

• Genu: the genius' sit in the front
• Splenium: it's splendid to sit in the back

Cerebellum: sits at the base of the Cerebrum

• Arbor Vitae: "Tree of Life" - resembles a tree
  
• Vermis: Vermin that peeks out of his hole - the connection between the two cerebellar hemispheres

The "Duck" Picture

• Thalamus: duck's head
• Interthalamic Adhesion: duck's eye
• Hypothalamus: duck's beak
• Infundibulum: straw coming out of the duck's beak
• Pituitary Gland: bubble on the end of the straw, if the duck were to spit he would saw "pituey"
• Pineal Gland: feather on the back of the duck's head. You will be able to study this structure best on a sagittal cut brain and a brain with a removed cerebellum.

**Or another way to think about the infundibulum and the pituitary gland - it is FUN to blow bubbles!!!

The Troll/Patrick the Star Fish Picture (The one you have all been waiting for!!!)

• Pons: Troll's body
• Medulla Oblongata: Troll's head
• Cerebral Peduncles: Troll's legs
• Cerebellar Pedencles: Troll's arms
• Corpora Quadrigemina: Troll's calfs (Gastrocnemius)

The Spinal Cord

• Anterior Median Fissure: All Men Fear
• Posterior Median Sulcus: P-M-S

Gray and White Matter

• The Brain is like a Twinkie: Gray Matter on the outside (cake), White Matter on the inside (cream filling).
• The Spinal cord is like a corn dog: Gray Matter on the inside (meat), White Matter on the outside (bun).

**Remember: Gray Matter consists of axon cell bodies and White Matter consists of myelinated axons. In the brain, there are nerve impulses going into it, and in the spinal cord there are nerve impulses going away from it.

Meninges: The covering of the brain

• Dura Mater: tough mother
• Arachnoid Mater: spider-like
• Pia Mater: gentle mother

**Note: The Pia Mater cannot be physically separated from the brain tissue. If pinned on a quiz, there will be a pin going into the brain and a question asking, "What mater is the pin going through?"

Reflex Arc

• Sensory Afferent Neuron: sense someone looking at your back.
• Motor Efferent Neuron: drive a motor-vehicle in the front.

Remember to think SAME DAVE

• Sensory Afferent, Motor Efferent
• Dorsal Afferent, Ventral Efferent

Ventricles: producers of Cerebral Spinal Fluid

• Lateral Ventricle: Inside the space of the corpus callosum
• Septum Pellucidum: Membrane sheath that divides the two lateral ventricles
• Third Ventricle: Around the Thalamus
• Fourth Ventricle: Anterior to the Cerebellum
• Mesencephalic (Cerebral) Aqueduct: Tube connecting the third and fourth ventricles
• Choroid Plexus: Tiny grape-like structures, found in the ventricles, that make cerebral spinal fluid.

**I hope this helps. Good luck studying this week and don't forget to review for the midterm and little bit every day. Happy Studying!!!

Fun Fact for the Day:

• The Superior Colliculus, of the Corpora Quadrigemina, is responsible for turning our head with a sight we see.
• The Inferior Colliculus, of the Corpora Quadrigemina, is responsible for turning our head with a sound we hear.

Muscles, Muscles and More Muscles!

You did it!!! You survived your first week of muscles! Now you can take a breather from that nasty forearm, and start up again with more muscles. Only this time, our focus is the lower limbs of the body. Now I know that the upper muscles, especially the forearm, was alot to take in during a 2 hour lab period. You may be wondering if you can handle another whole week of muscles. Well, the great thing is, now that you have been exposed to the material once, the second time around, the lower muscles won't seem that bad at all. You will be surprised when you see how much easier the lower muscles come just from having finished learning the upper muscles. I can promise you that!!! I had a chance to talk to a few of my students after the lower muscles lab, and they all agreed that the lower muscles were easier to grasp the first time than the upper muscles. So there is no need to fear! I know that all of you can master these terms with a little dedication and open lab attendence!

Well, now that I am done with my pep talk, here are some study tips and ways to remember all the terms for the lower muscles. Keep in mind the previous weeks study tips for the upper muscles and you will have so much fun in your studies this week!

Abdominal Wall
Linea Alba: Think of the albino(white) line running down the middle of the abdomen.
**Or a popular favorite...Jessica Alba has good abs.

Vertebral Column
Spinalis->Longissimus->Iliocostalis
Salt Lake International

Femur
Tensor faciae latae: there once was a girl who was tense into fashion and she held a latte in her hand while placing her hand on her hip.
**The hand of the hip part lets you know where in the body this muscle is.

Sartorius: notorius for being the longest muscle in the body.

Rectus Femoris: the term rectus means straight up and down.
**Take a moment in open lab to observe the up and down muscle fibers of the rectus femoris.

Vastus Lateralis, Vastus Medialis and Vastus intermedius
**Alice's on the sides and us in the middle

Gracilis: When someone sitting next to you rubs the inside of your leg you can say gracias or no gracias. (you decide!)

Order of the inner thigh muscles from inferior to superior
Gracilis->Adductor Magnus->Adductor Longus->Adductor Brevis->Pectineus
**Great Major League Baseball Players

The Posteior Aspect (aka: The Bottom)
Gluteus Maximus->Gluteus Medius->Gluteus minimus->Piriformis->
Superior Gemellus->Obturator Internus->Inferior Gamellus-> Obturator Externus->Quadratus Femoris
**Gotta Gotta Gotta Pee G.O. G.O. Quickly

Hamstrings
Adductor Magnus and Semimembranosus
**If you eat M&M's they go straight to your inner thighs (medial)

Semitendinosus: It is the only hamstring muscle that has a long tendon. This tendon wraps around the medial side of the tibia and inserts medial to the tibial tuberosity(pes anserinus).

Biceps Femoris: The most lateral hamstring muscle and it has two heads.

Lower Leg
Plantaris and Soleus: plant your seeds in the soil
Popliteus: you pop your knee in (medial)
Calcaneal Tendon: Achilles' tendon

Lower Leg Story Rules
Digitorum: digits (toes)
Hallucis: big toe
Peroneus (fibularis): fibula
Tibialis: tibia
Extensor vs. Flexor (make sure you understand this well!!)

• Remember, it is similar to the hand. You will find the flexor leg muscles on the medial malleolus side and the extensor muscles on the lateral malleolus side.
• The Story begins with teh Tibialis Posterior and ends with the Tibialis Anterior.
• Tom, Dick and Harry are men and they meet at the medial malleolus.

Tibialis Posterior->Flexor Digitorum Longus->Flexor Hallucis Longus->Calcaneal Tendon->Peroneus Brevis->Peroneus Longus->Peroneus Tertius->Extensor Digitorum Longus->Extensor Hallucis Longus->Tibialis Anterior

**Tom, Dick and Harry went around the Calcaneal corner to get a Peroneus B.L.T. During Half Time.

Okay, I hope this helps in your studies this next week!!! Go to the open lab as often as time permits for you. You are almost done with the muscles but don't let them slip your head too fast. The lab midterm is in just a few weeks. If you feel comfortable with the terms for your lower muscles quiz, take a few minutes to review the bones and upper muscles. You will be so happy when you do. Happy Studying!!!

**Here is a random muscles fact for the week!!!

When walking down the street you use over 200 muscles. Challenge yourself and see if you can name a few.