The Neuroanatomy I - CNS Structure Program was formed with the support of the Higher Education Development Fund (FRVŠ) (project No. 1868/2008). Its goal is an overall presentation of basic information concerning the structure and function of the central nervous system while using a complex of schematic drawings, corresponding photos, and concise texts. The program is intended predominantly for 2nd year students of General Medicine and 1st year students of Dentistry, Clinical Kinesiology and Kinesiotherapy, and Physiotherapy, studying the subject of Anatomy. Older students will find the program useful for revision of neuroanatomy when studying neurophysiology, neuropathology, and clinical fields. Diagrams from textbook CNS lecture notes by prof. Holibka were used in the program.
The authors would like to thank Jiří Plhák and Mgr. Ivo Šrámek for technical cooperation.



Working with the Program

  • The program is optimized for all browsers; Javascript must be enabled; recommended screen resolution is 1280 x 1024, ideally using the full screen mode (F11 key).


  • From any level of view it is possible to select the Czech or English version by pressing:


  • To select terms alphabetically, press:


  • Arrows serve to proceed step by step in the teaching mode:


  • The bar on the left facilitates selection of the chapter; once selected, sub-chapters and other selection options expand. Featuring level differentiation, the selection path remains on the bar for further selection or for return to the higher level:


  • On the upper bar on the right there is the structure description.


  • Function: hide numbers - enables removing numbers where they would cover a detail.


  • Other views enable switching between various representations that are available for the particular structure:


  • In the teaching mode, the right bar contains Latin names of the structures (in the English versions there are English terms). If the nomenclature uses two terms, they are separated by a semi-colon. Usually, we did not state a duplicate term based on two possibilities of identifying the direction (e.g. ncl. retrodorsolateralis × ncl. retroposterolateralis). Eponyms or generally accepted terms that are not included in the nomenclature are stated in brackets. Italics denote structures that complement basic information or structures that are specified in the particular chapter only in order to help with orientation of the slide.


  • When moving the mouse across the name of the particular section, the corresponding number on the image or photo turns red; when clicking on the name, it turns blue and the description of the section appears. Numbers in the image or photo respond similarly. Upon the basic selection of an image or chapter, the description of individual photos and the chapter introductions appear.


  • The Latin and English nomenclature are listed according to the publication - Terminologia anatomica International Anatomical Terminology FCAT, published by Thieme Stuttgart in 1998.


  • The following abbreviations are used in the text:
    a. » arteria
    aa. » arteriae
    v. » vena
    vv. » venae
    n. » nervus
    nn. » nervi
    ncl. » nucleus
    ncll. » nuclei
    s. » seu - nebo-li
    g. » gyrus

  • Bibliography:
    ČIHÁK, Radomír. Anatomie 3. vyd. 1. 1997. ISBN 80-7169-140-2.
    DAUBER, Wolfgang. Feneisův obrazový slovník anatomie. vyd. 3. české. 2007. ISBN 978-80-247-1456-1.
    HAINES, Duane E. Neuroanatomy: An Atlas of structures, Sectiones, and System. vyd. 6. ISBN 0-7817-4677-9.
    HOLIBKA, Vladimír. Obrazové předlohy k přednáškám z anatomie: Centrální nervový systém. 5. vyd. 2003. ISBN 80-244-0701-9.
    KAHLE, Werner; FROTSCHER, Michael. Nervous System and SensoryOrgans. vyd. 5. 2003. ISBN 3-13-533505-4.
    NOLTE, John; ANGEVINE, Jay B. Jr. The Human Brain in Photographs and Diagrams. vyd. 3. 2007. ISBN 978-0-323-04573-5.
    PETROVICKÝ, Pavel. Anatomie s topografickými aplikacemi: III. svazek Neuroanatomie, smyslová ústrojí a kůže. 2002. ISBN 80-8063-049-8.
    RUBIN, Michael; SAFDIEH, Joseph E. NETTER'S Concise Neuroanatomy. 2007. ISBN-13: 978-1-933247-22-9.
    SINGH Inderbir. Textbook of Human Neuroanatomy. vyd. 5. 1997. ISBN 81-7179-530-7.
    SNELL Richard S. Clinical Neuroanatomy, 6th editon. Lippincott Williams&Wilkins, Philadelphia 2006. ISBN 97-80-7817-9010-9.