Neuroanatomy - Week 4 - Brain Stem Flashcards
1
Q
What direction is rostral?
A
Towards the front of the head
2
Q
What direction is caudal?
A
Towards the occipital lobe
3
Q
What’s the average size of the medulla oblongata?
A
3cm
4
Q
What is the inferior cerebellar peduncle?
A
body of white matter that connects the
medulla with the cerebellum
5
Q
Do the gracile and cuneate fasciculi continue from the spinal cord into the medulla?
A
Yes
6
Q
How many nerves are attached to the medulla (CN9-12) and what are they?
A
4
7
Q
Whats the ave. size of the pons?
A
2.5cm
8
Q
What does The basal pons blends laterally into?
A
the middle cerebellar peduncles
9
Q
What is the midbrain associated with?
A
- motor coordination (particularly eye movements)
- visual and auditory processing
- Arousal
- Conscousness
- Behavioural responses to fear & danger
10
Q
Where is the midbrain located?
A
- Brain stem
- Extends from the base of thalamus to the pons
11
Q
What is the pons associated with?
A
- Largest component of the brainstem
- Houses the nuclei of cranial nerves V- VIII
- Houses pontine nuclei which facilitates corticopontocerebellar communication
- Helps regulate sleep and breathing
12
Q
Where is the pons located?
A
Between the medulla oblongata and the midbrain
13
Q
What is the medulla oblongata associated with?
A
- Most caudal part of the brainstem
- Connects to spinal cord
- Houses nuclei of cranial nerves XI - XII
- Regulates respiration, cardiovascular system, GIT
14
Q
What is the brainstem function?
A
Carries ascending and descending tracts between forebrain and spinal cord
- Regulates breathing, digestion, cardiovascular activity
15
Q
What cranial nerves does the brain stem house?
A
Cranial Nerves III - VII
16
Q
What is bilateral to the anterior median fissure?
A
Medullary pyramids aka pyramidal tracts
17
Q
What do the medullary pyramids contain?
A
Fibres from the corticospinal tracts
18
Q
What are the medullary pyramids key function?
A
Controlling voluntary movements
19
Q
What is pyramidal decussation?
A
Site for corticospinal fibre decussation
20
Q
What is decussation?
A
- The cross over of corticospinal fibres
- Where one side of the brain controls the other side of the body
21
Q
What part of the brainstem does pyramidal decussation occur?
A
Medulla Oblongata
22
Q
What is the pontomedullary junction?
A
The border between the pons and medulla oblongata
- Marked by the inferior pontine sulcus
23
Q
How many cranial nerves emerge from the pontomedullary junction?
A
3
24
Q
What are the 3 nerves that emerge from the pontomedullary junction?
A
- Abducents nerve (CN VI)
- Facial nerves (CN VII)
- Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
24
What are the 3 nerves that emerge from the pontomedullary junction?
- Abducents nerve (CN VI)
- Facial nerves (CN VII)
- Vestibulocochlear nerve (CN VIII)
25
What is the central groove through the pons?
- Basilar groove
(houses basilar artery)
26
What cranial nerve emerges from the anterolateral aspect of the pons?
Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
27
What are the 2 parts of the trigeminal cranial nerve?
- Motor root (smaller)
- Sensory root (large)
28
What is the largest cranial nerve?
Trigeminal nerve
29
What is the name of the groove connecting the pons to the midbrain?
Superior pontine sulcus
30
What is the midbrain associated with?
- Motor control
- Sound and visual processing
- Thermal regulation
31
What are the cerebtal peduncles?
- 2 sides of the midbrain
32
What cranial nerves does the midbrain behold?
- Oculomotor nerve (CNIII)
- Trochlear nerve (CN IV)
33
What is the only cranial nerve NOT to originate on the anterior aspect of the brainstem?
Trochlear nerve (CN IV)
34
What is another name for the midbrain?
Mesencephalon
35
What is the shortest part of the brainstem?
Midbrain
36
Name 5 key Medulla oblongata anatomical landmarks
- Pyramid
- Olive
- Inferior cerebellar peduncle
- Cuneate
- Gacile tubercles (below obex)
- Floor of 4th ventricle (above obex)
37
Name 4 key anatomical landmarks associated with the Pons
- Basal parts of pons
- Middle cerebellar peduncle
- Superior cerebellar peduncle
- Floor of 4th ventricle
38
Name 3 key anatomical landmarks associated with the Midbrain:
- Interpenduncular fossa
- Basis pedunculi
- Inferior or superior colliculus
39
What's the average size of the midbrain?
1.5cm
40
The spinothalamic tract is formed from...
axons that arise in the contralateral dorsal horn of the spinal cord
41
The superior cerebellar peduncles consist largely of what?
fibers leaving the cerebellum
42
The substantia nigra and the periaqueductal gray matter are present at what levels of the midbrain?
All levels of the midbrain
43
Preganglionic parasympathetic nuclei include what 3 nucleuses?
- Edinger-Westphal nucleus
- dorsal nucleus of the vagus
- nucleus ambiguus
44
The only general somatic sensory nuclei
are the three components of what nuclear complex?
Trigeminal
45
The only visceral sensory nucleus is the...?
Solitary nucleus
46
What type of data do Spinoreticular Fibers transmit?
- Sensory
- Especially from the skin and internal organs
47
What type of sensory data are the Spinothalamic and Spinotectal Tracts associated with?
- Pain
- Tempoerature
- Touch
48
What do the Spinothalamic and Spinotectal Tracts merge to become?
spinal lemniscus
49
What are proprioceptive signals associated with?
Movement
50
What type of signals do the dorsal and ventral spinocerebellar tracts mainly carry?
Proprioceptive signals
51
cuneocerebellar fibers provide a pathway to the cerebellum from what areas?
Neck & upper limb
52
What are 4 tracts that originate in the midbrain?
- Central tegmental tract
- Rubrospinal tract
- Tectospinal tract
- Tectbulbar fibers
52
What are 4 tracts that originate in the midbrain?
- Central tegmental tract
- Rubrospinal tract
- Tectospinal tract
- Tectbulbar fibers
53
What is the dorsal nucleus of the vagus nerve?
the larg- est parasympathetic nucleus in the brain stem
54
Vestibulocochlear Nerve receive afferent communications from where?
Cochlear and vestibular divisions of the 8th cranial nerve
55
What is the fasciculus gracilis associated with?
- Ascending sensory pathway
- Lower limb
- Below T6
- Fine touch
- Vibration
- Proprioception
56
What is the fasciculus cuneatus associated with?
- Ascending sensory pathway
- Upper limb
- T6 & above
- Fine touch
- Vibration
- Propriotception
57
What sensory elements is the anterior spinothalamic tract associated with?
- Crude touch
- Pressure
58
What is the lateral spinothalamic tract sensory inputs?
- Pain
- Temperature
59
What do the posterior spinocerebellar, anterior spinocerebellar and spino-olivary tracts all have in common?
- They all transmit ascending proproception of the lower limbs to cerebellum
60
What do the cuneocerebellar and rostral spinocerebellar both have in common?
Both transmit ascending proprioception of the UPPER limbs to the cerebellum
61
What is descending spinal cord transmission associated with?
Motor signals and muscle movement
62
What are the 2 largest pyramidal tracts called?
Anterior and lateral corticospinal tracts
63
Is the lateral corticospinal tract contralateral or ipsilateral?
Contralateral
64
Is the anterior corticospinal tract contralateral or ipsilateral?
Ipsilateral
65
What is the rubrospinal descending motor tract associated with controlling?
Fine motor control
66
What does the medial reticulospinal tract fascilitate?
Contraction and muscle tone
67
What does the lateral reticulospinal tract do?
- Inhibits muscle contraction
- Reduces muscle tone
- Associated with automatic breathing
67
What does the lateral reticulospinal tract do?
- Inhibits muscle contraction
- Reduces muscle tone
- Associated with automatic breathing
68
What is the vestibulospinal tract associated with?
Balance and posture
69
What is the tectospinal tract associated with?
Head movement and vision coordination
70
The dorsal part of the spinal cord is associated with ascending or descending sensory input?
Ascending
71
The anterior part of the spinal cord is associated with descending or ascending motor transmission?
Descending/efferent
