Practical neuroanatomy 1: Brain, meninges and blood supply

Question 1

Define caudal.

Answer 1

Towards the tail end.

Question 2

What is the function of the pre-central gyrus?

Answer 2

Primary motor cortex

Question 3

What is the function of the post-central gyrus.

Answer 3

Primary somatosensory cortex

Question 4

What is the name of the dural septum extending between the two cerebral hemispheres.

Answer 4

Falx cerebri

Question 5

What is the name of the dural septum that extends between the occipital lobes of the hemisphere and the cerebellum?

Answer 5

Tentorium cerebelli

Question 6

Define rostral.

Answer 6

Towards the head end.

Question 7

Define caudal

Answer 7

Towards the tail end.

Question 8

What is meant by the term nucleus?

Answer 8

Aggregation of cell bodies in the CNS

Question 9

What is meant by the term tract?

Answer 9

Nerve processes sharing common connections/functions run in the same path

Question 10

What is a ganglion?

Answer 10

Aggregation of peripheral nerve cell bodies.

Question 11

Which subdivisions of the brain make of the forebrain/cerebrum?

Answer 11

Frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes

Question 12

What are the divisions of the brain stem?

Answer 12

Midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata

Question 13

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 13

White matter bridge between cerebral hemispheres

Question 14

What is the function of the pre-central gyrus?

Answer 14

Primary motor cortex.

Question 15

What is the function of the post-central gyrus?

Answer 15

Primary somatosensory cortex.

Question 16

What structures are linked by the middle cerebellar peduncle?

Answer 16

Pons and cerebellum

Question 17

What is the name of the dural septum extending between the two cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 17

Falx cerebri

Question 18

What is the name of the dural septum that extends between the occipital lobes of the hemisphere and the cerebellum?

Answer 18

Tentorium cerebelli

Question 19

Which dural venous sinuses run along the lines of attachment of the dura septae to the skull?

Answer 19

Superior saggital sinus runs along the falx cerebri.

Question 20

What is the function of the arachnoid villi?

Answer 20

Allow CSF to exit the subarachnoid space and enter the blood.

Question 21

Which vessel provides the arterial supply to the dura mater?

Answer 21

Middle meningeal.

Question 22

What is the most common cause of an extradural haematoma?

Answer 22

Injured middle meningeal artery.

Question 23

Which two pairs of blood vessels provide the arterial supply to the brain?

Answer 23

Vertebral and internal carotid.

Question 24

Describe the course the vertebral artery takes as it ascends into the skull.

Answer 24

Crosses from the first part of each subclavian artery in the lower neck and passes superiorly through the transverse foramina of the upper 6 cervical vertebra. On entering the the cranial cavity each vertebral artery gives a small meningeal branch.

Question 25

Describe the course the carotid arteries take as they enter the skull.

Answer 25

The internal carotid arteries arise as one of the two terminal branches of the common carotid. They proceed superiorly to the base of the skull where they enter the carotid canal.

Question 26

What vessels feed the Circle of Willis, which surrounds the diencephalon at the base of the brain.

Answer 26

Basilar and internal carotid.

Question 27

What is the functional significance of the circle of Willis?

Answer 27

Creates redundancies/collaterals in cerebral circulation.

Question 28

What areas of the cerebrum are supplied by the anterior cerebral artery?

Answer 28

- Medial surface of the parietal lobe - Superior surface of parietal lobe - Anterior surface of frontal lobe - Medial surface of frontal lobe

Question 29

What areas of the cerebrum are supplied by the middle cerebral artery.

Answer 29

- Most of the lateral surface of the parietal lobe - Some of the lateral surface of the frontal lobe - Some of the lateral surface of the occipital lobe - Some of the medial surface of the temporal lobe

Question 30

What areas of the cerebrum are supplied by the posterior cerebral artery?

Answer 30

- Some of the lateral surface of the temporal lobe - Some of the lateral surface of the occipital lobe - Posterior surface of the occipital lobe - Medial part of occipital lobe - Small part of posterior surface of parietal lobe - Medial part of temporal lobe

Question 31

What do the striate arteries, arising from the MCA, supply?

Answer 31

Deep structures in the cerebrum - internal capsule and reticular formation.

Question 32

What is a berry aneurysm?

Answer 32

Small intracranial aneurysm that looks like a berry and occurs at the point at which a cerebral artery departs from the of Willis.