Exam 2 Flashcards
What are neuromodulators?
alter neurotransmitter release/response of receptors to neurotransmitters
What bone does the brainstem sit on?
clivus
Which cut can you see the mickey mouse on? If mickey mouse right side up on a CT - which is patient’s right?
axial, patient’s right on your left
What area of brainstem does sensory info go through? Is it an ascending or descending tract?
posterior Tegementum brainstem; ascending tracts
What type of output information is sent to the brainstem from the cerebellum?
Vestibular information:
To vestibular nucleus through middle cerebellar peduncle and to red nucleus (then to vestibular nucleus) through superior cerebellar peduncle.
Which cranial nerves exit from the pons?
CNs V through VIII
What are the two areas of the Tectum and their functions?
pretectal area/pretectum (pupillary and accommodative reflexes) and colliculi (inferior - auditory, superior - visual)
What does the basilar/anterior brainstem contain? (which tracts, which nuclei and which axons)
Motor/descending tracts, motor nuclei (substantia nigra, pontine nuclei, inferior olive), pontocerebellar axons
Where is the medial longitudinal fasciculus located?
tegmentum
Which area of the brainstem does the cerebral/sylvian aqueduct run through?
midbrain
Which cranial nerve exits the midbrain dorsally?
CN IV trochlear
Where is the substantia nigra located? What disease process is it involved in?
upper midbrain (basilar?), Parkinson’s
Which area of the brainstem is anterior to the fourth ventricle?
pons
What cranial nerve is responsible for lateral movement of the eye and where does it exit the brainstem?
CN VI abducens; lower pons
What axons form the medulla pyramids? And where do these tracts cross?
coricospinal axons (descending, motor); pyramidal decussation
The olivary nuclei are lateral to the pyramids. Which cranial nerve is between them?
CN XII
What is the most important function of the reticular formation? How does it do this?
consciousness/arousal, ascending reticular activating system
What reticular nuclei produce Dopamine? Acetylcholine? Serotonin? Norepinephrine? Where are they located?
ventral tegmental area VTA (tegmentum of midbrain); pedunculopontine nuclei (caudal midbrain); raphe nuclei (midline brainstem); locus ceruleus and medial reticular area
What two diseases are involved with dopamine problems (both excessive and lack of)?
excess VTA activity - Schizo, decreased dopamine in parkinson’s
Which neurotransmitter do amphetamines and cocaine stimulate the release of?
dopamine
What type of drug inhibits the reuptake of serotonin? What are the two uses of these drugs?
SSRIs ex: prozac, celexa, zoloft; depression and pain control
What are the 4/5 Ds of brainstem disfunction?
Diplopia, Dysphagia, Dysarthria, Dysmetria and also Dizziness if vestibular affected
If there is high ICP and the brainstem slides down the clivus, where does it go?
foramen magnum
What is a rotary nystagmus?
from hemorrhage/brainstem prob affecting oculomotor control; circular eye movement
With corticobulbar lesions, what symptoms are associated with UMN lesions? LMN lesions?
UMN - muscle hypertonia; LMN - flaccid paralysis
Which type of ischemia can cause transient symptoms when neck is extended and rotated?
vertebrobasilar artery insufficiency
Which nuclei controls the pupil and accommodation?
Edinger-Westphal
Which colliculus controls reflex head and eye movements?
Superior
What is the difference between Benedikt’s and Weber’s syndrome? (hint: involve third nerve palsy)
Benedikt’s more associated with tremor, contralateral hyperkinesis; Weber’s more with contralateral hemiparesis
Which area of the brainstem when damaged causes loss of vital functions that ODs see little of?
medulla
What is the function of the red nucleus?
upper limb flexion
What are the functions of the corticospinal tract? Medial lemiscus? Spinothalamic? Spinocerebellar?
motor, conscious proprioception, pain and temperature, unconscious proprioception
Brainstem gray matter becomes less organized and segmeneted into nuclei as it rises up? T?F
False, becomes more segmented
If pupil is spared, what is a possible cause of CN III palsy?
microvacular problem ex: diabetes
Which CN III muscles will be spared with a inferior divisional palsy?
levator and superior rectus, won’t have ptosis
What are the causes of aberrant regeneration? What is the most common kind in cranial nerve III?
congenital, trauma, neoplasm, aneurysm (last two for recent onset); bilateral lid-gaze dyskinesis (upper lid elevates on downgaze)
What are the two most common causes of trochlear nerve palsy? What kind of surgery can cause it?
head trauma and congenital; ear nose throat surgery can affect trochlear pulley
What type of head tilt to patients present with a SO palsy?
head tilt away from side of lesion to correct extorsion, may tilt head down/chin tilt to correct hypertropia
What level of the midbrain is the CN IV nucleus?
inferior colliculus
Name the three branches of the trigeminal. Anatomy bonus review: What foramen do they go through?
Ophthalmic, Maxillary, Mandibular (superior orbital fissure, foramen rotundum, foramen ovale)
Which nerves of the ophthalmic innervate the eyelid?
frontal - medial upper inner eyelid, lacrimal - lateral upper outside eyelid, nasociliary - medial eyelid
Which nerve may be infected if have Hutchinson sign? What else would you test?
nasociliary; corneal reflex
Which nerve is involved in chewing?
mandibular
What nerve problem do people describe as being the worst possible pain?
trigeminal neuralgia aka TIC douloureux
Which nucleus/receptors to CN V info of propioception, light touch/discrimination and pain and temp go to?
Rostral to caudal: Mesencephalic; chief senosry (or pontine); spinal trigeminal
The trigeminal nerve is involved in the efferent portion of the corneal blink reflex. T/F
false, it is involved in the afferent portion
What is the pathway of the abducens fascicle? (from nucleus until it exits brainstem)
from abducens nucleus at posterior pons, goes through tegmentum to pontomedullary junction, nerve then crosses over petrous bone
Do all esotropes have CN VI palsies?
no
What is otitis media? Gradenigo syndrome?
Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear. Inflammation can affect CN VI as it passes over petrous apex of temporal bone and cause Gradenigo syndrome. Signs include periorbital unilateral pain (CN V compression), diplopia (CN VI palsy due to compression), and otorrhea (drainage from ear).
What is the most common cause of CN VI palsy?
Kids: neoplasm/trauma
Adults: neoplasm/trauma/vascular
What percentage of CN VI palsies resolve on their own after trauma?
half
Which of the peripheral CN is most frequently damaged? What is the name for its palsy?
CN VII; Bell’s palsy
What are the five functions the PNS?
SLUDS: salivate, lacrimate, urinate, defecate and sweat
What is the function of the nucleus solitarius; what is the function of the nucleus ambiguus?
Solitarius (S for sensory; located in the medulla) receives sensory input from CN VII, IX, and X.
aMbigus (M for motor, located in the medulla just posterior to the inferior olivary nucleus) receives motor input from CN IX and X.
What are symptoms of Bell’s palsy?
Unable to wrinkle brow, weak lid closure, flattened nasolabial fold, difficulty puffing cheeks and saying m/p, crocodile tears due to aberrant regeneration
When there are multiple CN palsies, where is a very likely area that could be damaged?
cavernous sinus
The facial nerve is involved in the efferent portion of the corneal blink reflex. T/F
true, and the trigeminal is the afferent
What type of vestibulocohlear damage has more severe symptoms? Which is usually more severe damage?
peripheral; central
What is a vestibular schwannoma?
benign intracranial tumor of scwann cells of the vestibulocochlear nerve
What does the Hallpike maneuver test for? What type of damage is it indicative of?
Hallpike maneuver tests for BPPV by provoking maximal movement of otoconia. Nystagmus and vergtigo are elicited when moved from sitting to supine with head at 45 degrees; peripheral CN VIII damage/BPPV
Which peripheral diagnoses involve positional true vertigo? Sudden onset of true vertigo? Episodic vertigo?
BPPV benign paroxysmal positional vertigo; labyrinthitis; Meniere’s disease
Which of these are not associated with hearing loss: BPPV, labrynthitis, Meniere’s disease
BPPV and labyrinthitis have no associated hearing loss.
Meniere’s is associated with tinnitis, aural fullness (stuffy feeling in ear), and hearing loss.