Week 2: The Brainstem Flashcards
Why is the brainstem of significant importance?
- It carries almost all information between brain and rest of nervous system
- it is the location of many crucial nuclei (which holds cranial nerve function, consciousness, cerebellar circuits, muscle tone, posture, autonomic function and the list goes on…
- it hosts structures critical to basic survival
What are the 4 main components of the brainstem?
- Holds cranial nerve nuclei and related structures.
- Long tracts that contain descending motor pathways, ascending motor pathways and viscerosomatic pathways.
- Cerebellar circuitry
- Reticular formation
What are the 3 main regions of the brainstem?
Midbrain
pons
medulla
Another name for midbrain is:
mesencephalon
What are the 3 regions of the mesencephalon?
tectum
tegmentum
basis pedunculi
What two structures are located in the tectum?
superior colliculi
inferior colliculi
What is the orientation of the brain stem?
ventral or anterior
What is the orientation of this brain stem?
posterior or dorsal
What is the orientation of this brainstem?
lateral
Name this brainstem cross section:
Rostral midbrain
Name this brainstem cross section
Caudal Midbrain
Name this brainstem cross section
pontomesenphelic junction
Name this brainstem cross section:
Rostral Pons
Name this brainstem cross section:
caudal pons
Name this brainstem cross section:
Rostral Medulla
Name this brainstem cross section:
caudal medulla
What is special about white and grey matter on these myelin stained specimens?
the way white matter and grey matter are flip flopped. white matter is grey matter and grey matter is white matter.
What are the major associations associated with the mesencephalon?
vision hearing motor control sleep and wake cycle alertness temperature regulation
What cranial nerves are located externally on the midbrain or mesencephalon?
Cranial nerve 3 and 4
Is the superior colliculi located more rostral or caudal in the midbrain?
rostral
is the inferior colliculi located more caudal or rostral?
caudal
What are the 3 most basic layers of the midbrain?
Tectum
tegmentum
basis pedunculi
Name all of the structures located in the tegmentum (hint there are 9).
- multitude of ascending and descending tracts
- substantia nigra
- reticular formation
- ventral tegmental area
- red nuclei
- CN 3 oculomotor nuclei
- CN 4 trochlear nuclei
- Superior Cerebellar peduncles
- Raphe nuclei
Name all of the structures located in the tegmentum (hint there are 9).
- multitude of ascending and descending tracts
- substantia nigra
- reticular formation
- ventral tegmental area
- red nuclei
- CN 3 oculomotor nuclei
- CN 4 trochlear nuclei
- Superior Cerebellar peduncles
- Raphe nuclei
What are the 3 structures of the tegmentum that are only located in the cross section of the rostral midbrain?
ventral tegmental area
red nuclei
CN 3 oculomotor nuclei
What are the 3 structures that are only located in the cross section of the caudal midbrain?
CN 4 Trochlear nuclei
Superior cerebellar peduncles
Raphe nuclei
The Basis Pedunculi is a section of the midbrain that contains what structure?
Crus cerebri