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Neuroanatomy > Reticular formation > Flashcards

Reticular formation Flashcards

1
Q

Reticular formation are the areas not occupied by?

A
  1. Cranial nerve nuclei
  2. Tracts and cerebellar peduncles
  3. Specific non-cranial nerve nuclei
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2
Q

List all the specific non-cranial nerve nuclei (which does not belong to the reticular formation).

A
  1. Motor (send descending nuclei from midbrain)
    - red nucleus
    - superior colliculi
    - substantia nigra
  2. Sensory
    - Fasciculus gracilis and cuneatus
    - inferior colliculi
    - superior olivary nucleus
  3. Cerebellar (sitting above the brainstem)
    - inferior olivary nucleus
    - pontine nucleus
    - accessory cuneate nucleus
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3
Q

State the notable structures (of reticular formation) at the level of medulla and their chemical properties (NT).

A
  1. Ventrolateral-dorsomedial band - Noradrenaline and Adrenaline
  2. Raphe nuclei - serotonin
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4
Q

State the notable structures (of reticular formation) at the level of upper pons (very rostral pons and very caudal midbrain) and their chemical properties (NT).

A
  1. Locus ceruleus (ventrolateral to periadequctal gray) - noradrenaline
  2. Periaqeductal gray (next to aqueduct) - acetylcholine + enkephalin
  3. Parabrachial nuclei (next to superior cerebellar peduncle - acetylcholine
    * Superior cerebellar peduncle: bundle of fibers from cerebellum that crosses the midline (between 2 parabrachial nuclei)
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5
Q

State the notable structures (of reticular formation) at the level of upper midbrain and their chemical properties (NT).

A
  1. Ventral tegmental area (VTA) - dopamine

Substantia nigra: not reticular formation, but rich in dopaminergic neurons

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6
Q

Where does the central tegmental tract run through? What cell groups does it connect?

A

It runs through the reticular formation of the midbrain, pons and upper medulla. It interconnects a variety of cell groups of the brainstem.
It connects the red nucleus (in the midbrain) to the inferior olivary nucleus (in the cerebellum)

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7
Q

Give the general scheme of the functions of reticular formation.

A

Lateral: receives mainly information from sensory tracts, then is passed to medial zone.
Medial: generate motor response, also relay information to higher centers
Raphe: midline, relay information to higher centers

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8
Q

State the nucleus involved in the reward function of the reticular formation.

A
  1. Nucleus of accumbens (base of striatum)

2. Septal nucleus

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9
Q

State the reward circuit of the reticular formation.

A

Cerebral cortex (both motor and sensory) , limbic system and basal ganglia stimulation > VTA (ventral tegmental area) > nucleus accumbens back to higher brain centers

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10
Q

What is the main type of NTs involved in the reward circuit?

A

Dopamine! from VTA, projecting to one of the reward or pleasure areas, the nucleus accumbens

GABAnergic neurons are also involved, to reduce the release of dopamine

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11
Q

How is the stimulation of the nucleus accumbens in the reward terminated?

A

Uptake/ degradation of dopamine by nucleus accumbens

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12
Q

List all the drug relevances of the reward function of the reticular formation.

A
  1. Cocaine/ methamphetamine
    - reduce the clearing of dopamine
    - methamphetamine also increases the release of dopamine
    - gives rise to pleasure feeling due to increased stimulation of the nucleus of accumbens
  2. Opioids
    - inhibit the GABAnergic neurons so as to remove the inhibition on dopamine neurons so that dopaminergic neurons in VTA are more activated
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13
Q

State the route (system/ structures) involved in the arousal function of the reticular formation.

A

Ascending reticular activation system (ARAS) of reticular formation > send fibers to cerebral cortex directly/ through the thalamus (glutamate) or basal forebrain (acetylcholine), keeping the cortical fibers active (wakefulness).

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14
Q

What NTs do ARAS neurons release?

A

serotonin (5HT), acetylcholine, noradrenaline, dopamine

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15
Q

State the structures that receive fibers from the ARAS and the respective NTs they secrete.

A
  1. Basal forebrain: Ach
  2. Thalamus: Glutamate
  3. Posterior hypothalamus: Histamine
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16
Q

State the structures that involve in the sleep function of the reticular formation, the NT they release and their target structures.

A
  1. Basal forebrain: GABA (stimulated by heat), inhibit the cortex
  2. Anterior hypothalamus: GABA, inhibit ARAS and also the posterior hypothalamus
  3. ARAS: by anesthetics on meso-pontine acetylcholine
  4. Thalamus: oscillatory firing with low frequency but high amplitude, making the neurons in cortex less susceptible to stimulation from the outside
17
Q

State the drugs that enhance alertness/ arousal and briefly describe how.

A
  1. Cocaine/ methamphetamine: increase dopamine release

2. Anti-acetylcholinesterase: increased Ach at synapse, thus increase stimulation from basal forebrain

18
Q

How does antihistamine works in arousal-sleep function?

A

Antihistamine: inhibit the posterior hypothalamus, thus causing sleepiness

19
Q

State the tracts involved for generating muscle tone in reticular formation, and also their functions.

A
  1. Medial reticulospinal tract from pons: facilitate the extensor muscles contraction
  2. Lateral reticulospinal tract from medulla: projects to spinal cord to inhibit extensors, project to ANS preganglionic neurons
20
Q

Which of the projections from the reticulospinal tract to the spinal cord is more medial?
Pontine or medullary?

A

Pontine projections.

Medial reticulospinal tract is from pons!
Lateral reticulospinal tract is from medulla!

21
Q

Which reticular formation group is involved in the eye movement function?
What is its function?

A

Paramedian pontine reticular formation (PPRF)

- coordinates movement of lateral rectus and medial rectus muscles

22
Q

State the route of the regulation of eye movement.

A
  1. Cerebral cortex > PPRF (paramedian pontine reticular formation)
  2. > CN6 nucleus > lateral rectus muscles of the ipsilateral side
  3. > MLF > CN3 of the contralateral side, contraction of contralateral medial rectus
23
Q

State the pathway of the analgesic effect of the reticular formation.

A
  1. Pain fibers triggers the periaqueductal gray (upper pons) to send signals to the medulla
  2. Signals stimulate the release of 5-HT (serotonin) from raphe nucleus, which excites the spinal inhibitory interneuron
  3. The inhibitory neuron releases enkephalin to block the primary and secondary sensory neurons
  4. Locus ceruleus can also inhibit pain by noradrenaline
24
Q

Pain is transmitted via _____________________to the cortex, but some of the signals will trigger the periaqueductal gray for analgesia.

A

Spinothalamic tracts (anterolateral system)

25
Q

Motor neurons from __________________ innervate the sphincter urethrae (contract it).

A

onuf’s nucleus

26
Q

Describe the route of reticular formation for the visceral function of micturition and continence.

A

Decision to urinate > pontine reticular formation > parasympathetic neurons which lead to contraction of detrusor muscles (allow micturition) +
stimulate inhibitory interneurons to increase the inhibition on motor neurons (onuf’s nucleus) to relax the sphincter urethrae

27
Q

What will happen when there is a decision not to urinate?

A

Increase the activity of the onuf’s nucleus to contract the sphincter urethrae

28
Q

Which area of the brain might be damaged when there is case of incontinence?

A

pontine area (reticular formation there)

it receives information from the periaqueductal gray (midbrain)

29
Q

One of the 7 functions of reticular formation is visceral function of the hypothalamus. State 3 important functions of the hypothalamus.

A
  1. Autonomic
  2. Endocrine
  3. Behavioral (feeding, drinking, thermoregulation, sleep)
30
Q

Changes in body environment stimulates the spinal cord nuclei/ CN nuclei in brainstem > hypothalamus.
_______________ nucleus of the hypothalamus receives signals from solitary tract nucleus, reticular formation and spinal cord.
Where does this nucleus project to?

A

Paraventricular;

projects back to the reticular formation, cranial nerve nuclei and spinal cord

31
Q

Hypothalamus is connected to the lower regions and to forebrain by _______________________ and _____________________. These tracts contain both ascending and descending fibers.

A

Dorsal longitudinal fasciculus,

Medial forebrain bundle

32
Q

Unknown function of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus in the hypothalamic function, but it sends fibers to the _____________________ neurons.

A

Sympathetic preganglionic

33
Q

Damage to the fibers to sympathetic neurons in the brainstem results in _________________.

A

Horner’s syndrome

34
Q

Hypothalamus&raquo_space;> spinal cord via which 3 structures/ nuclei in the brainstem?

A
  1. Reticular formation
  2. Solitarius tract nucleus
  3. Dorsal motor nucleus (vagus)

Neuroanatomy (20 decks)

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