Brainstem Flashcards
Rhomboid Fossa
- Floor of 4th ventricle = rhomboid fossa
- Cerebral aquaduct at top apex
- Cont w/ central canal at bottom or obey
- Divided in half by median sulcus; further divided into medial & lateral on ea side by sulcus limitans
- Medial = Motor
- Lateral = Sensory
Reticular Formation
- Makes up core of brainstem
- 3 longitudinal zones
- 1- Raphe Nuclei (most medial) - thin plate of neurons that release serotonin
- 2- Medial Zone - source of most long ascending & descending projections; source of reticulospinal pathways for motor control
- 3- Lateral Zone - CN reflexes and visceral functions; coordinate autonomic responses (get descending inputs- hypothalamus)
Ascending RAS
RAS
- responsible for projecting to intralaminar nucleus (thalamus) —> cortex —> heightened arousal
- Damage —> prolonged coma
Where do CN exit from?
- Motor CN exits more medially and sensory CN exit more laterally
- Midbrain - 3 & 4 (4 is only CN to exit on dorsal side)
- Pons - 5, 6, 7, 8 (6 most medial b/c pure motor & vestibulocochlear most lat)
- Medulla - 9, 10, 11, 12 (11 & 12 are pure motor; 11 comes from SC —> out brainstem)
Edinger Westphal Nucleus
CN III
- controls pupil restriction to light
- Retina —> superior colliculus —> pretectal nuclei —> bilaterally to EWN via posterior commissure —> ciliary ganglion —> sphincter pupillae
- B/c bilateral input… light in 1 eye causes BOTH pupils to constrict
- Damage
- Controls accommodation
- Parasympathetic inc lens curvature
Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus (MLF)
carries fibers b/n nuclei controlling eye movement
CN III
What are the 4 CN V nuclei?
1- Mesencephalic Nucleus
- Unipolar cell bodies (cell bodies in CNS) - Jaw proprioception info - Most rostral trigeminal nucleus
2- Trigeminal Motor Nucleus
- Bilateral monosynaptic connections from mesencephalic to jaw motor neurons
3- Chief Sensory Nucleus
- Gets touch info from face then crosses midline to join medial meniscus —> VPM thalamus
4- Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus
- Most caudal so fibers must travel down to synapse here (forms spinal tract); descend - Then cross midline to join spinothalamic tract —> VPM thalamus
What are the 4 CN VII nuclei?
1- Motor Nucleus
- Axons course around abducens nucleus
2- Superior Salivatory Nucleus
- Cell bodies of all parasympathetic axons to salivation, nasal and lacrimal glands
3- Trigeminal Nuclei
- Afferents from skin of external ear go here
4- Nucleus Tractus Solaritus
- Afferents from ant 2/3 taste go here
What are the 6 CN VIII nuclei?
- Vestibular Nuclei (Superior, Inferior, Lateral, Medial)
- Extend most of the length of the pons and medulla
- Dorsal Cochlear Nuclei & Ventral Cochlear Nuclei (DCN & VCN)
- Rostral medulla; auditory afferents
What are the 4 CN IX nuclei?
- Afferents from carotid sinus, pharynx mucous, posterior 1/3 taste all enter solitary tract —> nucleus solaritus (rostral)
- External ear sensation —> trigeminal nuclei
- Inferior salivatory nucleus - afferents to parotid gland (scattered collection of reticular formation cells in rostral medulla); parasympathetic
- Nucleus Ambiguus - motor to stylopharyngeal; unclear area in medulla
What are the 4 CN X nuclei?
1- Dorsal Motor Nucleus of Vagus - gives rise to most parasympathetic output to thoracic/ab viscera (except heart parasympathetics come from nucleus ambiguous)
2- Motor to larynx & pharynx from Nucleus Ambiguous
3- Sensation from outer ear skin —> trigeminal (from CN 5,7, 9, 10)
4- Visceral afferents go to solitary nucleus via solitary tract
Spinal Accessory Nucleus
In SC - axons come from cervical SC then exit in brainstem
Wallenberg Syndrome
“Lateral Medullary Syndrome”
- Occlusion of PICA - lateral and dorsal medulla
- Damage to…spinothalamic tract, spinal trigeminal nucleus, inferior cerebellar peduncle, nucleus ambiguus & vestibular nuclei (PICA also supplies posterior cerebellum itself)
- Signs/Symptoms…
- Contralateral loss of pain & temp of body
- Ipsilateral loss of pain & temp of face
- Vertigo & nystagmus
- Ipsilateral cerebellar signs (ataxia, DDK, etc)
- Difficulty swallowing & dec gag reflex
Dejerine Syndrome
“Medial Medullary Syndorme”
- Occlusion of Anterior Spinal Artery or paramedic branch of Vertebral Artery
- Damage to…corticospinal tract, lemniscal tract, hypoglossal nucleus
- Signs/Symptoms…
- Contralateral loss of voluntary motor control
- Contralateral loss of proprioception
- Ipsilateral paralysis of tongue; tongue deviates toward lesion
Lateral Pontine Syndrome
- Occlusion of AICA - lateral pons
- Damage to… middle & inferior cerebellar peduncles, vestibular & cochlear nuclei; spinal trigeminal nucleus & tract; facial nerve & facial nerve nucleus; spinothalamic tract
- Signs/Symptoms…
- Vertigo, nystagmus, motion sickness
- Ipsilateral deafness
- Ipsilateral paralysis of face
- Ipsilateral loss of lacrimation & reduced salivation
- Ipsilateral loss of taste on ant 2/3 tongue
- Ipsilateral cerebellar signs
- Ipsilateral loss of pain & temp of face
- Contralateral loss of pain & temp of body
- Horner’s Syndrome