Brain stem structure and function. Flashcards
Brain stem is involved in what?
Respiration, consciousness, cardiovascular control, alertness and awareness.
Rubrospinal tract originates where?
Red nucleus in the brain stem.
Rubrospinal tract decussates quickly and descends laterally with what tract?
Corticospinal tract, controlling upper distal muscles.
Rubrospinal tract excites what muscles and is invloved in what else?
Flexor muscles and velocity control.
Rubrospinal tract receives input from where?
Spinocerebellar tract.
What is the role of the Tectospinal tract?
To orientate the head towards visual stimuli.
Tectospinal tract originates where and receives input from what?
Superior colliculi and receives inout from the visual cortex and the retina.
Tectospinal tract terminates where?
Upper cervical levels of the spinal cord.
Vestibulospinal tract originates where?
Vestibular nuclei.
What role does the vestibulospinal tract play?
Maintains head position and coordinates balance, posture and movement dues to the interaction with vestibular nuclei - cranial nerve VIII and vestibulocerebellar pathway.
Vestibulospinal tract is divided into what two tracts?
Medial vestibular nucleus - bilateral to ventral horns of cervical spinal cord - innervates muscles of the head. Lateral vestibular nucleus, ipsilateral, synapses with interneurons in spinal cord, controls extensor muscles.
Reticulospinal tract originates where?
Reticular formation of the brain stem.
Reticulospinal tract assists in what?
Assists in posture and facilitates and inhibits movement.
Reticulospinal tract receives input from what tract?
Spinocerebellar tract.
Reticulospinal tract split into what?
Medial pontine tract and Lateral medullary tract.
