Lecture 14- Brainstem 2

Question 1

What is the role of the reticulospinal tract?

Answer 1

control spinal cord reflexes and muscle tone

Question 2

Where does the reticulospinal tract originate?

Answer 2

the reticular formation of the pons and medulla

Question 3

What are the 3 major reticular formation nuclei that give rise to the descending medial and lateral reticulospinal pathways?

Answer 3

Nucleus pontis oralis
Nucleus pontis caudalis
Gigantocellular reticular nucleus

Question 4

What is the function of the descending raphespinal tract? Where does it originate?

Answer 4

Modulate pain transmission using serotonin

Originates in dorsal and median raphe nuclei of the midbrain and pons

Question 5

What does the reticular activating system control?

Answer 5

ascending projection controlling cortical arousal-active during cortical arousal and REM sleep

Question 6

What neurotransmitter is used in the reticular activation system?

Answer 6

acetylcholine

Question 7

What are the 3 reticular formation nuclei involved in the reticular activating system?

Answer 7

Pedunculopontine Tegmental Nucleus
Lateraodorsal Tegmental Nucleus
Parabrachial Nucleus

Question 8

What two areas of the reticular formation secrete dopamine to the forebrain?

Answer 8

Ventral tegmental area

Substantia nigra

Question 9

What two reticular formation nuclei secrete serotonin to the forebrain, spinal cord and cerebellum?

Answer 9

dorsal and median raphe

Question 10

What reticular formation nuclei is responsible for secreting norepinephrine in the forebrain, spinal cord and cerebellum?

Answer 10

locus coerulus