Mod 9 Brainstem Flashcards

1
Q

What are the functions of the brainstem?

A
  • conduit
  • origin of cranial nerves
  • integration of CN reflexes, respiratory and CV function, and consciousness
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2
Q

What is the somatosensory system of the head and neck?

A

trigeminal system

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3
Q

What does the trigeminal system do?

A

mediates somatosensory info from CN V, VII, IX, and X

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4
Q

What are the three divisions of the trigeminal nerve?

A
  • ophthalmic (V1)
  • maxillary (V2)
  • mandibular (V3)
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5
Q

What region of he face gets somatosensory innervation from each division of CN V?

A

V1 - forehead
V2- cheeks
V3 - jaw

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6
Q

What is the direction of the trigeminal system?

A

sensory info comes into trigeminal ganglion, then synapses on the nuclei in the brainstem, then synapse in the thalamus at the ventral posteriomedial nucleus (2nd order neurons), then 3rd order neurons head to the somatosensory cortex

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7
Q

What is trigeminal neuralgia?

A

disease of PNS affecting the trigeminal ganglion or nerve (before synapse on the brainstem)

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8
Q

What is another name for trigeminal neuralgia?

A

tic douloureux

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9
Q

What are the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia?

A

brief attacks of excruciating pain in one or more divisions of CN V

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10
Q

What is one surgical intervention that can be used to treat trigeminal neuralgia?

A

seondary neurons of the trigeminal system sectioned off (Spinal trigeminal tract) that relieves pain attacks but produces the loss of temp and pain on the ispilateral face

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11
Q

How are brainstem reflexes similar to spinal cord reflexes?

A

have receptors, afferent/efferent fibers, a reflex center, and effector

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12
Q

What are the four brainstem reflexes?

A
  • jaw jerk
  • corneal blink
  • stapedius
  • swallowing
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13
Q

What CN control the jaw jerk reflex?

A

CN V for both sensory and motor

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14
Q

What CNs control the corneal blink reflex?

A

CN V: sensory

CN VII: motor

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15
Q

What CNs control the stapedius reflex?

A

CN VIII: sensory

CN VII: motor

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16
Q

What CNs control the swallowing reflex?

A

CN IX and X: sensory and motor

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17
Q

What type of reflex is the jaw jerk reflex?

A

monosynaptic

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18
Q

What happens in the jaw jerk reflex?

A

muscle spindles respond to quick stretch of masseter muscles, creating a bilateral response of contracting masseter muscles

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19
Q

What happens in the corneal reflex?

A

unilateral stimulus of stroke to cornea producing a bilateral response (blinking of both eyes)

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20
Q

What happens during the stapedius reflex?

A

load sound enters one ear causing the stapedius muscle to contract bilaterally

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21
Q

How does the stapedius reflex work?

A

stapedius stiffens the ossicular chain, dampening the sound transmission making the sound quieter, protecting our ears

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22
Q

What are the afferent and efferent limbs of the stapedius reflex?

A

afferent: cochlear div fibers of CN VIII

efferent: LMN of CN VII

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23
Q

What is the path of the stapedius reflex?

A

CN VIII prim aff -> ventral cochlear nucleus -> bilateral projection to superior olivary nucleus -> interneurons to CN VII -> stapedius muscle

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24
Q

What is the swallowing reflex?

A

when a bolus of food stimulates the walls of the oropharynx, the reflex is triggered

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25
Q

What are the stages of the swallowing reflex?

A
  1. voluntary
  2. reflexive
  3. reflexive
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26
Q

What are the afferent and efferent limbs of the swallowing reflex?

A

afferent: sensory CN IX, X

efferent: motor CN IX, X

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27
Q

What is the corticotubular tract?

A

descending tracts from the cerebral Cortez to the brainstem, controlling innervation of CN motor nuclei

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28
Q

What is another name for UMN fibers in the corticotubular tract?

A

supranucleur because its above the nuclei in the brainstem

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29
Q

Where does the CBT descend?

A

in the internal capsule adjacent to CST fibers

30
Q

How can you tell if an UMN or LMN is impacted in CN VII innervation?

A

UMN: droop in the lips but not the eyebrows

LMN: droop in both eyebrow and lip

31
Q

Why are you able to tell if an UMN or LMN is affected in CN VII facial innervation?

A

the eyebrows are dual innervated by two UMN, so if is not functioning it means it will only cause a droop of the lips

32
Q

What is progressive Bulbar Palsy?

A

motor system disease dominated by weakness of the orofacial muscles

33
Q

What are the symptoms of Progressive Bulbar Palsy?

A

dysarthria. impaired chewing and swallowing, atrophy of tongue

*maybe pathological crying and laughing

34
Q

What causes Pseudobulbar Palsy?

A

bilateral lesions of internal capsule affecting CBT

35
Q

What are the symptoms of Pseudobulbar PalsY?

A

pathological laughing and crying along with bilateral bulbar signs

36
Q

What is another name for Pseudobulbar Palsy?

A

spastic bulbar paralysis

37
Q

What is dysarthria?

A

motor deficits in the production of articulated speech

38
Q

What causes dysarthia?

A

stroke, trauma, disease

damage to UMN or LMN subserving muscles of articulation

39
Q

What is important about the structure of the reticular formation of the brainstem?

A

dendritic trees overlap extensively creating a net like form

40
Q

How do the neurons of the reticular formation interact with ascending and descending tracts?

A

these tracts give collaterals that intermingle with neurons of reticular formation

41
Q

What are the functions of the reticular formation?

A
  • control level of consciousness
  • modulate pain
  • regulate motor activity
  • coordinate vision
  • control autonomic activity
42
Q

What are the two routes of the control of consciousness in the reticular formation?

A
  1. noradrenergic and serotinergic neurons (serotonin)
  2. generalized thalamocortical system (ACh)
43
Q

How does descending modulation of pain work?

A

neurons of brainstem reticular formation release transmitters onto dorsal nuclei of spinal cord

locus coeruleus: Noepinephrine
raphe nuclei: serotonin

to help decrease sensation of pain

44
Q

How does the regulation of motor activity of the reticular formation of the brainstem work?

A

reticulospinal tracts can facilitate or inhibit voluntary movement and reflex activity

45
Q

How does coordination of vision work in the reticular formation of the spinal cord?

A

paramedian pontine reticular formation: horizontal gaze center

rostral interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus: vertical gaze center

46
Q

How does control of autonomic activity for with the reticular formation of the brainstem?

A

centers for HR, BP, and respiration

damage in RF can lead to coma and/or death due to this control

47
Q

Where do noradrenergic neurons originate?

A

locus ceruleus and contain norepinenphrine

48
Q

What role do noradrenergic neurons play?

A

maintaining alertness and vigilance

49
Q

How do noradrenergic neurons work?

A

excites spinal cord ventral horn and inhibit dorsal horn

electrically silent during sleep, somewhat active in wake, most active in startle

50
Q

Where do dopaminergic neurons originate?

A

pars compact of substantia nigra

contain dopamine

51
Q

What do dopaminergic neurons do?

A

imitation of movement, likely cognition and emotion

52
Q

Where are serotinergic neurons located?

A

raphe nuclei

53
Q

What do serotnergic neurons do?

A

excite spinal cord ventral horn, inhibits dorsal horn

arousal and modulation of pain

54
Q

Where are cholinergic neurons located?

A

RF, basal forebrain, caudate putamen

55
Q

What are the receptors of cholinergic neurons?

A

PNS: nicotinic
CNS: muscarinic

56
Q

What role do cholinergic neurons play?

A

sleep and wakefullness

57
Q

How is the brainstem organized?

A
  • CN attachments
  • long ascending and descending tracts throughout brainstem
  • presence and shape of ventricular system
  • three pairs of cerebellar peduncles attach to cerebellum and brainstem
58
Q

Where are sensory and motor nuclei located on the brainstem?

A

sensory: lateral
motor: medial

59
Q

What vessels supply blood to the brainstem?

A

vertebrobasilar system
- 2 vertebral arteries
- single basilar artery
- posterior cerebral arteries

60
Q

What does occlusion of the PICA result in?

A

lateral medullary syndrome (Wallenburg’s syndrome)

61
Q

What does occlusion of the paramedian branches of the anterior spinal arteries result in?

A

Dial medullary syndrome (alternating hypoglossal hemiplegia, or inferior alternating hemiplegia)

62
Q

What anatomical structures are affected in lateral medullary syndrome?

A
  • spinal trigeminal tract and nucleus
  • STT
  • descending sympathetic fibers
  • nucleus ambiguus fibers of CN IX, X, XI
  • vestibular nuclei
  • inferior cerebellar peduncle
63
Q

What are the symptoms of lateral medullary syndrome (Wallenberg’s Syndrome)?

A
  • impaired pain and temperature sensation over ipsilateral face and contralateral body
  • ipsilateral Horner’s syndrome
  • disequilibrium
  • impaired eye movement control
  • dysphonia
  • dysphagia
  • dysarthria
64
Q

What structures are affected in medial medullary syndrome?

A
  • hypoglossal nucleus and/or exciting CN XII fibers
  • corticospinal tract
  • medial lemniscus
65
Q

What is another name for medial medullary syndrome?

A

alternating hypoglossal hemiplegia

66
Q

What are the symptoms of medial medullary syndrome?

A
  • loss of discriminative touch and kinesthesia
  • spastic hemiparesis of contralateral body
  • LMN weakness and atrophy of ipsilateral tongue
67
Q

What vessels nourish the pons?

A

branches of basilar artery

68
Q

What are syndromes associated with infarcts on the pons?

A
  • medial (paramedian) inferior pontine syndrome
  • lateral superior pontine syndrome
  • complete basilar syndrome
  • locked in syndrome
69
Q

What is Locked-In Syndrome?

A
  • infarct confined in ventral pons spares ascending reticular activating system
  • damaged bilateral corticobulbar and corticospinal tracts
  • person fully conscious but locked in with near total paralysis
  • only some eye movements remain
70
Q

What causes Weber’s syndrome and what is another name for it?

A

infarction of branches of PCA

superior alternating hemiplegia

71
Q

What structures are damaged in Weber’s syndrome?

A

descending tracts in cerebral peduncle, nucleus for CN III

72
Q

What are the symptoms of Weber’s syndrome?

A

spastic hemiparesis of contralateral body and lower half of face

ipsilateral oculomotor palsy