Neuroanatomy

Question 1

Telencephalon

Answer 1

Cerebral hemispheres

Question 2

Diencephalon

Answer 2

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Question 3

Mesencephalon

Answer 3

Midbrain

Question 4

Metencephalon

Answer 4

Pons, cerebellum

Question 5

Myelencephalon

Answer 5

Medulla oblongata

Question 6

Role in support, maintaining the BBB, environmental homeostasis

Answer 6

Astrocytes

Question 7

Importance of the insula

Answer 7

Experience of pain

Question 8

Importance of the jugular foramen in terms of venous drainage of the brain?

Answer 8

At the jugular foramen:

-The dural venous sinuses drain into the internal jugular vein

Question 9

What suspends the spinal cord in the canal?

Answer 9

The denticulate ligament

Question 10

What vertebrae have lateral horns? and what are they for?

Answer 10

T1-L2 have lateral horns

They are for the preganglionic sympathetic neurons

Question 11

Blood supply to the spinal cord

Answer 11

• 3 major longitudinal arteries (from the vertebral arteries)
• segmental arteries (from the vertebral, intercostal and lumbar arteries)
• Radiuclar arteries (travel along dorsal and ventral roots)

Question 12

What is the epidural space and what does it contain?

Answer 12

Space between the dura and bone

-contains adipose tissue and the anterior and posterior venus plexuses

Question 13

Where are the anterior and posterior venous plexuses?

Answer 13

In the epidural space

Question 14

Where do fibres from the dorsal column/medial lemniscus cross?

Answer 14

The medulla

synapse in the thalamus

Question 15

Where do the spinothalamic tracts cross?

Answer 15

Segmentally

synapse in the thalamus

Question 16

Spinothalamic tracts?

Answer 16

Pain, temperature and deep pressure

Question 17

Difference between the lateral and ventral corticospinal tracts?

Answer 17

Lateral cross at the medulla (85% and this is the decussation of the pyramids)

Ventral cross segmentally (about 15%)

Question 18

What does the corticospinal tract control?

Answer 18

Fine, precise movements of the distal limb muscles

Question 19

What happens if you get a CVA of the internal capsule? I.e. which tract is defo going to be affected and what would the symptoms be?

Answer 19

A CVA of the internal capsule can ruin your corticospinal tract
-this results in spastic paralysis with hyperflexion of the upper limbs a.k.a DECORTICATE posturing!

(problems with the cerebral hemisphere could also cause this)

Question 20

What posture would problems with the midbrain/pons cause?

Answer 20

Decerebrate

Question 21

What does the tectospinal tract do?

Answer 21

• Inputs mostly to the cervical segments

- thought to mediate reflex head and neck movment due to visual stimuli

Question 22

What do the reticulospinal tracts do?

Answer 22

Tonnes of stuff including influencing voluntary movement

Question 23

Function of the pontine reticulospinal tract?

Answer 23

Facilitate extensor movments

Question 24

Function of the lateral reticulospinal tract?

Answer 24

Facilitate flexor movments

Question 25

Function of the vestibulospinal tract pathway?

Answer 25

Excitatory to “anti-gravity” muscles

Question 26

Problems with the vestibulospinal tract?

Answer 26

Decerebrate posture!

leads to lots of extension so ‘hyperextended spastic paralysis’