Pons and Midbrain Flashcards
Pons = ?
Bridge
The pons is a major site for connection of various CNS regions that regulate ________________, ___________________, and _________________.
movement, balance, and proprioception
The majority of fibers entering or leaving the _______________
pass through the pons.
cerebellum
The major anatomical features of the pons include:
(2 anterior and 4 posterior)
Anterior:
1.)Basilar groove or sulcus
2.) Bulbopontine sulcus
Posterior:
1.) Superior cerebellar peduncles
2.) Median sulcus
3.) Vestibular area
4.) Facial colliculus
The _____________________ provides a passageway for the ascending basilar artery.
basilar groove or sulcus
How many cranial nerve nuclei
originate in the pons?
five
Which cranial nerves originate in the pons?
Motor nuclei
1.) CN V
2.) CN VI
3.) CN VII
Sensory nuclei
1.) CN V
2.) CN VII
The pons is the major hub for _____________and ___________.
facial sensation input
motor output
Like the __________, the pons can be divided into two anatomical regions that can be further examined in horizontal cross sections
medulla
What are the names of the two horizontal cross sections?
1.) Middle pons
2.) Rostral pons
In the pon’s horizontal sections, motor and sensory tracts can still be appreciated as well as ______________
cranial nerve nuclei
The _________________ (that forms the pyramids in the medulla) descend as thinner tracts in the pons. Some of these fibers reach the cerebellum (____________________)
corticospinal tract
corticocerebellar tract
The _____________ exits the middle pons, and its two major nuclei (motor and sensory) originate here as well
trigeminal nerve (CN V)
The corticospinal, corticopontine and corticobulbar tracts are found ________________.
ventrally
The ________________________ are thick fibers that connect the ventral pons with the cerebellum.
superior cerebellar peduncle
The _________ is a major center for cerebellar communication to other areas of the CNS!
pons
It is the superior-most region of the brain stem through which all axons entering or exiting the cortex must pass. It’s divided in two regions:
1. ?
2. ?
- Tegmentum (anterior)
- Tectum (posterior)
What 3 things stem from the tegmentum?
- oculomotor nerves (CN III)
- trochlear nerves (CN IV)
- mammillary bodies
What other structure can be an anatomical landmark for the tegmentum?
optic chiasm
The ____________ is found posterior to the cerebral aqueduct and contains four “bumps” called the ____________________________.
tectum
corpora quadrigemina
The corpora quadrigemina can be subdivided into the _______________________ and ___________________.
superior colliculi (SC) and the inferior colliculi (IC)
The _______________________ is an area where visual, auditory and somatosensory information are integrated to initiate motor commands.
superior colliculi (SC)
The ______________ is a major site of convergence in the auditory system.
inferior colliculi
The caudal midbrain contains only two dopaminergic nuclei in the brain. What are they called?
- Ventral tegmental area (VTA)
- Substantia nigra
__________________ nuclei are an important part of the reward and motivation system
Ventral tegmental area (VTA)
Substantia nigra, crucial for _____________.
movement
The __________ nucleus where the CN IV originates from .
trochlear
Which region does the oculomotor nerve (CN III) exit from?
rostral midbrain
The _____________ (black substance) is the most evident at the rostral midbrain level.
substantia nigra
The ____________ is important for regulation of eye movement.
red nucleus
What structure is a diffuse group of nuclei forming the core of the brainstem?
It also receives general somatic and visceral sensory information.
The reticular formation
The reticular formation regulates ____________ and _______________ via cardiovascular centers.
breathing and heart rate
Which structure regulates arousal and sleep cycles?
reticular formation
The ________________ are the major producers of serotonin (SER).
raphe nuclei
The VTA and substancia nigra are the major ___________________.
dopaminergic (DA) nuclei
The _____________________ and _____________________ neurons are the major producers of noradrenaline (NA).
locus coeruleus and lateral tegmentum
