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Clinical Neuroscience > Nervous System Topography > Flashcards

Nervous System Topography Flashcards

1
Q

Describe Grey Matter

A
  • Composed of cell bodies and dendrites primarily
  • Highly vascular
  • Most computation occurs here
  • Contains some axons, in order to communicate with white matter
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2
Q

Describe White Matter

A
  • Composed of axons

- White due to presence of fatty Myelin

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3
Q

What are the PNS equivalents of Grey and White matter?

A

Grey- Ganglia (Not basal ganglia, these are part of CNS)

White- Peripheral nerves

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4
Q

What is a Nucleus?

What is a Cortex?

A

Nucleus: A collection of functionally related cell bodies

Cortex: A folded sheet of cell bodies found on the surface of a brain structure

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5
Q

What is a fibre?

What are the 3 types of fibre?

A

An axon in association with its supporting cells

  • Association fibres
  • Commissural fibres
  • Projection fibres
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6
Q

What do Association fibres connect?

A

Connect cortical region within a single hemisphere

E.g Parietal and temporal lobes of same hemisphere

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7
Q

What do Commissural fibres connect?

A

Connect the Left and Right hemispheres

E.g Corpus Callosum

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8
Q

What do Projection fibres connect?

A

Connect the cerebral hemispheres with the cord/brainstem and vice versa

(E.g Corticospinal fibres or Spinothalamic fibres)

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9
Q

Describe the spinal cord

A
  • 31 segments
  • Central grey matter core, outer white matter shell
  • Each segment connects with a Spinal (mixed) nerve via Ventral (motor) and Dorsal (sensory) nerve roots

(Roots are actually formed from convergence of multiple rootlets)

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10
Q

What is a Funiculus?

A

A segment of white matter containing multiple distinct pathways which both ascend (sensory) and descend (motor)

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11
Q

What is a Tract?

These are found in Funiculi

A

A white matter pathway connecting 2 regions of grey matter, in which impulses travel in a single direction only

E.g;

  • Dorsal funiculus contains dorsal column tract (ascends)
  • Lateral funiculus contains lateral corticospinal tract (descends) and spinothalamic tract (ascends)
  • Ventral funiculus contains ventral corticospinal tract (descends)
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12
Q

What is a Fasciculus?

(Found in Tracts)

Compare the 2 Fasciculi of the Dorsal Column Tract which is prt of the Dorsal Funiculus

A

A subdivision of a tract that supplies a distinct body region

  • Fasciculus gracilis/ Gracile Fasciculus supplies lower body half
  • Fasciculus cuneatus/ Cuneate Fasciculus supplies upper body half
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13
Q

Describe the organisation of the grey matter of the spinal cord

A
  • Cell bodies are organised into cell columns

- These columns are organised into Laminae

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14
Q

List the Key function of the parts of the Brainstem

A

Midbrain;

  • Eye movement
  • Reflex responses to sound and vision

Pons;

  • Feeding
  • Sleep

Medulla;

  • Cardiovascular and respiratory homeostasis
  • Contains a major motor pathway (medullary pyramids)
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15
Q

What are the Cerebral peduncles of the Midbrain?

A

Areas of white matter that contain descending corticospinal fibres from the Ipsilateral hemisphere

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16
Q

What is the Substantia Nigra of the midbrain?

A

Area of grey matter containing dopaminergic neurons that project to the Striatum (Nigrostriatal fibres)

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17
Q

What is the Red Nucleus of the midbrain?

A

An area of grey matter that gives rise to axons that travel to the spinal cord in the Vestigial Rubrospinal tract

(Has some motor functions)

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18
Q

What is the Oculomotor nucleus of the midbrain?

A
  • An area of grey matter containing
  • lower motor neurone cell bodies that
  • project though the oculomotor nerve
  • to all except 2 of the extra ocular muscles
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19
Q

What is Periaqueductal grey matter of the midbrain?

A

An area surrounding the cerebral aqueduct that has roles in;

  • Pain transmission
  • Micturition
20
Q

What 2 ventricles are connected by the Cerebral Aqueduct?

A

3rd ventricle and 4th ventricle

21
Q

List 2 structures that pass through the midbrain to get to the thalamus

A
  • Medial lemniscus (Connects Gracile/ Cuneate nuclei to thalamus)
  • Spinothalamic tract (Connects spinal dorsal horn to thalamus)
22
Q

What do the Superior and Inferior Colliculi of the midbrain do?

These are regions of grey matter

A

Superior: Regulates reflex responses to visual stimuli

Inferior: Regulates reflex responses to auditory stimuli

23
Q

List 4 key features of the midbrain

A
  • CN V exits from lateral aspect
  • Corticospinal fibres travel ventral
  • Beneath 4th ventricle so can get compressed if this expands
  • Contains reticular formation regions important for sleep
24
Q

Describe the Medullary Pyramids (white matter)

A

Ventral swellings containing corticospinal fibres from the Ipsilateral hemisphere.

(These fibres decussate in the caudal medulla at the decussation of the pyramids)

25
Q

A Gyrus is a raised fold of cerebral cortex.

What sits anterior and posterior to the central gyrus?

A

Anterior: Precentral gyrus (Contains primary motor cortex)

Posterior: Postcentral gyrus (Contains primary sensory cortex)

26
Q

Which lobes are separated by the Sylvian/ Lateral fissure?

A

Temporal lobe separated from frontal and parietal lobes

27
Q

Is the Parieto-Occipital sulcus visible on a Superfical view?

A

No

28
Q

The Primary Visual Cortex surrounds the Calcarine Sulcus of the Occipital lobe.

Compare the functions of the visual cortex above and below the Calcarine Sulcus

A

Above: Supplies the contralateral inferior visual field

Below: Supplies the contralateral superior visual field

29
Q

Describe the Uncus

A
  • Most medial part of temporal lobe
  • Contains the olfactory cortex
  • Can herniate below Tentorium Cerebelli
30
Q

What is the Parahippocampal Gyrus?

A

Part of the medial temporal lobe that provides input to the underlying hippocampus

(Key region for memory encoding)

31
Q

Describe the Thalamus

A
  • Important for conscious sensation

- Acts as a sensory relay station projecting to the Primary sensory cortex

32
Q

Describe the role of the Cingulate Gyrus

A
  • Important role in emotion and memory

- Participates in the Papez Circuit

33
Q

Describe the Fornix

A
  • A major output pathway from the Hippocampus

- Part of the Papez Ciruit

34
Q

Describe the Tectum

A
  • Posterior part of midbrain
  • Contains the Superior and Inferior Coliculi (so involved in regulation of the reflex responses to auditory and visual stimuli)
35
Q

Describe the Cerebeller Tonsils

A

Part of the cerebellum that can herniate through the Foramen Magnum and compress medulla

(Therefore raised ICP can lead to death through cardiorespiratory compromise)

36
Q

Brain ventricles are hollow cavities containing CSF

What do each of them contain?

A

Choroid plexus, which is highly vascular and makes 600-700ml of CSF a day

37
Q

What are 2 functions of CSF?

A

Mechanical: Shock absorbs the brain and renders it weightless

Metabolic: Contains glucose and maybe hormones

38
Q

Describe briefly the circulation of CSF

A
  • Circulates through ventricular system and subarachnoid space
  • Reabsorbed at Arachnoid granulations (Cauliflower-resembling projections into Superior Sagittal sinus) by entering Venous Blood
39
Q

Which ventricles are the largest and make the most CSF?

What are the 3 parts of these ventricles

A

Lateral ventricles (Large C shapes)

  • Frontal horn (in frontal lobe)
  • Temporal horn (in temporal lobe)
  • Occipital horn (in occipital lobe)
40
Q

Which brain ventricle sits below the Cerebellum

A

The 4th Ventricle

42
Q

Describe the flow of CSF from the Lateral ventricles

A

Flows through Interventricular foramen into the 3rd Ventricle

(3rd ventricle is flattened in midline by the thalami on each side)

43
Q

Describe the flow of CSF from the 3rd ventricle

A

Drains from 3rd to 4th Ventricle by the Cerebral Aqueduct of the Midbrain

44
Q

Describe CSF flow once it enters the subarachnoid space

A

Bathes the superficial surfaces of the brain and spinal cord, before being reabsorbed in the arachnoid granulations

(Goes to RA then kidney to be excreted)

45
Q

How would the Lateral, 3rd and 4th ventricles be affected in blockage of the cerebral aqueduct

A

Lateral- Dilated

3rd- Dilated

4th- Normal

46
Q

Describe CSF flow as it exits the 4th Ventricle

A

Drains into Subarachnoid space via 2 Lateral and 1 Median Apertures

Negligible drainage via central canal of the spinal cord

(Lateral- Foramen of Luschka, Median- Foramen of Magendie)

Clinical Neuroscience (19 decks)

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