CNS Flashcards
Frontal lobe functions
Executive function
Emotional control
What’s the main role of cerebrum ?
Integration
Temporal lobe function
Language, hearing, memory
Commisural fibres are?
Group of myelinated fibres
That allows communication between the left and right hemispheres
Association fibres are?
Group of myelinated fibres that
Communicates between the different regions of the same cerebral hemisphere
Projection fibres are?
Group of myelinated fibres that
Communicates between the brain and brainstem, cerebellum or spinal cord.
Anterior cerebral artery (ACA) is?
A cerebral artery extends upward and forward in the cerebrum supplying the frontal lobes
Internal carotid arteries ?
Supply blood to the anterior 3/5 of cerebrum.
Eventually divide up to become the ACA and the MCA
Middle cerebral artery (MCA)?
Largest branch of the internal carotid. The artery supplies a portion of the frontal lobe and the lateral surface of the temporal and parietal lobes
Circle of willis?
A circle of communicating arteries at the base of the brain
Name the direct descending pathways of the brainstem
Pyramidal tract
Corticospinal Tract
Corticobulbar tract
Ipsilateral
Same side
Contralateral
On the other side
Corticobulbar tract function
Conveys motor signals from cerebral cortex to the brainstem motor cranial nerve nuclei. Innervates peripheral (cranial) nerves for muscles controlling face, tongue, pharynx, larynx
Innervation of lower face
Contralateral
Innervation of upper face
Bilateral
Brainstem pathways (name)
Rubrospinal tract
Tectospinal
Reticulospinal
Vestibulospinal
Rubrospinal origin?
Red nucleus in midbrain
Rubrospinal controls ?
Distal limb movements, particularly upper limb Flexors
Rubrospinal coordinates what and where?
Cerebral and cerebellar activity in SC
Rubrospinal corse?
Decussates at midbrain
Rubrospinal destination
Ventral horn, dorsolateral group
Rubrospinal: impact of lesion on movement ?
Reduced fine motor control, particularly in upper limb
Reticulospinal function?
Regulates voluntary commands and spinal reflexes (both inhibit/facilitate input) Autonomic regulation (HR, sweating)
Reticulospinal origin
Reticular formation in pons
Reticular formation in medulla
Reticulospinal course?
Ipsilateral
Reticulospinal destination ?
Ventral horn, ventromedial group
Reticulospinal lesion impact?
Change in reflexes (trouble modulating reflexes)
Impaired muscle tone (Hypertonia/hypotonia )
Hypertonia
Incr. muscle tone
Hypotonia
Decr muscle tone
Vestibulospinal (lat) function?
Posture
Vestibulospinal (med)
Neck and upper back muscles (head position)
VST origin?
Vestibular nucleus
VST course?
Ipsilateral
VST destination ?
Ventral horn, ventromedial group
VST lesion impact ?
(Lat): difficulty maintaining upright posture
(Med): difficulty maintaining head upright
Tectospinal function?
Coordination of head and eye movement
TST origin?
Superior colliculus in midbrain
TST course?
Decussates at midbrain
TST destination ?
Cervical/upper thoracic
Ventral horn, ventromedial group
TST lesion impact?
Ability to respond to environment automatically
Impaired coordination of eye movement
Are lesions isolated to specific tracts?
No very rarely
Olfactory location?
Olfactory cortex
Olfactory function
Sensory
-Smell
Olfactory clinical test?
Sniff and identify substances
Optic location
Eyeball to optic chiasma
Optic function
Sensory
- vision
- pupillary reflex
Optic clinical tests
Eye chart, colour
Visual field range
Reflexes (shine light in eye)
Oculomotor location
Midbrain
Oculomotor function
Motor:
- eyeball (med,sup,inf) movement in all directions
- pupil constriction
- eyelid (open)
Sensory:
-eyeball muscle proprioception
Oculomotor clinical tests
Pupil reflexes
Visual tracking
Trochlear location
Midbrain
Trochlear Function
Motor and sensory;
-eyeball (superior)
Trochlear clinical tests?
Visual tracking
Trigeminal location
Pons
Trigeminal function
Sensory information from upper, mid and lower (motor and sensory mastication muscles)
Trigeminal clinical tests
Touch and temp
Jaw clenching and movement
Abducens location
Pons
Abducens function
Motor and sensory:
-eyeball (lat)
Abducens clinical tests
Visual tracking
Facial location
Pons
Facial function
Motor and sensory: -facial expression muscles Sensory: -taste Autonomic; -tears, salivation
Facial Clinical tests
Taste sensation
Facial symmetry and expression (smiling, raise eyebrows)
Inflammation of facial (CN VII) can lead to ?
Bells Palsy
Bells Palsy effect ?
Unilateral paralysis of the Ipsilateral muscles of facial expression
Inability to close the eye
Change in tear production
Vestibulocochlear location
Pons-medulla border
Vestibulocochlear function
Sensory
- vestibular info
- hearing
Vestibulocochlear clinical tests
Hearing test
Balance (without vision)
Vestibular system function?
Relays sensory information about position and movement of the head relative to gravity (postural adjustments and gaze stabilisation)
Glossopharyngeal location
Medulla
Glossopharyngeal function
Motor and sensory:
- tongue
- swallowing muscles
Sensory
-taste
Autonomic
-salivation
Glossopharyngeal clinical tests
Gag/swallowing reflexes
Speech
Taste
Vagus location
Medulla
Vagus function
Motor and sensory
-swallowing muscles
Autonomic (motor & sensory)
-heart, lungs, viscera
Autonomic (sensory)
-taste
Vagus clinical tests
Gag/swallowing reflexes
Speech
Taste
Accessory location
Medulla
C1-C5
Accessory function
Motor and sensory
-trapezius, sternomastoid
Accessory clinical tests
Head rotation
Shoulder shrugging
Hypoglossal location
Medulla
Hyperglossal function
Motor and sensory
-tongue
Hypoglossal clinical tests
Tongue protrusion and retraction
Lower motor neurons are?
Cranial nerves with motor function
3 longitudinal arteries supply the spinal cord. What are they? What do they supply?
1 ant spinal art: supply ant/central 2/3 of cord
2 paired post spinal art: supply periphery of cord
Organisation of spinal nerves and vertebrae
Cervical region: spinal nerve above vertebrae except for C8 SN which exists between C7 and T1
Remainder: spinal nerves below corresponding vertebrae
Dermatome
Area of skin supplied by the sensory branches arising from a single spinal cord segment, or on one side, from a single spinal nerve
Myotome
Part of a skeletal muscle supplied by a single spinal cord segment, or on one side, by a single spinal nerve
Gray matter is the site of?
Tracts
Connections (inter neurons)
Reflexes
Movement pattern generator