Neuroanatomy Flashcards
What are the three primary vesicles?
Prosencephalon
Mesencephalon
Rhombencephalon
The prosencephalon divides into what secondary vesicles?
Telencephalon
Diencephalon
The mesencephalon divides into what secondary vesicle?
It doesn’t lol - stays as mesencephalon
The rhombencephalon divides into what secondary vesicle?
Metencephalon
Myelencephalon
What is the principle cell of the central nervous system?
Neuron
What are the four main types of glial cells?
Astrocytes
Oligodendrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal cells
What is the main function of astrocytes?
Gives brain structural support
What is the main function of oligodendrocytes?
Produces myelin
What is the main function of microglia?
Immune monitoring and antigen presentation
What do ependymal cells do?
Line the open spaces within the brain
What are the two main types of tissue in the brain?
Grey matter
White matter
What are the inward projections and outward projections of the brain called?
Inward projections - sulci
Outward projections - gyri
Axons are located in white/grey matter
White
Neurons are located in white/grey matter
Grey
In the brain, white matter is found on the inside/outside
Inside
In the spinal cord, white matter is found on the inside/outside
Outside
What are the lobes of the brain?
Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital
Insular
What forms the posterior border of the frontal lobe?
Central sulcus
What forms the posterior border of the parietal lobe?
Parieto-occipital sulcus
Identify the lobes of the brain
What are the three layers of the meninges?
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
What is found within the subarachnoid space between arachnoid and pia mater?
Cerebrospinal fluid
The spinal cord terminates at what structure?
Conus medullaris
The conus medullaris is anchored to the dorsum of the coccyx by what?
Filum terminale
The spinal cord is suspended within its canal by what?
Denticulate ligament
Within the spinal cord, the white matter contains cell bodies/axons
Axons
Within the spinal cord, the grey matter contains neuronal cell bodies/axons
Cell bodies
The white matter in the spinal cord is made up of what fasciculi?
Posterior
Lateral
Anterior
How is the grey matter in the spinal cord divided?
Left and right anterior and posterior horns
What are the major arteries supplying the spinal cord?
1x anterior spinal artery
2x posterior spinal arteries
In the spinal cord, the dura does adhere directly to the periosteum. True/false?
False - the epidural space seperates the dura from bone
Where is the primary somatosensory cortex found?
Postcentral gyrus
As you descend down the spinal cord, there is a larger/smaller proportion of white matter
Smaller
Fine touch and proprioception sensation is carried to the brain in which system?
Dorsal column/medial lemniscus
Where do the fibres of the DCML system first synapse?
Medulla
Why is fine touch sensation from the left side detected in the right brain and vice-versa?
Because the fibres of the DCML cross in the medulla
The second order neuron of the DCML system synapses where?
Thalamus
What sensations are carried within the spinothalamic tract?
Pain
Temperature
Deep pressure
Where does the first synapse of the spinothalamic tract occur?
Cervical cord
Where does the second order neuron of the spinothalamic tract synapse?
Thalamus
Where is the primary motor cortex located?
Precentral gyrus
What movement is the corticospinal tract responsible for?
Fine/precise
Why is the corticospinal tract called the pyramidal tract?
As it passes through the pyramids on the anterior surface of the medulla
What pathology can affect the corticospinal tract?
Cerebrovascular accident of internal capsule
What motor systems form the extrapyramidal system?
Tectospinal tract
Reticulospinal tract
Vestibulospinal tract
What movement does the tectospinal tract mediate?
Reflex head and neck
What are the three lobes of the cerebellum?
Anterior
Posterior
Flocculus
How is the cerebellum attached to the brainstem?
Via three peduncles
What is significant about the deep cerebellar nuclei?
It is deep grey matter embedded within white matter
Where do afferents to the cerebellum arive from?
Spinal cord
Cerebral cortex
Vestibular apparatus
What is the only efferent projections of the cerebellum?
Axons of Purkinje cells
Cerebellar hemispheres influence the ipsilateral/contralateral side of the body
Ipsilateral
What are the functions of the basal ganglia?
Facilitate purposeful movement
Inhibit unwanted movement
Posture/muscle tone
What is included within the basal ganglia?
Caudate nucleus
Putamen
Globus pallidus
Subthalmic nucleus
Substantia nigra
The striatum is formed from which basal ganglia structures?
Caudate nucleus and putamen
The putamen and globus pallidus form which basal ganglia structures?
Lenticular nucleus
What is the corpus striatum formed from?
Caudate nucleus
Putamen
Globus pallidus
In which disease is the substantia nigra affected?
Parkinson’s
What occurs in the basal ganglia direct pathway?
The outflow of thalamus is increased, stimulating the cortex and enhancing desired movement
What occurs in the basal ganglia indirect pathway?
The thalamus is slowed down dampening down the cortex and inhibiting unwanted movement
Basal ganglia lesions affect the ipsilateral/contralateral side of the body
Contralateral
What are some motor signs of basal ganglia lesions?
Muscle tone changes
Dyskinesias
Which is the only sensory modality not to synapse in the thalamus before reaching the cortex?
CN I
What is significant about the nuclei of CNs III, IV, VI and XII?
They are found near the midline
What is important about the path of the trochlear nerve as it leaves the brainstem?
It exits posteriorly before looping round and crossing the brainstem
Outline the route of CNXI from when it leaves the spinal cord
Passes upward through the foramen magnum before turning and going back out the jugular foramen
What are the three sensory nuclei of the trigemenal nerve?
Mesencephalic
Pontine trigeminal
Spinal
What is the function of the mesencephalic nucleus?
Proprioception from chewing muscles
What is the function of the spinal nucleus?
Defining pain and temperature
What tract allows sensations from CN V to reach the thalamus?
Ventral trigeminothalamic
What are the four nuclei related to the facial nerve?
Facial motor
Salivatory
Solitary
Spinal trigeminal
What is the function of the salivatory nucleus of CN VII?
Parasympathetic innervation of submandibular and pteryogalatine ganglion
What is the function of the solitary nucleus of CN VII?
Taste from anterior 2/3 of tongue
What are the four nuclei associated with the glossopharyngeal nerve?
Solitary
Spinal trigeminal
Inferior salivatory
Nucleus ambiguus
The nucleus ambiguus is related to the action of which muscle?
Stylopharyngeus
What four nuclei are associated with the vagus nerve?
Dorsal (motor)
Solitary (taste)
Spinal trigeminal (pain)
Nucleus ambiguus (motor)
Which nuclei in the brain stem are shared by multiple cranial nerves?
Solitary nucleus (taste)
Superior and inferior salivatory
Nucleus ambiguus
What part of the pyramidal tract is carries motor fibres of cranial nerves?
Corticobulbar
What structures in the ear are important in sound localisation?
Superior olivary nucleus
Lateral lemniscus nucleus
On which lobe is the primary auditory complex located?
Temporal lobe
What area surrounds the primary auditory cortex?
Wernicke’s area
A patient has difficulty in placing his words in the right order. What area of the brain is affected?
Wernicke’s
Damage to Broca’s area causes patients to have difficulty with what?
Producing language
Is there a primary vestibular cortex?
No - the brain gets different vestibular information at the same time
Outline the parts of the visual pathway
Optic nerve
Optic chiasm
Optic tract
Lateral geniculate nucleus
Optic radiation
Visual cortex
In which lobe is the primary visual cortex located?
Occipital
What nucleus is involved in the pupillary light reflex?
Edinger-Westphal nucleus
