NBSS Flashcards
CN I
Olfactory nerve:
olfactory nerves –> olfactory bulb (cribriform plate) –> olfactory tract –> olfactory cortex (anterior ends of temporal cortex; olfactory tubercle and piriform process)
CN II
Optic nerve:
optic nerve –> optic chiasm –> optic tract –> lateral geniculate nucleus of thalamus –> optic radiation to visual cortex
CN III
Oculomotor nerve:
exits between crus cerebri from oculomotor and Edinger-Westphal nucleus (superior colliculi level)
Superior orbital fissure
Innervates most muscles of the eye + levetator palpebrae muscle; parasympathetics –> accommodation reflex through edinger-westphal nucleus
CN IV
Trochlear nerve:
exits posteriorly beneath inferior colliculi of mid-brain from trochlear nucleus (superior oblique muscle of eye)
Superior orbital fissure
Innervates superior oblique muscle (purely motor)
CN VI
Abducens nerve:
exits between pons and medulla oblongata from abducens nucleus (floor of fourth ventricle), lateral rectus muscle
Superior orbital fissure
Innervates lateral rectus muscle
CN V
Trigeminal nerve:
biggest CN, attaches to lateral pons
Sensory nucleus: mesencephalic nucleus, chief main nucleus, spinal nucleus
Motor nucleus: pons, floor of 4th ventricle at level of cerebellar peduncles, muscle of mastication innervation
Ophthalmic branch: superior orbital fissure
Maxillary branch: foramen rotundum
Mandibular branch: foramen ovale
What are the roles of Aalhpa, beta, delta and C fibers?
Aalpha: proprioception, myelinated
Abeta: touch, myelinated
Adelta: pain, myelinated
C: pain, unmyelinated
CN VII
Facial nerve:
Facial motor nucleus: stapedius + muscles of facial expression (stylomastoid foramen)
Nucleus solitarius: sensory (bodies in geniculate ganglia)
Superior salivatory nucleus: parasympathetic fibers (salivation and tears)
Internal auditory meatus (together with CN VIII)
CN VIII
Vestibulocochlear nerve:
Cerebello-pontine angle
Vestibulo and cochlear nuclei (lateral to the floor of 4th ventricles, pons)
CN IX
Glossopharyngeal nerve:
Root at medulla, lateral to olives
Nucleus ambiguus: motor fibers to stylopharyngeus muscle
Inferior salivatory nucleus: parasymp fibers to parotid gland
Nucleus solitarius: taste from 1/3 of tongue, blood pO2/CO2
Spinal nucleus of trigeminal nerve: pain, temperature and general sensation from inner ear, upper phraynx and posterior 1/3 of tongue
CN X
Vagus nerve:
root at medulla, lateral to olives
Nucleus ambiguus: motor fibers to larynx, pharynx and upper oesophagus + parasympathetic input to heart
Sensory fibers:
1. Spinal nucleus of trigeminal nerve: general sensation from phar, lar, oes, ear
2. Nucleus solitarius: chemo and mechano receptors from viscera, some taste
Dorsal nucleus of vagus nerve: parasympathetic fibers to viscera
CN XI
Accessory nerve (motor only): Cranial root: from nucleus ambiguus, splits from spinal root to join vagus at jugular foramen, innervates muscle of pharynx and larynx Spinal root (C1-6): enters through foramen magnum, innervates sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles
CN XII
Hypoglossal nerve (motor only): hypoglossal nucleus, innervates intrinsic and extrinsic muscles of the tongue, exits from hypoglossal canal (next to foramen magnum)
What is the neurocranium made of?
Calvaria (skull cap), basicranium and intracranial region
8 bones: frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal and occipital + temporal and parietal (paired)
What is the viscerocranium made of?
Facial bones in anterior part of the cranium
Single: mandible and vomer
Paired: maxillae, inferior nasal conchae, zygomatic, palatine, nasal and lacrimal
Through which structure does the medulla oblongata pass?
Foramen magnum
Where is the pterion situated?
At the level of the sphenoparietal suture
Which structures sit in each cranial fossa?
Anterior: frontal lobe
Middle: temporal lobe
Posterior: occipital lobe
Which cranial nerves pass through the jugular foramen?
IX, X, XI
What are the dura and arachnoid mater made of?
Dura: collagen fibers
Arachnoid: non-vascular connective tissue
What is the middle meningeal artery and where does it run?
largest of three paired arteries supplying the meninges; branch of maxillary artery (terminal branch of external carotid); runs through foramen spinosum; supplies dura mater and calvaria; runs beneath the pterion
Which are the cerebral ventricles?
Lateral ventricles (anterior, posterior and inferior horns), interventricular foramen, third ventricle, cerebral aqueduct, lateral aperture (allows CSF to go into subarachnoid space (cisterna magna), central canal
How is CSF re-absorbed into systemic veins?
Through arachnoid granulations (into superior sagittal sinus)
In between which two structures does the superior sagittal sinus run?
Periosteal and meningeal layers of the dura mater
How much energy does sodium pumping take?
60% of brains’ energy
What is the threshold of voltage gated sodium channels?
-40 mV
How long is the delay in chemical synapses?
0.3-0.5 msec
Which NTs are biogenic amines, amino acids and peptides?
Biogenic amines: Ach, NE, E, dopamine, serotonin
Amino acids: glycine, glutamate, aspartate, GABA
Peptides: somatostatin, endorphins, enkephalins, dynorphins, bradykinin, substance P
Where do projection neurons sit in the cortex?
Layer 5
How do different CNS cell types originate?
Dorsoventral position gives types:
Sensory: BMP –> dorsal
Motor: Shh –> ventral
Cells are born at inner ventricular surface
Which type of migration do CNS cells undergo?
Radial and tangential
What is the function of radial glia?
In adult: structural scaffold
In development: progenitors are radial glia, guide for migrating neurones
Injured brain: source of astrocytes
What is the function of astrocytes?
Homeostatic function: blood vessel/brain interface, linking metabolism to function
Refining signalling: removing excess potassium at nodes. removing NTs, insulating synapse
Brain injury: K+ and H2O absorption –> brain swelling, reactive astrocytes form glial scars –> potential trigger for epilepsy
What is prosopagnosia?
Damage to the cortex; you can’t recognise faces
What is the frontoparietal network responsible for?
Decision making
Where does information from vision feed into?
Dorsal attention: executive control of attention
Ventral attention: recognition of salient features
How is language an example of assymmetry?
word form area is on the left side of the brain; pure alexia: when corpus callosum is cut –> inability to read words seen in the left visual field
What are the functions of the spinal cord/hindbrain and midbrain in local circuits?
Spinal cord/hindbrain: sensory input - motor output (central pattern generator)
Midbrain: integrates startle responses, eye movements
Which CN are situated in the hindbrain and what is this structure responsible for?
V-XII; muscle control and sensation (including hearing for the head)
Which CN are situated in the midbrain and what is this structure responsible for?
CN III and IV; motor control of eye movement driven both by visual and auditory cues (superior and inferior colliculi)
What are the functions of the hypothalamus?
Integrate autonomic and neuroendocrine system: circadian rhythms, energy metabolism, reproductive behaviour, body temperature, defensive behaviour, blood pressure/electrolytes
Which information relayed to the thalamus is the basal ganglia responsible for, and which structures are part of this?
reward; caudate, putamen and globus pallidus in cerebrum + substantia nigra in midbrain
Which structures form the lentiform nucleus and striatum?
lentiform nucleus: globus pallidus and putamen
Striatum: putamen and caudate nucleus
Which information relayed to the thalamus is the cerebellum responsible for?
Error
What are spina bifida occulta and cystica?
Occulta: just vertebral arches missing
Cystica: meningocele (meninges + CSF), meningomyelocele (spinal cord + meninges + CSF)
What are the 5 aspects of somatosensation and where is it mediated?
Touch, proprioception, pain, itch, visceral; mediated by dorsal root ganglion neurones or trigeminal nerves
What are the four physiological mechanisms of sensation?
transduction; transmission; perception; modulation
How are the A and C neurons characterised?
Large: Abeta (fastest: large + myelin –> touch and proprioception), Adelta (smaller + myelin –> temperature and nociception)
Small: C (non-myelinating shwann cells –> T, pain, itch)
What is the receptive field of a sensory neuron?
Spatial domain where stimulation excites or inhibits the neuron
What are the 4 types of mechanoreceptors responsible for the sense of touch and their characteristics?
Superficial: 1. Meissener's corpuscle: fast-adapting 2. Merkle disk: slow-adapting Deep: 1. Pacinian corpuscle: fast-adapting 2. Ruffini ending: slow-adapting
What are the two types of muscle receptors?
- Muscle spindles: in parallel with muscle fibers, sensitive to length change
- Golgi tendon organs: in series with main muscle, sensitive to changes in muscle tension
How is temperature signalled?
Cold-sensitive fibers: Adelta (show paradoxical response at high T)
Warm-sensitive fibers: C axons
What are the four different modalities of nociceptors?
- Thermal: Adelta and some C
- Mechanical: Adelta
- Polymodal: C fibers (sting)
- Silent: only responsive in inflamed tissues
What are the three main divisions of the somatosensory cortex?
Primary (S1) and secondary (S2) in post-central gyrus + posterior parietal cortex
How is primary somatosensory cortex S1 subdivided?
Brodmann’s areas 3a: deep tissue (muscle stretch receptors);
3b (primarily): skin (SA and RA receptors)
1: skin (RA receptors)
2: deep tissue (pressure and joint position)
How do neurons in broadmann’s areas 3b, 1 and 2 vary in their receptive field size?
3b: small
1,2: large
What are reflexes and what are its three steps?
Stereotyped involuntary response to stimuli; sensory input, information processing and motor output
What is the difference between autonomic and somatic reflexes?
Autonomic: mediated by ANS, smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, glands
Somatic: mediated by somatic nervous system, skeletal muscle
What is an example of monosynaptic reflex?
- single synapse between afferent and efferent neurons
1. Receptor: muscle spindle
2. Sensory neurone: Aalpha (myelinated), peripheral nerve, dorsal root glanglion (cell body)
3. Interpretation centre: spinal cord
4. alpha motor neurone (myelinated)
5. Effector: muscle extrafusal fibres (neuromascular junction)
What is the structure of muscle spindles?
Central region lacks myofibrils: synapse with tonically active sensory neurons;
Outer regions: synapse with gamma motor neurons
What is the structure of Golgi tendons?
At the edges of extrafusal fibers; capsule with collagen fibers and sensory receptors lying in series
What is the function of Golgi tendon in case of excessive load on the muscle?
Relaxation of the muscle
What is an example of a simple polysynaptic reflex?
Withdrawal reflex
What is reciprocal inhibition?
Excitation of one group of muscles and inhibition of their antagonists
What is the cross cord reflex?
Opposite limb affected –> effects are reversed
What are examples of intersegmental reflexes?
Arm and leg movements
What is the function of Renshaw cells?
Recurrent inhibition; collateral from spinal motor neurone onto inhibitory interneurones (regulate spinal motor response)
Which are the pyramidal and extrapyramidal tracts?
Pyramidal: corticospinal and corticobulbar (to brain stem motor nuclei)
Extrapyramidal: vestibulospinal, tectospinal, reticulospinal, rubrospinal
What is the function of the vestibulospinal tract?
From vestibular nucleus (lateral to 4th ventricle in medulla, CN VIII + cerebellum)
- Lateral: ipsilateral, control of balance and posture, innervate antigravity muscles (excites ipsilateral extensor motor neurones, inhibits via interneurones flexor motor neurons)
- Medial: bilateral, only neck and shoulder
What is the function of the tectospinal tract?
From superior colliculi, coordination of head movements in relation to visual stimuli
What is the function of the reticulospinal tract?
Keeps general activation of the brain stem
- Medial from pons: increases muscle tone and excites voluntary movement
- Lateral from medulla: inhibits muscle tone and inhibits muscle movement
What is the function of the rubrospinal tract?
red nucleus —> output from cerebellum; contralateral, fine movements
What is the labyrinthine righting reflex?
Supra spinal reflex; vestibular reflex; lean off balance –> stimulation of semicircular canals –> motor response of neck and limbs –> maintainence of upright posture
What is the pathway of visual reflexes?
optic nerve –> optic chiasm –> optic tract –> LGN –> pretectal area:
- E-W nuclei –> CN III
- Superior colliculi –> descending reflex pathways –> spinal motor neurones
What does a weak or absent reflex response indicate?
- damage of the nerves outside the spinal cord (peripheral neuropathy)
- motor neuron disease
- myasthenia gravis
- myopathy (muscle disease)
What does an exxagerated reflex response indicate?
- spinal cord damage above the level controlling the hyperactive response
- higher CNS damage
- -> disinhibition
What does an asymmetric reflex response indicate?
- early onset of progressive disease
2. localised nerve damage eg trauma
How does cerebral palsy relate to reflexes?
Failed development of higher control –> retention of primitive reflexes and no inhibition –> random and uncontrolled movement
What is the main reason of synaptic potential decay in synapses where glutamate acts at AMPA Rs?
AMPA Rs desensitisation