The postcentral gyrus, a landmark for the somatosensory area of the cerebral cortex, is located in the parietal lobe of the cerebral cortex.  The frontal lobe contains the precentral gyrus, which is a landmark for the primary motor area. The primary auditory area is located in the temporal lobe while the primary visual area is located in the occipital lobe. The insula is a fold in the cerebral cortex found within the lateral fissure. 

The brainstem consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The brainstem continues inferiorly to become the spinal cord. The brainstem is responsible for basic living functions, including but not limited to: respiration, circulation (including heart rate), and digestion. As such, any injury to the brainstem would be catastrophic. Additionally ten of twelve cranial nerves pass through the brainstem, going on to provide the face and neck with motor and sensory functions. Furthermore, nerve conduction of the motor and sensory systems of the brain and body pass through the brain stem including the corticospinal tract (involved in motor activity), the posterior column-medial lemniscus pathway (involved in fine touch, vibration sensation, and proprioception), and the spinothalamic tract (involved in pain, temperature, itch, and crude touch).

The cerebrum consists of four lobes: the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital. Some sources also include the limbic lobe (responsible for emotion and memory) and the insular cortex (responsible for pain).  The frontal lobe is responsible for conscious thought and executive functioning; damage to the lobe can result in mood and personality changes. The parietal lobe is important in sensory integration, in visuaospatial processing, and the manipulation of objects. The occipital lobe is responsible for sight; damage to the area can produce hallucinations and blindness. The temporal lobe is involved in the sense of smell and sound, memory, and it also plays a role in processing complex stimuli such as faces and scenes. 

The cerebral aqueduct, also known as the aqueduct of Sylvius, contains cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle. The aqueduct allows for the flow of CSF through these areas. The cerebral aqueduct is clinically significant as it can be narrow (stenosis) leading to an obstruction of CSF, potentially leading to non-communicating hydrocephalus. 

The corpus callosum is a wide bundle of neural fibers that connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres, allowing for interhemispheric communication. It consists of approximately 200-250 million axonal projections, making it the largest white matter structure in the brain (it has a high myelin content, thus facilitating faster information transmission).

The fornix is part of the limbic system; it allows for communication from the hippocampus to the mammillary bodies and then onto the thalamus. The thalamus is a relay station for sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex. The tectum is the dorsal portion of the midbrain.

None of the above-listed structures is part of the pons. The corpora quadrigemina are part of the midbrain, and are involved reflexive head movements in response to visual and auditory stimuli. The mammilary bodies are part of the hypothalamus, and have functions related to memory. The pineal body is part of the epithalamus, and it secretes melatonin, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

The hypothalamus is a part of the brain comprised of a series of nuclei involved in many functions of the body. The anterior nucleus is involved in thermoregulation, it senses increaes in body temperature and triggers sweating. If destroyed, thermoregulation is impaired and the body overheats (hyperthermia). The lateral nucleus regulates hunger and thirst. The ventromedial nucleus is involved in sensing fullness (satiety) and aggression. The suprachiasmatic nucleus situated above the optic chiasm receives information from the retina and is involved in circadian rhythm regulation. The supraoptic nucleus produces vasopressin and oxytocin.

Interestingly, only the trochlear CN 4 exits on the dorsal aspect. This is because it crosses within the brainstem, which results in it exiting underneath the inferior colliculi, which are part of the corpora quadrigemina. In addition, it is good to know that this is the only cranial nerve that crosses before it exits the brainstem.

The three layers are dura, arachnoid, and pia maters. Dura mater is the only one that surrounds the entire central nervous system. Pia mater can be found as denticulate ligaments along the spinal cord when dissected. Arachnoid mater is often removed during a dissection. Thus the most superficial layer is dura, then arachnoid, and pia is the deepest.

There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves: 8 cervical nerves, 12 thoracic nerves, 5 lumbar nerves, 5 sacral nerves and 1 coccygeal nerve.

Each nerve separates from the spinal cord and exits the spine through the intervertebral foramen found between adjacent vertebrae. The nerves innervate regions of the peripheral nervous system and relay information to and from the central nervous system.