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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
What is the myelencephalon?
Medulla.
26
What secondary brain vesicles form in the prosencephalon (forebrain)?
Telencephalon (central hemispheres) Optic vessels (eyes) Diencephalon (thalamus?hypothalamus)
27
What secondary brain vesicles form in the rhombencephalon (hindbrain)?
Metencephalon (pons/cerebellum) | Myelencephalon (medulla)
28
What day do the secondary brain vesicles form?
Embryonic day 36.
29
What flexure forms alongside the secondary brain vesicles and where is it located?
Pontine flexure. | Between the metencephalon (pons/cerebellum) and the myelencephalon (medulla).
30
What is located in the brainstem?
Midbrain (mesencephalon) | Hindbrain (rhombencephalon): pons and cerebellum (metencephalon), medulla (myelencephalon).
31
What does rostral mean?
Front of the brain (opposite direction to caudal).
32
What area of the brain is dorsal?
Superior.
33
What area of the brain is ventral?
Inferior.
34
What is grey matter?
Mainly neuronal cell bodies (cerebral cortex, brain nuclei).
35
What is white matter?
Mainly myelinated axons (corona radiata).
36
What is the function of the spinal cord?
``` Receives primary afferent fibres from somatic and visceral structures Sends motor axons to skeletal muscles Autonomic function Reflexes Conveys ascending and descending tracts ```
37
What are somatic structures?
Skin, muscle and skeleton.
38
Where does the spinal cord extend between?
Crainal border of the atlas to the L1 vertebrae.
39
What is the caudal equine?
Lumbar and sacral dorsal and ventral roots in the lumbar cistern.
40
What is the lumbar cistern?
Full of CSF.
41
What happens to the spinal cord at L1?
Narrows to form the conus medullaris.
42
What is the terminal filum?
Extension of the pia (inner meninges) which attaches to the coccyx through the lumbar cistern.
43
Where is the spinal cord located?
In the vertebral column (in the vertebral canal).
44
What surrounds the spinal cord?
Dura then epidural fat.
45
Which arteries supply the spinal cord?
1 anterior and 2 posterior spinal arteries (from the vertebral arteries) Segmental spinal arteries at each level (anastomose).
46
How is the spinal cord divided?
Cervical region (C1-8 spinal nerves) Thoracic region (T1-12 spinal nerves) Lumbar (L1-5 spinal nerves) Sacral (S1-5 spinal nerves)
47
Which parts of the spinal cord are enlarged and why?
Cervical and lumbosacral to innervate the upper and lower limbs respectively).
48
Where are the spinal cord regions in relation to the vertebrae?
``` 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
How many spinal nerves are there?
31 paired nerves (1 more than the vertebrae) each formed by a dorsal and ventral root.
50
What fibres are from the ventral roots?
Efferent fibres (SC to periphery- motor) and preganglionic sympathetic fibres.
51
What fibres are from the dorsal roots?
Afferent fibres (periphery to the SC- sensory)
52
What nervous system do spinal nerves form?
Peripheral nervous system.
53
What is the structure of grey matter?
Neuronal cell bodies, H shaped with ventral, lateral and dorsal horns. Expanded at levels that supply the limbs.
54
What is the structure of white matter?
Myelinated axons. white columns/tracts/funiculi.
55
What structures do both grey and white matter have?
Posterior median sinus and anterior median fissure.
56
What is the function of the brainstem?
``` Contains cranial nerve nuclei Autonomic role Respiratory and cardiovascular centres Vomiting centre Motor control and sleep nuclei White matter tracts ```
57
What are the main regions of the brainstem?
Midbrain, pons and medulla. | Plus pineal gland above midbrain
58
What does the medulla oblongata contain?
Contains respiratory and cardiovascular nuclei.
59
What structures form the medulla oblongata?
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
What is the function of the pons?
Relays information to cerebellum.
61
What structures form the pons?
``` Transverse fibres form the cerebellar peduncle Middle peduncle (white matter links the BS with cerebellum) Reticular formation (nuclei for sleep and motor control) ```
62
What structures form the midbrain?
``` 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
What is the function of the cerebellum?
Motor control: posture, coordinating and planning limb movement, eye movements.
64
Where is the cerebellum located?
Posterior to the brainstem, bulges out.
65
What do cerebellar lesions cause?
Gait disturbance, upper limb ataxia (lack of coordination), eye movement disorders.
66
How is the cerebellum structure similar to the cerebral hemispheres?
Outer grey matter, inner white matter, 2 hemispheres and contains nuclei.
67
What are the cerebellar lobes?
Anterior (primary fissure separates) Posterior Flocculonodular
68
How is the cerebellum attached to the brainstem?
Cerebellar peduncles/
69
What is the internal structure of the cerebellum?
Highly folded into lobules.
70
What systems provide input to the cerebellum?
Periphery, spinal cord and cerebral cortex via the afferent mossy fibres (pons and SC) and climbing fibres (medulla)
71
Where are the outputs of the cerebellum?
Motor output to the thalamus (cortex) and brainstem.
72
What is the function of the thalamus?
Relays sensory information to the cortex | Consciousness, sleep, memory and motor functions.
73
Which diseases may targeting the thalamus be an effective treatment?
Parkinson's, epilepsy, pain and psychiatric disorders.
74
What is the structure of the thalamus?
Paired structure connected by the interthalmic adhesion, divided into nuclear groups.
75
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Homestasis Coordinates the ANS and neuroendocrine system Thermoregulation, feeding, drinking, circadian rhythms Input from the limbic systems.
76
Which glands are linked to the hypothalamus?
Pituitary (endocrine gland) | Pineal (melatonin)
77
What are hypothalamic lesions linked to?
Endocrine syndromes.
78
What structures does the hypothalamus sit between?
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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