Brainstem And Cranial Nerves Flashcards
What sections is the brain made of?
Forebrain - cerebral hemispheres, diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus)
Midbrain
Hindbrain - pons medulla and cerebellum
What does the brainstem comprise?
The midbrain and the pons and medulla
How do nerves pass through the brainstem?
All ascending and descending pathways pass through
Many synapse here in relay nuclei or arise directly from or synapse in other brainstem nuclei
How is the cerebellum connected to the brainstem?
3 cerebellar peduncles (white fibre tracts)
The nuclei of how many cranial nerves are located in the brainstem?
9 out of 12 pairs
III-XII (except XI)
What is the structure of the brainstem?
POSTERIOR
Tectum (roof, just behind the ventricular system)
Tegmentum
Base
ANTERIOR
What is the order of the three components in the brainstem?
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla (oblongata)
(From top to bottom)
What are some of the components of the posterior aspect of the brainstem?
Pineal gland
Superior colliculus
Inferior colliculus
Trochlear nerve
Dorsal columns
What are some components of the anterior aspect of the brainstem?
Optic chiasm
Pituitary stalk
Mammillary bodies
Cerebral peduncle (descending corticospinal and corticobulbar tracts)
Medullary pyramids
Pyramidal decussation
Look at the slides for this bit it’s kinda anatomical?
Look at the slides
Which is the rostral continuation of the spinal cord?
The medulla
Where does the CNS blood supply come from?
2 arterial systems: anterior and posterior
Anterior: internal carotid system -> cerebral hemispheres
Posterior: vertebrobasilar -> brainstem
What are the functional groups of the cranial nerves?
General somatic afferent
General somatic efferent
General visceral afferent
General efferent efferent
What are the three special classifications of the cranial nerves?
Special somatic afferent - special senses of hearing and balance
Special visceral afferent - taste sensation
Special visceral efferent - innervate skeletal muscle of jaw, gave, larynx and pharynx
What is the function of cranial nerve III?
Ocular motor
GSE/GVE
Motor to lavator palpaebrae superioris, superior recurs, inferior recurs, medial rectus
Parasympathetic: motor to sphincter pupillae, ciliary muscles for accommodation
What is the function of cranial nerve IV?
Trochlear
GSE
Motor to superior oblique
What is the function of cranial nerve V?
Trigeminal
GSA/SVE
Propriceptipn from muscles of mastication, discriminative touch and vibration from head, pain and temperature from head, motor to muscles of mastication
What is the function of cranial nerve VI?
Abducens
GSE
Motor to lateral rectus
What is the function of cranial nerve VII?
Facial
SVE/GSA/GVE/SVA
Motor to muscles of facial expression, sensory from external auditory meatus and skin posterior to ear, parasympathetic motor to lacrimal submandibular and sublingual glands and mucous glands of mouth and nose, taste from anterior 2/3 of tongue
What is the function of cranial nerve VIII?
Vestibulocochlear
SSA
Balance, hearing
What is the function of cranial nerve IX
Glossopharyngeal
GSA/GVA/SVA/SVE/GVE
General sensation from posterior 1/3 of tongue, chemoreceptors and baroreceptors in the carotid body and also gag reflex, taste from posterior 1/3 of tongue, motor to stylopharygeus, parasympathetic to parotid gland
What is the function of cranial nerve X?
Vagus
GSA/GVA/SVA/SVE/GVE
Sensory from posterior meninges, sensory from larynx trachea oesophagus, sensory from epiglottis, motor to pharyngeal muscles and intrinsic muscles of the larynx, parasympathetic to smooth muscles and glands of the pharynx larynx and thoracic and abdominal viscera, cardiac muscles (para)
What is the function of cranial nerve XII?
Hypoglossal
GSE
Hypoglossus, genioglossus, sytloglossus and all intrinsic muscles of tongue
