5: Anatomy of the pituitary gland

Question 1

What are the two endocrine glands found in the cranial cavity?

Answer 1

Hypothalamus

Pituitary gland

Question 2

What are the five endocrine glands found in the neck?

Answer 2

Thyroid gland

4 parathyroid glands

Question 3

What are the three endocrine glands found in the abdomen?

Answer 3

Pancreas

2 adrenal glands

Question 4

What are the endocrine glands found exclusively in

a) males
b) females?

Answer 4

a) 2 testes

b) 2 ovaries

Question 5

Is the pancreas intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal?

Answer 5

Retroperitoneal

Question 6

The brain is split into two left and right ___.

Answer 6

hemispheres

Question 7

What is the most superior part of the brain called?

Answer 7

Cerebrum

Question 8

What is the purpose of the cerebrum?

Answer 8

Controls conscious thought

Question 9

What are the folds in the brain called?

Answer 9

Gyri

(gyrus)

Question 10

What are the grooves on the surface of the brain called?

Answer 10

Sulci

(sulcus)

Question 11

What part of brain is inferior to the cerebrum and posterior to the spinal cord?

Answer 11

Cerebellum

Question 12

What is the purpose of the cerebellum?

Answer 12

Controls voluntary movement

Question 13

What general structure is found at the top of the brainstem?

Answer 13

Diencephalon

Question 14

What does the diencephalon contain?

Answer 14

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Question 15

The diencephalon is found at the core of the (hypothalamus / cerebrum / cerebellum).

Answer 15

cerebrum

Question 16

The hypothalamus is found (anterior / posterior) to the thalamus.

Answer 16

anterior

T H

Question 17

The thalamus is found (anterior / posterior) to the hypothalamus.

Answer 17

posterior

T H

Question 18

From superior to inferior, what are the three parts of the brainstem?

Answer 18

Midbrain

Pons

Medulla oblongata

Question 19

What is found superior and inferior to the brainstem?

Answer 19

Superior - diencephalon, cerebrum

Inferior - spinal cord

Question 20

Where is the pituitary gland found in relation to the hypothalamus?

Answer 20

Inferior

Question 21

What connects the pituitary gland to the hypothalamus?

Answer 21

Infundibulum

Question 22

The pituitary gland is made up of ___ and ___ segments.

Answer 22

anterior and posterior

Question 23

What bones make up the

a) anterior cranial fossa
b) middle cranial fossa
c) posterior cranial fossa?

Answer 23

a) Frontal bone, ethmoid bone

b) Sphenoid bone, temporal bones

c) Occipital bone

(Parietal bones make up the walls of middle and posterior fossae)

Question 24

Which cranial fossa is the pituitary gland found in?

Answer 24

Middle cranial fossa

Question 25

Which hole does the pituitary gland sit in?

Answer 25

**Pituitary fossa**

Question 26

The pituitary fossa sits in a larger recess called the ___ \_\_\_.

Answer 26

**sella turcica**

Question 27

What specific part of the ethmoid bone is found in the anterior cranial fossa?

Answer 27

**Cribriform plate**

Question 28

Which cranial nerves are involved in the visual pathway?

Answer 28

**Left and right optic nerves** (CN II)

Question 29

Which cranial nerve is responsible for **vision**?

Answer 29

**Optic nerve - CN II**

Question 30

Which cranial nerves are responsible for **eye movements**?

Answer 30

**CN III, IV** and **VI** Oculomotor, Trochlear and Abducent nerves

Question 31

How many retinae does each eye contain?

Answer 31

**Two** - temporal retina is lateral, nasal retina is medial

Question 32

What photoreceptors do the eyes contain?

Answer 32

**Rods** and **cones** Used to know the difference :((((

Question 33

Optic ___ travel through optic ___ in the sphenoid bone until they reach the optic \_\_\_.

Answer 33

**optic nerves** in **optic canals** to **optic chiasm**

Question 34

Where is the optic chiasm found in relation to the pituitary gland?

Answer 34

**Superior to pituitary gland**

Question 35

What passes posteriorly from the optic chiasm to the thalamus?

Answer 35

**Optic tracts**

Question 36

What structure joins the **thalamus** to the **visual cortex** of the **occipital lobe**?

Answer 36

**Optic radiation**

Question 37

Nasal and temporal retinae 1. Optic chiasm 2. Thalamus 3. Visual cortex of occipital lobe **Name 1, 2 and 3.**

Answer 37

**1. Optic nerves** **2. Optic tracts** **3. Optic radiation**

Question 38

If a pituitary tumour compresses the optic chiasm, sight is lost at the **(nasal / temporal)** fields of vision bilaterally. What is this condition called?

Answer 38

**temporal fields bilaterally** Bitemporal hemianopia

Question 39

What are the two approaches for operating on the pituitary gland?

Answer 39

**Trans-sphenoidal approach** (through the nasal cavity and sphenoid sinus) ## Footnote **Transfrontal approach**

Question 40

Which small bone, inferior to the ethmoid bone, separates the right and left nasal cavities?

Answer 40

**Vomer**

Question 41

Which bones make up the walls of the nasal cavity?

Answer 41

**Nasal bones** **Ethmoid bone** **Maxilla**

Question 42

What notable parts of the ethmoid bone are found in the nasal cavity?

Answer 42

**Cribriform plate** (forms the roof) ## Footnote **Perpendicular plate**

Question 43

Which bones form the nasal septum?

Answer 43

**Ethmoid bone** (perpendicular plate) **Vomer**

Question 44

What are found on the lateral walls of the nasal cavity?

Answer 44

**Superior, middle** and **inferior nasal conchae** ## Footnote **Sphenoethmoidal recess, superior, middle and inferior meatuses**

Question 45

The superior and middle nasal conchae come from the ___ bone.

Answer 45

**ethmoid**

Question 46

What are the sinuses of the nasal cavity?

Answer 46

**Right** and **left frontal sinuses** 3 groups of **ethmoid air cells** **Right** and **left maxillary sinuses / antra** **Right** and **left sphenoid sinuses**

Question 47

What bony structures are surgically fractured to get access to the pituitary gland in the transsphenoidal approach?

Answer 47

**Nasal septum** **Floor and roof of sphenoid sinus**

Question 48

What kind of facial fracture can be surgically carried out to get better access to the nasal cavity? Which bone is fractured?

Answer 48

**Le Fort I fracture** **Maxilla**

Question 49

Which arteries anastomose to form the Circle of Willis?

Answer 49

**Internal carotid arteries** **Basilar artery** (union of right and left vertebral arteries)

Question 50

The cranial nerves run along the inferior surface of the brain from anterior to posterior - what is the one exception?

Answer 50

**CN XII** - hypoglossal nerve, emerges near brainstem

Question 51

Which membrane lines the floor of the cranial fossae?

Answer 51

**Dura mater**

Question 52

What structure, made of ___ \_\_\_, lines the cerebellum and has a central gap? Which structure passes through the central gap?

Answer 52

**dura mater** Tentorium cerebelli **brainstem**

Question 53

What sheet of dura mater forms a roof over the pituitary fossa?

Answer 53

**Diaphragm sellae**

Question 54

The entire cranial cavity is lined by what?

Answer 54

**Dura mater**

Question 55

Which cranial nerve passes over the cribriform plate of the ethmoid bone?

Answer 55

**CN I** - olfactory nerve

Question 56

What drains venous blood from the brain into the **internal jugular veins**?

Answer 56

**Dural venous sinuses** via the cavernous sinuses

Question 57

Are the dural venous sinuses examples of veins?

Answer 57

**No**, not histologically veins, channels within the dura mater

Question 58

Which dural venous sinuses surround the pituitary gland?

Answer 58

**Cavernous** and **intercavernous sinuses**

Question 59

Where are the **left** and **right cavernous** and **intercavernous sinuses** found in relation to the pituitary gland?

Answer 59

**Cavernous sinuses** - left and right of pituitary gland **Intercavernous sinus** - anterior to pituitary gland, connects left and right cavernous sinuses

Question 60

Through which hole in the posterior cranial fossa do the internal jugular veins drain?

Answer 60

**Jugular foramen**

Question 61

What is notable about the left and right cavernous sinuses?

Answer 61

The **left** and **right internal carotid arteries** pass through them

Question 62

The pituitary gland is found **(superior / inferior)** to the diaphragm sellae.

Answer 62

**inferior**

Question 63

Which blood vessels have windy paths around the left and right cavernous sinuses?

Answer 63

Left and right internal carotid arteries

Question 64

Which spaces, running through the temporal bones, accomodates the right and left internal carotid arteries?

Answer 64

**Carotid canals**

Question 65

Which cranial nerves are responsible for a) vision b) eye movements?

Answer 65

**a) Vision** = CN II (optic) **b) Eye movements** = CN III, IV and VI (oculomotor, trochlear, abducent)

Question 66

Compression of which structure causes bitemporal hemianopia?

Answer 66

Optic chiasm

Question 67

The oculomotor, trochlear and abducent nerves all control movements of the eye. What does the oculomotor nerve also control?

Answer 67

**Autonomic dilation and constriction the pupil via** dilator and sphincter pupillae **muscles** ## Footnote **Levator palpebrae superioris**

Question 68

Apart from problems with eye movement, what occurs when the oculomotor nerve is damaged?

Answer 68

**Ptosis** **Fixed dilated pupil**

Question 69

Apart from the brain, what else do the internal carotid arteries supply?

Answer 69

**Orbits** **Eyes**

Question 70

What occurs when the a) cavernous sinus b) internal cartoid artery are damaged?

Answer 70

a) Venous haemorrhage b) Catastrophic haemorrhage

Question 71

What are the sensory and motor innervations of the trigeminal nerve?

Answer 71

a) Sensation to the face, nasal cavity, superior EAM and external tympanic membrane, anterior 2/3rds of tongue (general sensory) b) Muscles of mastication, tensor veli palatini (V3)