Mesencephalon

Question 1

The cerebral peduncle

Answer 1

represents axons for ascending and descending pathways in the brainstem.

Question 2

The mesencephalic tegmentum contains many key nuclei, including:

Answer 2

• the substantia nigra
• the periaqueductal grey
• the red nucleus
• ventral tegmental area (VTA)

Question 3

substantia nigra

Answer 3

(damaged in Parkinson’s Disease); axons terminate in striatum, releasing dopamine that is important to the selection/initiation of motor sequences.

Question 4

periaqueductal grey

Answer 4

surrounding the cerebral aqueduct; this region is involved in gating of pain information from the spinal cord.

Question 5

the red nucleus

Answer 5

receives inputs from cortical motoneurons and cerebellum; output to cerebellum via inferior olivary nucleus and to spinal cord; involved in smooth movement of limbs and digits as a group.

Question 6

ventral tegmental area (VTA);

Answer 6

axons terminate in the nucleus accumbens (reward/reinforcement) and the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (emotion/cognition)