Midbrain Flashcards
External features of ventral surface of midbrain
- 2 cerebral peduncles: crus cerebri, substantia niagra, tegmentum
External features of dorsal surface of midbrain
- called tectum/ corpora quadrigemina
- separated from each other by cruciform sulcus
- vertical limb of sulcus forms depression lodging pineal body above, and frenulum veli below
- sup. brachium connects sup. colliculus to lat. geniculate body, made of optic fibres
- inf. brachium connects inf. colliculus to med. geniculate body, made of auditory fibres
- Trochlear N emerges after decussation at superior medullary velum
Crus cerebri
Middle 3/5: Corticospinal, corticonuclear
Medial 1/5: Frontopontine
Lateral 1/5: Temporopontine, parietopontine, occipitopontine
Substantia niagra
- b/w tegmentum and crus cerebri
- dorsal pars compacta - sends nigrostriatal fibres to caudate nucleus and putamen
- ventral pars reticularis
- cells contain melanin and iron
Grey matter of midbrain at level of inferior colliculus
- Trochlear N nucleus: posterior to MLF
- Mesencephalic N of trigeminal N
- Substantia niagra
- Reticular formation b/w medial lemnisci and central grey matter
White matter of midbrain at level of inferior colliculus
- Decussation of superior cerebellar peduncles
- Medial, trigeminal, spinal, lateral lemniscus - medial to lateral
- MLF
- Tectospinal tracts
- Rubrospinal tracts ventral to cerebellar decussation
Grey matter of midbrain at level of superior colliculus
- Occulomotor nucleus
- Edinger Westphal nucleus supplies sphincter pupillae and ciliary muscles
- Mesencephalic N of trigeminal nerve
- Nucleus of superior colliculus
- Pretectal nucleus
- Red nucleus
White matter of midbrain at level of superior colliculus
- Dorsal tegmental decussation of Meynert
- Ventral tegmental decussation of Forel
- MLF
- All lemnisci except lateral
Connections of superior colliculus
Afferent:
1. Retina through lat. geniculate body, sup. brachium
2. Spinal cord through spinotectal tract
3. Frontal and occipital visual cortex
4. Inferior colliculus
Efferent:
1. Tectospinal and tectobulbar tracts for reflex mvmts of eye, head, neck in response to visual stimuli
Unilateral lesion of superior colliculus
- Neglect of visual stimuli
2. Inability to track moving objects in contra. field
Pretectal nucleus
Aff: from optic tract
Eff: to Edinger Westphal nucleus
Function: part of pupillary and consensual light reflex
Lesion: Argyll Robertson pupil - accommodation reflex intact, light reflex lost
Red nucleus
- ovoid mass of grey matter
- dorsomedial to substantia niagra
- red due to high vascular supply
Connections of red nucleus
Afferents:
1. Cerebellorubral from contra. dentate nucleus
2. Corticorubral from ipsi. motor area
3. Pallidorubral from ipsi. globus pallidus
Efferents:
1. Rubrospinal
2. Rubrobulbar
3. Rubroreticular
* These fibres form ventral decussation of Forel
4. Rubroolivary
Medial Longitudinal Fasiculus
- tract in paramedian plane of brainstem
- extends cranially to interstitial nucleus of Cajal
- caudally contd. with anterior intersegmental fasiculus of SC
- contains fibres from vestibular nuclei
- fibres interconnect nuclei of 3, 4, 5, 6 and spinal nucleus of accessory N
- coordinates mvmts of eyes, head and neck using vestibulocochlear stimulus
Blood supply of midbrain
- Basilar
- Posterior cerebral
- Superior cerebellar
- Anterior choroidal