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202 Theme 1: Fundamental Neuroscience and the Brain > L3 Organisation of the Central Nervous System: Spinal cord to the diencephalon > Flashcards

L3 Organisation of the Central Nervous System: Spinal cord to the diencephalon Flashcards

1
Q

What is the central nervous system formed from?

A

Ectoderm.

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2
Q

How does the neural plate develop from the ectoderm?

A

Neuroectoderm cells receive signals from the notochord causing cells to thicken to form the neural plate.

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3
Q

How is the neural tube formed?

A

Lateral neural plate margins (neural crest cells) fold like a zip, this forms the neural groove.

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4
Q

What day of development does the neural tube form?

A

Embryonic day 20.

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5
Q

What do neural crest cells differentiate into?

A

Autonomic and sensory neurones and glia
Adrenal gland cells
Melanocytes
Skeletal/CT of the head

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6
Q

What does the mantle layer form?

A

Brain parenchyma (grey and white matter).

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7
Q

What does the Ependymal layer form?

A

Lining of the ventricles and cerebrospinal fluid.

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8
Q

What does the lumen form?

A

Ventricles and the central canal.

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9
Q

What day does the neural tube thicken?

A

Embryonic day 24.

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10
Q

What is the order of the neural tube layers from outside in?

A

Ectoderm
Mantle layer
Ependymal layer
Lumen

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11
Q

Where is the notochord located?

A

Within the mesoderm.

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12
Q

What causes anencephaly?

A

Failure of the outer neuropore to close leading to degeneration of the forebrain and skill.
Fatal.

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13
Q

What is spina bifida occulta?

A

Hidden, vertebral arch defect only, less serious.

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14
Q

What is spina bifida cystica?

A

Meningocele- the meninges project out, higher morbidity and mortality compared to SB occulta.

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15
Q

What causes spina bifida?

A

Failure of the posterior neuropore to close, causing the spinal cord to be separated by a cleft and an open vertebral canal.

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16
Q

What is the prosencephalon?

A

Forebrain.

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17
Q

What is the mesencephalon?

A

Midbrain.

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18
Q

What is the rhombencephalon?

A

Hindbrain.

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19
Q

What forms the primary brain vesicles?

A

Expansion of the cranial end (of the neural tube) to form the main brain regions (fore, mid and hindbrain).

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20
Q

What flexure forms in the midbrain?

A

Cephalic flexure.

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21
Q

What flexure forms in the hindbrain?

A

Cervical flexure.

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22
Q

What is the telencephalon?

A

Central hemispheres.

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23
Q

What is the diencephalon?

A

Thalamus/hypothalamus.

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24
Q

What is the metencephalon?

A

Pons/cerebellum.

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25
Q

What is the myelencephalon?

A

Medulla.

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26
Q

What secondary brain vesicles form in the prosencephalon (forebrain)?

A

Telencephalon (central hemispheres)
Optic vessels (eyes)
Diencephalon (thalamus?hypothalamus)

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27
Q

What secondary brain vesicles form in the rhombencephalon (hindbrain)?

A

Metencephalon (pons/cerebellum)

Myelencephalon (medulla)

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28
Q

What day do the secondary brain vesicles form?

A

Embryonic day 36.

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29
Q

What flexure forms alongside the secondary brain vesicles and where is it located?

A

Pontine flexure.

Between the metencephalon (pons/cerebellum) and the myelencephalon (medulla).

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30
Q

What is located in the brainstem?

A

Midbrain (mesencephalon)

Hindbrain (rhombencephalon): pons and cerebellum (metencephalon), medulla (myelencephalon).

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31
Q

What does rostral mean?

A

Front of the brain (opposite direction to caudal).

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32
Q

What area of the brain is dorsal?

33
Q

What area of the brain is ventral?

34
Q

What is grey matter?

A

Mainly neuronal cell bodies (cerebral cortex, brain nuclei).

35
Q

What is white matter?

A

Mainly myelinated axons (corona radiata).

36
Q

What is the function of the spinal cord?

A 
Receives primary afferent fibres from somatic and visceral structures
Sends motor axons to skeletal muscles
Autonomic function
Reflexes
Conveys ascending and descending tracts
37
Q

What are somatic structures?

A

Skin, muscle and skeleton.

38
Q

Where does the spinal cord extend between?

A

Crainal border of the atlas to the L1 vertebrae.

39
Q

What is the caudal equine?

A

Lumbar and sacral dorsal and ventral roots in the lumbar cistern.

40
Q

What is the lumbar cistern?

A

Full of CSF.

41
Q

What happens to the spinal cord at L1?

A

Narrows to form the conus medullaris.

42
Q

What is the terminal filum?

A

Extension of the pia (inner meninges) which attaches to the coccyx through the lumbar cistern.

43
Q

Where is the spinal cord located?

A

In the vertebral column (in the vertebral canal).

44
Q

What surrounds the spinal cord?

A

Dura then epidural fat.

45
Q

Which arteries supply the spinal cord?

A

1 anterior and 2 posterior spinal arteries (from the vertebral arteries)
Segmental spinal arteries at each level (anastomose).

46
Q

How is the spinal cord divided?

A

Cervical region (C1-8 spinal nerves)
Thoracic region (T1-12 spinal nerves)
Lumbar (L1-5 spinal nerves)
Sacral (S1-5 spinal nerves)

47
Q

Which parts of the spinal cord are enlarged and why?

A

Cervical and lumbosacral to innervate the upper and lower limbs respectively).

48
Q

Where are the spinal cord regions in relation to the vertebrae?

A 
Cervical region (C1-7)
Thoracic region (T1-11)
Lumbar region (T12-L1)
Sacral region (L2)
Lumbar cistern region (L3-onwards)
(In relation to where the spinal nerves exit the vertebral column)
49
Q

How many spinal nerves are there?

A

31 paired nerves (1 more than the vertebrae) each formed by a dorsal and ventral root.

50
Q

What fibres are from the ventral roots?

A

Efferent fibres (SC to periphery- motor) and preganglionic sympathetic fibres.

51
Q

What fibres are from the dorsal roots?

A

Afferent fibres (periphery to the SC- sensory)

52
Q

What nervous system do spinal nerves form?

A

Peripheral nervous system.

53
Q

What is the structure of grey matter?

A

Neuronal cell bodies, H shaped with ventral, lateral and dorsal horns.
Expanded at levels that supply the limbs.

54
Q

What is the structure of white matter?

A

Myelinated axons. white columns/tracts/funiculi.

55
Q

What structures do both grey and white matter have?

A

Posterior median sinus and anterior median fissure.

56
Q

What is the function of the brainstem?

A 
Contains cranial nerve nuclei
Autonomic role
Respiratory and cardiovascular centres
Vomiting centre
Motor control and sleep nuclei
White matter tracts
57
Q

What are the main regions of the brainstem?

A

Midbrain, pons and medulla.

Plus pineal gland above midbrain

58
Q

What does the medulla oblongata contain?

A

Contains respiratory and cardiovascular nuclei.

59
Q

What structures form the medulla oblongata?

A

Pyramid (corticospinal tract- main voluntary motor pathway)
Olive (olivary nuclei- motor region to cerebellum)
Cuneate and gracile tubercle (nuclei form ascending tract, fine touch)

60
Q

What is the function of the pons?

A

Relays information to cerebellum.

61
Q

What structures form the pons?

A 
Transverse fibres form the cerebellar peduncle
Middle peduncle (white matter links the BS with cerebellum)
Reticular formation (nuclei for sleep and motor control)
62
Q

What structures form the midbrain?

A 
Superior colliculus (vision- eye movements)
Inferior colliculus (Auditory- relay nuclei)
Cerebral peduncles
Substantial nigra (dopaminergic neurones part of basal ganglia)
Red nucleus (motor coord, relay cortex and cerebellum)
63
Q

What is the function of the cerebellum?

A

Motor control: posture, coordinating and planning limb movement, eye movements.

64
Q

Where is the cerebellum located?

A

Posterior to the brainstem, bulges out.

65
Q

What do cerebellar lesions cause?

A

Gait disturbance, upper limb ataxia (lack of coordination), eye movement disorders.

66
Q

How is the cerebellum structure similar to the cerebral hemispheres?

A

Outer grey matter, inner white matter, 2 hemispheres and contains nuclei.

67
Q

What are the cerebellar lobes?

A

Anterior
(primary fissure separates)
Posterior
Flocculonodular

68
Q

How is the cerebellum attached to the brainstem?

A

Cerebellar peduncles/

69
Q

What is the internal structure of the cerebellum?

A

Highly folded into lobules.

70
Q

What systems provide input to the cerebellum?

A

Periphery, spinal cord and cerebral cortex via the afferent mossy fibres (pons and SC) and climbing fibres (medulla)

71
Q

Where are the outputs of the cerebellum?

A

Motor output to the thalamus (cortex) and brainstem.

72
Q

What is the function of the thalamus?

A

Relays sensory information to the cortex

Consciousness, sleep, memory and motor functions.

73
Q

Which diseases may targeting the thalamus be an effective treatment?

A

Parkinson’s, epilepsy, pain and psychiatric disorders.

74
Q

What is the structure of the thalamus?

A

Paired structure connected by the interthalmic adhesion, divided into nuclear groups.

75
Q

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

A

Homestasis
Coordinates the ANS and neuroendocrine system
Thermoregulation, feeding, drinking, circadian rhythms
Input from the limbic systems.

76
Q

Which glands are linked to the hypothalamus?

A

Pituitary (endocrine gland)

Pineal (melatonin)

77
Q

What are hypothalamic lesions linked to?

A

Endocrine syndromes.

78
Q

What structures does the hypothalamus sit between?

A

Optic chasm and maxillary bodies (ventral side of the brain in-between the temporal and frontal lobes).

202 Theme 1: Fundamental Neuroscience and the Brain (6 decks)

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