Neuroanatomy Flashcards
What are the 3 visible swellings/vesicles in the neural tube early in development?
Prosencephalon
Mesencephalon
Rhomboencephalon
What are the further subdivision of the vesicles of the neural tube?
Telencephalon, Diencephalon - Prosencephalon
Mesencephalon (same)
Metencephalon, Myelencephalon - Rhomboencephalon
What derives from the secondary vesicle - Telencephalon?
Cerebral Hemispheres
What derives from the secondary vesicle - Diencephalon?
Thalamus, Hypothalamus
What derives from the secondary vesicle - Mesencephalon?
Midbrain
What derives from the secondary vesicle - Metencephalon?
Pons, Cerebellum
What derives from the secondary vesicle - Myelencephalon?
Medulla Oblongata
During development, when do the primary and secondary vesicles form?
Primary - 4 weeks
Secondary - 6-8 weeks
What makes up the Brainstem?
Midbrain
Pons
Medulla oblongata
What is the function of Neurones?
Receivev information (mainly via synapses), integrate the info and transfer electrical impulses to another neuron or effector cell
What are the four major types of Glial cells?
Astrocytes
Oligodendrocytes
Microglia
Ependymal Cells
Which type of glial cells functions as a resident antigen-presenting/phagocytic cells in the brain?
Microglia
What’s the difference between the gyrus and sulcus?
Gyrus = bump Sulcus = indentations (deeper than sulcus = fissure)
What’s the difference between the outer grey matter and inner white matter of the brain?
Grey matter - formed by neurons (soma/cell bodies found), synapses + support cells
White matter - only axons of neurons + support cells
How is the grey and white matter arranged in the spinal cord?
Grey matter on inside (cell bodies - H-shape)
White matter - outside, surrounds grey matter (axons)
How can you tell the orientation of the spinal cord from the grey matter?
Posterior side of the H-shaped grey matter will touch edge of spinal cord.
Anterior side of grey matter will not reach edge
What are the divisions of the white matter in the spinal cord?
Posterior (dorsal) column
Anterior (ventral) column
Lateral column
How are the anterior and posterior ends of the grey matter referred to?
Anterior (ventral) HORNS
Posterior (dorsal) Horns
What are the gyrus on either side of the Central Sulcus?
Precentral Gyrus (anterior) Postcentral Gyrus (posterior)
What are the 4 lobes of the cerebral hemispheres?
Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital
Which sulcus marks the boundary between the Frontal and Parietal lobes?
Central sulcus (continue line down from central sulcus to corpus callosum)
Which sulcus marks the boundary between the Parietal and Temporal lobes?
Lateral sulcus
What two points mark the anterior/lateral boundary of the Occipital lobe?
Parieto-occipital sulcus
to
Preoccipital Notch
What is the fifth hidden lobe of the cerebral hemisphere?
Insular Lobe (important role in patient's experience of pain)
What are the three layers of the Meninges (superificial to deep)?
Dura mater
Arachnoid mater (subarachnoid space)
Pia mater
What is the deepest layer of the meninges which follows the dips of the sulcus/gyrus?
Pia mater
dura + arachnoid just a general protective cover
Between which layers of the meninges contains the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?
Subarachnoid space between the Arachnoid space AND Pia mater
What is the Enteric Nervous System?
Found in digestive system (oesophagus to rectum)
Neurons found in two plexuses in walls of gut (myenteric plexus between outer layers of smooth muscle, submucosal plexus in submucosa)
What is the venous drainage system of the brain?
Blood from the brain drains into a system of dural venous sinuses
Then drains into internal jugular vein
Exits via Jugular Foramen
What is the name for the con-shaped end of the spinal cord?
Conus Medullaris
True or False:
The spinal meninges are continuous with the cranial meninges via the foramen magnum
TRUE
True or False:
The spinal cord is suspended in the canal by a ribbon of tissue on the lateral aspect called the Denticulate Ligament?
TRUE
True or False:
The denticulate ligament is formed of arachnoid and dura tissue?
FALSE
Formed of pial and arachnoid tissue
Attaches to dura at points along length of cord
What does the white matter of the spinal cord consist of?
Longitudinally oriented nerve fibres (axons), glial cells and blood vessels
What does the grey matter of the spinal cord consist of?
Neuronal soma, cell processes, synapses, glia and blood vessels
What added feature exists in the T1 to L2 spinal segments?
Lateral Horn (of grey matter)
Contains preganglionic sympathetic neruons
What are the three arterial supplies to the spinal cord?
Longitudinal arteries
Segmental arteries
Radicular arteries
What is the origin of the Longitudinal arteries and where do they run?
1 anterior and 2 posterior that originate from the vertebral arteries
Run the length of the cord
Where are the Segmental arteries derived from?
Vertebral, Intercostal and Lumbar arteries
Where do Radicular arteries travel?
Along the dorsal and ventral roots
What is the space between the dura and the bone called in the spinal cord?
What does it contain?
Epidural Space
Contains adipose tissue, anterior + posterior epidural venus plexuses
What two parts is the dorsal (posterior) column of the spinal cord?
Fasciculus gracilis
Fasciculus cuneatus
What sensory info does the dorsal column/medial Lemniscus system transmit?
Fine touch and conscious proprioception (particularly from upper limb)
Where do fibres cross in the medial lemniscus system?
Medulla
What is Proprioception?
Sense of self-movement and body position
What sensory info does the Spinothalamic tract transmit?
Carries pain, temperature and deep pressure
Where do fibres cross in the spinothalamic tract?
Fibres cross segmentally (at the vertebrae level they enter)
True or False:
The Ascending tract of the spinal cord contains motor information
FALSE
Ascending tract is sensory information
Descending tract is Motor
What motor functions does the Corticospinal Tract transmit?
Fine, precise movement
Particularly of distal limb muscles, e.g. digits
Why is the Corticospinal Tract also called the Pyramidal tract?
Tract forms visible ridges referred to as ‘pyramids’on the anterior surface of the medulla
Where does the Corticospinal Tract (CST) fibres cross?
About 85% of fibres cross in caudal medulla at decussation of pyramids
Crossed fibres form Lateral CST
Uncrossed fibres form the Ventral CST (cross segmentally)
What is the Internal Capsule?
White matter structure containing ascending and descending axons going to and from the cerebellum.
All modalities travel through the internal capsule
What are the three motor systems outside of the pyramidal tract (aka Extrapyramidal system)?
Tectospinal Tract
Reticulospinal Tract
Vestibulospinal Tract
What motor functions is the Tectospinal tract involved?
Input mostly to cervical segments
Responsible for movement of head + upper body
What reflex is the Tectospinal tract though to be involved in?
Mediated reflex head and neck movement due to visual stimuli
What is the Reticular formation?
Forms the central core of the brainstem. Has many nuclei + receives input from virtually all parts of CNS
Where do fibres originate in the reticular formation?
Pons and Medulla