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MD4001 Physiology > Brain Stem Overview and Cranial Nerve Nuclei > Flashcards

Brain Stem Overview and Cranial Nerve Nuclei Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 3 main parts which make up the brainstem?

A
  • Midbrain
  • Pons
  • Medulla
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2
Q

How many of the cranial nerves originate in the brainstem?

A

10 of the 12 (CN I and II)

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3
Q

Where do autonomics in the spinal cord tend to be located?

A

Lateral aspect of the horn

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4
Q

Where can you find the motor aspect in the brainstem (for muscles etc.)?

A

Ventral aspects of the horn

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5
Q

Where does somatic sensory information lie in relation to visceral sensory information in the spinal cord?

A

Dorsally (further out)

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6
Q

In the brain stem where does somatic motor and sensory as well as visceral motor and sensory information lie from medial to lateral?

A 
Most medial:
- Somatic motor 
- Visceral motor 
- Visceral sensory 
- Somatic sensory (most lateral)
Central grey matter more horizontal
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7
Q

Where is the general somatic motor located?

A

Most medial aspect

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8
Q

What is located in the GSE?

A

Hypoglossal nucleus (innervates tongue)

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9
Q

What is locted in the SVE (visceral motor)?

A

Nucleus ambigous (swallowing, speech, HR control)

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10
Q

What is located in the GVE (autonomic motor)?

A
  • Dorsal motor nucleus of vagus (GI and respiratory control)

- Inferior salvitory nucleus (CN IX)

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11
Q

What is located within the GVA (autonomic sensory)?

A

Solitary nucleus

- CV/resp

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12
Q

What is located in the SVA (autonomic sensory)?

A

Solitary nucleus

- Taste

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13
Q

What is located in the GSA and SSA (somatic sensory)?

A
  • Spinal nucleus
  • Vestibular nuclei
  • Cochlear nuclei
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14
Q

What are the major tracts of the medulla?

A
  • Corticospinal tract
  • Medial lemniscus
  • Medial longitudinal fasiculus
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15
Q

Where does the medial lemniscus originate?

A

Dorsal column nuclei

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16
Q

What information does the medial lemniscal pathway carry?

A

Conscious proprioception and vibratory stimuli to thalamus

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17
Q

A brainstem lesion in the medial lemniscus leads to loss of what?

A

Contralateral loss of joint proprioception

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18
Q

Where do ascending tracts of the medial longitudinal fasiculus originate?

A

From lateral, medial and superior vestibular nuclei and project to pons

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19
Q

Where do descending tracts of the medial longitudinal fasiculus originate?

A

From medial vestibular nuclei and project to cervical spinal cord (vestibulospinal cord)

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20
Q

What information do the medial longitudinal fasiculus fibres carry?

A

Information about head position sent to cranial nerves

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21
Q

What does the reticular formation control?

A
  • Modulation of sensory transmission to cortex
  • Regulation of motor activity
  • Autonomic regulation
  • Sleep wake cycle / emotional behavior
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22
Q

What does the nucleus gracilis and cuneatus control?

A
  • Receive information from dorsal columns

- Transmit information on conscious proprioception and vibratory stimuli to thalamus

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23
Q

What does the spinal nucleus if CN V control?

A

Pain and temperature from the head

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24
Q

What does the major nuclei control?

A
  • Hypoglossal

- Nucleus ambiguus

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25
Q

What are the major nuclei of the medulla?

A
  • Reticular formation
  • Nucleus gracilis and cuneatus
  • Spinal nucleus of CNV
  • Cochlear, vestibular nuclei
  • Motor nuclei
26
Q

What is the pons?

A
  • The connection between the medulla and the midbrain

- Main attachment of cerebellum

27
Q

What are the 2 regions of the pons?

A
  • Basillar pons (ventral)

- Tegmentum (dorsal)

28
Q

What are the ascending tracts of the pons?

A
  • Medial lemniscus
  • Medial longitudinal fasiculus (MLF)
  • Spinothalamic
  • Trigeminothalamic
29
Q

WHat are the descending tracts of the pons?

A
  • Corticospinal
  • Corticobulbar
  • Rubrospinal
  • Tectospinal
30
Q

What are the nuclei of the lower caudal pons?

A
  • Abducens nucleus (CNVI)
  • Fascial nerve (CNVII)
  • Vestibular nuclei
  • Olivary nucleus
  • Salvitory nucleus
31
Q

What does the abducens nerve innervate?

A

Lateral rectus muscle of the eye (side to side movement)

32
Q

What does the facial nerve innervate?

A

Muscles controlling ipsilateral fascial expression

33
Q

WHat does the vestibular nuclei receive inputs from?

A

Vestibular apparatus

34
Q

What does the vestibular nuclei facilitate?

A

Extensor motor neurons

35
Q

WHat does the olivary nucleus receive input from?

A

Cochlear nuclei

36
Q

What does the olivary nucleus transmit?

A

Auditory signals to higher areas of the brainstem

37
Q

What does the salvitory nucleus control?

A

Salvation reflex

38
Q

What are the major nuclei of the upper (rostal) pons?

A
  • Main sensory (trigeminal) nucleus
  • Motor nucleus (CNV)
  • Nucleus locus cerules
  • Mesencephalic nucleus
39
Q

What does the main sensory *trigeminal) nucleus transmit?

A

Somatosensory information from the head region to thalamus

40
Q

What does the motor nucelus innervate?

A

Muscles controling mastication

41
Q

What does the nucleus locus ceruleus project?

A

It projects to cerebral cortex and cerebellum

42
Q

What does the mesencephalic nucleus control?

A
  • Part of reflex jaw closing circuit

- Receives muscle spindle afferent from the jaw

43
Q

What are the 3 anatomically distinct areas of the midbrain?

A
  • Tectum (dorsal)
  • Tegmentum (central)
  • Crus cerebri (ventral)
44
Q

What are the major tracts and nuclei of the midbrain?

A
  • Inferior colliculus (IC)
  • Superior colliculus (SC)
  • Red Nucleus (RN)
  • Substantia nigra (SN)
45
Q

What does the trochlear nerve (CN IV) do?

A

Motor - rotates eye downward

46
Q

What does the oculomotor (CN III) nerve do?

A

Motor - eye, pupil and lens movement

47
Q

What does the abducens (CN VI) nerve do?

A

Lateral eye movement

48
Q

What cranial nerves are contained in the midbrain?

A
  • CN III: Oculomotor

- CN IV: Trochlear

49
Q

What cranial nerves come out of the pons?

A

CN V - VIII

50
Q

What does CN VIII (vestibulocochlear) nerve transmit?

A

Sensory - hearing and balance

51
Q

What nerves come out of the medulla?

A

CN IX and X

52
Q

What does the glossopharyngeal nerve transmit?

A

MIxed

  • Speech, swallowing, salivation (parotid gland)
  • BP (carotid sinus), blood gases (carotid body), taste, and sensory data from tongue and external ear
53
Q

What does the spinal accessory nerve control?

A

Motor

- head movement - controls movement of certain neck muscles

54
Q

A brainstem lesion will usually produce defects on what side?

A

Same side (ipsilateral)

55
Q

What do the sympathetic nerves in the pupillary light reflex do?

A

Radial fibres of iris that dilate pupil and several extraocuar muscles of eyes

56
Q

What do parasympathetic nerves of the pupillary light reflex do?

A
  • Excite ciliary muscles that control focusing of eye lens

- Sphincter of iris that constricts pupil

57
Q

Describe the pupillary light reflex?

A
  • When light shone into eyes, the pupils constrict
  • Light on retina stimulates optic nerve fibres that innervate pretectal nuclei
  • Secondary impulses pass to Edinger-Westphal nucleus and back through parasympathetic nerves to constrict sphincter of iris
  • In darkness reflex is inhibited leading to dilation of pupil
58
Q

What is the ganglion that CN III synapses on to constrict the pupils?

A

Ciliary ganglia

59
Q

What will a brainstem lesion cause?

A

Ipsilateral horner’s syndrome

60
Q

What are the symptoms associated with Horner’s syndrome?

A

Occurs on one side of the face and is a combination of:

  • Unilateral ptosis (drooping eyelid)
  • Miosis (small pupil)
  • Anhidrosis (lack of sweating)

MD4001 Physiology (22 decks)

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