Part 3 of 6 Anatomy Flashcards
(53 cards)
Describe the location of the circle of Willis as well as these major arteries in the brain:
- Anterior cerebral artery
- Middle cerebral artery
- Posterior cerebral artery
- Circle of Willis: In the region of interpeduncular fossa (With in interpeduncular cistern) encircling the Optic chiasm, Pituitary and Mamillary bodies.
- Anterior cerebral artery: In the longitudinal fissure runing around the corpus callosum.
- Middle cerebral artery: Lateral sulcus and onto the lateral surface of brain
- Posterior cerebral artery: Around the cerebral peduncle into the transverse fissure on the base of temporal and occipital lobes.
F650 - Location of cerebral arteries and Circle of Willis.
Describe the parts of the MCA and major branches.
What main functional areas does the MCA innervate?
Parts of MCA
- M1: arises from internal carotid and runs towards the lateral sulcus. Called M1, i.e. first aprt of MCA. M1 gives off branches caled lenticulostriated branches - tiny branches compared to size of MCA (1mm diameter), but very important function, supplies structures, i.e. internal capsule and basal ganglia.
- M2: Called the ‘Sylvian Part’ has 2 subsets, inferior (temporal lobe) and superior (frontal and parietal lobe).
- M3: Cortical branches
Major Branches
- Just know the rolandic artery is located in the central sulcus, henceforth also known as the ‘rolandic fissure’
F651 - Middle cerebral artery parts.
Describe the posterior cerebral artery and its relation to other major arteries in the area.
- Terminal branch of basilar artery
See F652 -
Posterior cerebral artery and relations.
Describe the anterior cerebral artery and its major branches.
F653 - Anterior cerebral artery and its relations
Draw a diagram summarising the main areas of cortical blood supply.
F654 -
Summary of main areas cortical blood supply.
List the structural and functional supplied by these cerebral arteries: MCA, PCA, ACA.
F656 - Structural functional areas supplied by cerebral arteries
Describe different types of infarctions and their effect on the visual pathway.
Posterior Limb Internal Capsule Lesion
- Contralateral homonymous hemianopia
Temporal Lobe Anterior Lesion
- Superior Quadrantonopia
Parietal Lobe (Anterior) Lesion
- Inferior Quadrantonopia
Occipital Lobe Lesion
- Contralateral homonymous hemianopia
F656 - Reference diagram for visual loss types.
What mechanisms are in place in the brain to optimise blood flow?
- Autoregulation - Vasodilation and constriction in response to local factors such as CO2, K+, ICP, regulate blood flow according to demand
- Collateral circulation - chronic ischaemia due to atheromatous plaques may lead to establishment of effective collateral circulations, e.g. external carotid artery, opthalmic artery
- Large vessel anastamoses - usually not effective in preventing infarctions during acute obstruction
See MM 116.
What is a cerebrovascular accident? Explain the types that exist.
- Cerebrovascular accident- outdated term, but refers to what happens when the brain is deprived of blood due to an event such as a vessel bursting or blocking
Classifications
Clinically
- Transient ischaemic attack
- Stroke
Pathophysiologically
- Haemorrhagic
- Subarachnoid haemorrhage, e.g. hypertension, berry aneurysms
- Intracerebral haemorrhage, e.g. chronic hypertensive vascular damage.
- Occlusive
- Thrombotic
- Atherosclerosis
- Embolic
- Atherosclersis/ AF/ endocarditis/ Valvular defects/ Fat or air embolism
- Thrombotic
What is the most common site for a berry aneurysm?
- Anterior communicating artery (30-35%)
F657 - Sites of berry aneurysms
What is an anterior circulation CVA?
List the clinical features and recognise the CT/MRI images showing the ACA infarcts.
Anterior Circulation CVA
What is it?
- ACA obstruction, proximal to the anterior communicating artery.
- Presence of collateral circulation may help
Clinical Features
- Paralysis of contralateral leg and foot
- Sensory loss in contralateral leg and foot
- Bilateral lesions may cause urinary incontinence
F658 -
CT-MRI of ACA CVA.
Describe the possible presentations of a distal MCA occlusion.
(MM 117) M3 Occlusion
General Signs
- 1ry motor/ sensory areas: contralateral arm & face > leg paralysis and sensory loss (impairment)
- Optic radiation
- Posterior - homonymous hemianopia
- Anterior - superior or inferior quadrantonopia
- Parietal cortex
- Astererognosis/ agraphaesthesia/ loss of 2-point discrimination
Hemisphere-Specific Signs
- Left-side occlusion
- Aphasia - global, receptive, expressive
- Agraphia (can’t write), acalculia, finger agnosis (can’t recognise things)
- Right-side occlusion
- Sensory inattention - hemineglect
- Constructional apraxia
Describe the possible presentations of a proximal MCA infarct.
- Leads to a massive infarct involving both cortex and deep cerebral structures.
- Involvement of posterior limb and genu of the internal capsule leads to
- Contralateral hemiparesis and hemisensory loss involving face, arm, leg equally (WHY?)– dense hemiplegia
- Homonymous hemianopia
(MM 117)
Describe the possible presentations of the obstruction of the internal carotid.
- If the opposite circulation is adequate – asymptomatic.
- Symptoms are very similar to proximal MCA occlusion
- Complete contralateral hemiparesis and hemisensory loss.
- Contralateral homonymous hemianopia
- Larger lesions (if not compensated)
- Cerebral oedema and herniation (coning)
(MM 117)
Describe the presentation of lenticulostriate arteries obstruction.
- These arteries arise right angle to the main artery.
- Small caliber vessels, commonly ruptures due to hypertension.
- Leads to smaller infarcts in the deep grey and white matter – Lacunar infarcts/stroke
- Symptoms and signs depends on the structures involved.
- May cause pure sensory or motor deficits.
Describe the possible presentations of a PCA obstruction.
- Leads to infarcts in
- Occipital
- Medial temporal
- Cerebral peduncles
- Commonest are the visual symptoms
- Occipital lobe - homonymous hemianopia.
- Hippocampus - Defects in forming new memories – usually with bilateral lesions
- Cerebral peduncles - Contralateral hemiparesis – Not common
(MM 118)
Describe the presentation of a cerebellar CVA.
- Less commoner than cerebral hemispheric strokes.
- Commonest sign is Ataxia.
- Note that ataxia may occur as a result of brainstem infarct, because pathways carrying information co-ordiation involve peduncles brainstem.
Describe the presentation of a brainstem CVA.
- As this is cross sectionally a small area, vascular lesions affect multiple structures, both grey and white matter.
- Typically, unilateral lesions lead to ipsilateral cranial nerve palsy and contralateral long tracts signs.
- Altered level of consciousness and vomiting is common.
- Ataxia may occur if the cerebellum or cerebellar pathways are involved.
- Occlusion of a large vessel may cause severe disability or death (80%).
- Quadriplegia (large lesion involving both sides)
- Hemiplegia/hemisensory loss
- Dysphagia
- Dysarthria
- Other CN palsies
- Ataxia
- Vertigo
- Gaze abnormalities
- Visual field defects
(MM 119)
Describe the blood supply of the spinal cord.
F666 -
Spinal cord blood supply.
How many cranial nerves are there?
Explain their rough locations.
There are 12 cranial nerves.
I: extension of olfactory cortices
II: extension of visual centres in the brain
III-XII: part of midbrain + brainstem
Describe the functional classification of cranial nerves.
Sensory
- I - olfactory
- II - optic
- VIII - vestibulocochlear
Motor
- III Oculomotor
- IV Trochlear
- VI Abducens
- XI Accessory
- XII Hypoglossal
Mixed Sensory & Motor (Both)
- V Trigeminal
- VII Facial
- IX Glossopharyngeal
- X Vagus
Hint: Some say marry money but my brother says big brains matter more
Parasympathetic
- III Oculomotor
- VII Facial
- IX Glossopharyngeal
- X Vagus
Name the cranial nerves as well as their associated foramina.
- I - Olfactory: Cribiform plates of ethmoid bone
- II - Optic: Optic canal
- III, IV, V(1), VI - Abducens, Trochlear, Opthalmic branch of the trigeminal, Abducens: Superior orbital fissure
- V(2) - Maxillary branch of the trigeminal: Foramen rotundum
- V(3) - Mandibular branch of trigeminal: Foramen ovale
- VII, VIII - Facial, vestibulocochlear: internal acoustic meatus to stylomastoid foramen
- IX, X, XI - Glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory: jugular foramen
- XII - Hypoglossal: hypoglossal canal
F667 - Inferior surface brain cranial nerves.
Where do the cranial nuclei sit in the brain?
Explain the clinical relevance of this.
4-4 Rule
- Bottom 4: 12,11, 10, and 9 –> found in medulla
- Next 4: 8, 7, 6, 5 –> found in the pons
- 4 and 3 lie under the inferior and superior colliculi
- 2 is the optic nerve
- 1 is the olfactory
Refer for further reference to F668 - Cranial nerve nuclei locations
Clinical Relevance
Knowledge of this brainstem anatomy really helps you localize a lesion. For example, if the patient has a 6th nerve palsy and problems with hearing (CN7), the lesion is probably in the pons. If all the eye nerves 3,4,6 are gone and the patient is otherwise “OK,” then this lesion is probably NOT in the brainstem as any lesion big enough to hit BOTH the pons and midbrain would cause other systemic problems.
Describe the location of the olfactory nerve and its path.
See F669 - Olfactory Nerve Location and Path