Components (incl'd: differences)

Question 1

Differences between the caudal & rostral medulla?

Answer 1

1) **Rostral – INFERIOR OLIVARY NUCLEUS (olive!!)
2) Rostral – cochlear & vestibular nuclei
3) **Rostral– INFERIOR CEREBELLAR PEDUNCLE (ICP)
4) Rostral– Hypoglossal fibers coming out of the hypoglossal nucleus & out the medulla
5) Caudal – Nuclei gracilis & cuneatus (+ fasciculus cuneatus)
6) *Central canal -> fourth ventricle (caudal -> rostral)

Question 2

What’s in the caudal medulla?

Answer 2

1) Nucleus gracilis
2) Fasciculus cuneatus
3) Nucleus cuneatus
4) Nucleus of the solitary tract, surrounding the solitary tract
5) Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus
6) Central canal
7) Spinal trigeminal tract
8) Spinal trigeminal nucleus
9) Hypoglossal nucleus
10) Spinothalamic pathway
11) Nucleus ambiguous
12) Reticular formation
13) Medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
14) Medial lemniscus
15) Raphe nuclei
16) Pyramid

Question 3

What’s in the rostral medulla?

Answer 3

1) Cochlear nuclei
2) Fourth ventricle
3) Inferior cerebellar peduncle
4) Vestibular nuclei
5) Nucleus of the solitary tract, surrounding the solitary tract
6) Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus
7) Hypoglossal nucleus
8) Medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
9) Spinal trigeminal tract
10) Spinal trigeminal nucleus
11) Spinothalamic pathway
12) Nucleus ambiguous
13) Reticular formation
14) Inferior olivary nucleus
15) Medial lemniscus
16) Raphe nuclei
17) Hypoglossal nerve fibers
18) Pyramid

Question 4

Differences between the caudal & rostral pons?

Answer 4

1) *Caudal – deep cerebellar nuclei (dentate, interposed, fastigial nuclei)
2) Caudal – vestibular nuclei; spinal trigeminal tract & nucleus; spinothalamic pathway
3) **Caudal – ABDUCENS nucleus surrounded by facial fibers; facial motor nucleus
4) Caudal – middle cerebellar peduncle; superior olivary nucleus; trapezoid body
5) **Rostral – LATERAL lemniscus; locus ceruleus
6) Rostral – anterolateral pathway; periventricular gray
7) Rostral – can distinguish corticospinal & corticobulbar fibers from corticopontine fibers (in caudal they’re all together in “blobs”)

Question 5

What’s in the caudal pons?

Answer 5

1) Dentate nucleus (deep cerebellar nucleus)
2) Globose and Emboliform (deep cerebellar nuclei)
3) Fastigial (deep cerebellar nucleus)
4) Superior Cerebellar Peduncle (SCP)
5) Fourth ventricle
6) Vestibular nuclei
7) Abducens nucleus
8) Internal genu of the facial nerve
9) Medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
10) Spinal trigeminal tract
11) Spinal trigeminal nucleus
12) Facial motor nucleus
13) Reticular formation
14) Raphe nuclei
15) Middle Cerebellar Peduncle (MCP)
16) Facial nerve fibers
17) Spinothalamic pathway
18) Superior olivary nucleus
19) Medial lemniscus
20) Trapezoid body
21) Pontine nuclei and pontocerebellar fibers
22) Corticospinal, corticobulbar, and corticopontine fibers

Question 6

What’s in the rostral pons?

Answer 6

1) Lateral lemniscus
2) Superior cerebellar peduncle
3) Locus ceruleus
4) Periventricular gray
5) Fourth ventricle
6) Anterolateral pathway
7) Medial lemniscus
8) Reticular formation
9) Medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
10) Raphe nuclei
11) Corticopontine fibers
12) Pontine nuclei and pontocerebellar fibers
13) Corticospinal and corticobulbar fibers

Question 7

Differences between the caudal and rostral midbrain?

Answer 7

1) **Large Colliculi – INFERIOR (Caudal) vs. SUPERIOR (Rostral)
2) **Caudal – LATERAL lemniscus (“golf ball on a tee”)
3) Caudal – trochlear nucleus; raphe nuclei
4) Caudal – decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncles
5) **Caudal – last few PONTINE NUCLEI
6) Rostral – brachium of the inferior colliculus
7) Rostral – oculomotor nucleus (including Edinger-Westphal nucleus) + fibers
8) **Rostral – SUBSTANTIA NIGRA; red nucleus; ventral tegmental area

Question 8

What’s in the caudal midbrain?

Answer 8

1) Inferior colliculus
2) Periaqueductal gray
3) Cerebral aqueduct
4) Lateral lemniscus
5) Trochlear nucleus
6) Medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
7) Raphe nuclei
8) Spinothalamic pathway
9) Medial lemniscus
10) Reticular formation
11) Decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncles.
12) Corticopontine fibers
13) Corticospinal and corticobulbar fibers
14) Last few pontine nuclei

Question 9

What’s in the rostral midbrain?

Answer 9

1) Superior colliculus
2) Periaqueductal gray
3) Cerebral aqueduct
4) Brachium of the inferior colliculus
5) Spinothalamic pathway
6) Medial lemniscus
7) Reticular formation
8) Last of the medial longitudinal fasciculus (MLF)
9) Oculomotor nucleus
a. Edinger-Westphal nucleus
10) Substantia nigra (reticular part)
11) Substantia nigra (compact part)
12) Red nucleus
13) Ventral tegmental area
14) Corticopontine fibers
15) Corticospinal and corticobulbar fibers
16) Oculomotor nerve fibers