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Neuroscience > Week 2: The Brainstem > Flashcards

Week 2: The Brainstem Flashcards

1
Q

Why is the brainstem of significant importance?

A
  • 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
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2
Q

What are the 4 main components of the brainstem?

A
  1. Holds cranial nerve nuclei and related structures.
  2. Long tracts that contain descending motor pathways, ascending motor pathways and viscerosomatic pathways.
  3. Cerebellar circuitry
  4. Reticular formation
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3
Q

What are the 3 main regions of the brainstem?

A

Midbrain
pons
medulla

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4
Q

Another name for midbrain is:

A

mesencephalon

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5
Q

What are the 3 regions of the mesencephalon?

A

tectum
tegmentum
basis pedunculi

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6
Q

What two structures are located in the tectum?

A

superior colliculi

inferior colliculi

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7
Q

What is the orientation of the brain stem?

A

ventral or anterior

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8
Q

What is the orientation of this brain stem?

A

posterior or dorsal

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9
Q

What is the orientation of this brainstem?

A

lateral

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10
Q

Name this brainstem cross section:

A

Rostral midbrain

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11
Q

Name this brainstem cross section

A

Caudal Midbrain

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12
Q

Name this brainstem cross section

A

pontomesenphelic junction

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13
Q

Name this brainstem cross section:

A

Rostral Pons

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14
Q

Name this brainstem cross section:

A

caudal pons

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15
Q

Name this brainstem cross section:

A

Rostral Medulla

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16
Q

Name this brainstem cross section:

A

caudal medulla

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17
Q

What is special about white and grey matter on these myelin stained specimens?

A

the way white matter and grey matter are flip flopped. white matter is grey matter and grey matter is white matter.

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18
Q

What are the major associations associated with the mesencephalon?

A 
vision
hearing
motor control
sleep and wake cycle
alertness
temperature regulation
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19
Q

What cranial nerves are located externally on the midbrain or mesencephalon?

A

Cranial nerve 3 and 4

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20
Q

Is the superior colliculi located more rostral or caudal in the midbrain?

A

rostral

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21
Q

is the inferior colliculi located more caudal or rostral?

A

caudal

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22
Q

What are the 3 most basic layers of the midbrain?

A

Tectum
tegmentum
basis pedunculi

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23
Q

Name all of the structures located in the tegmentum (hint there are 9).

A
  1. multitude of ascending and descending tracts
  2. substantia nigra
  3. reticular formation
  4. ventral tegmental area
  5. red nuclei
  6. CN 3 oculomotor nuclei
  7. CN 4 trochlear nuclei
  8. Superior Cerebellar peduncles
  9. Raphe nuclei
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24
Q

Name all of the structures located in the tegmentum (hint there are 9).

A
  1. multitude of ascending and descending tracts
  2. substantia nigra
  3. reticular formation
  4. ventral tegmental area
  5. red nuclei
  6. CN 3 oculomotor nuclei
  7. CN 4 trochlear nuclei
  8. Superior Cerebellar peduncles
  9. Raphe nuclei
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25
Q

What are the 3 structures of the tegmentum that are only located in the cross section of the rostral midbrain?

A

ventral tegmental area
red nuclei
CN 3 oculomotor nuclei

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26
Q

What are the 3 structures that are only located in the cross section of the caudal midbrain?

A

CN 4 Trochlear nuclei
Superior cerebellar peduncles
Raphe nuclei

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27
Q

The Basis Pedunculi is a section of the midbrain that contains what structure?

A

Crus cerebri

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28
Q

The crus cerebri are:

A

large bundles of somatotopically organized axons containing fibers from motor pathways.

29
Q

The cerebral peduncles consists of:

A

substantia nigra and the basis pedunculi

30
Q

What cranial nerve emerges from the surface area of the pons?

A

CN 5 (trigeminal nerve)

31
Q

The pons is associated with:

A

sleep
respiration
swallowing
bladder control

32
Q

The pons is divided into 2 regions:

A

the basilar pons

pontine tegmentum

33
Q

what 2 structures are located within the basilar pons?

A

deep pontine nuclei

descending motor pathways to spinal cord and cerebellum

34
Q

There are a lot of structures in the pontine tegmentum but they can be broken down into 8 groups or larger structures. What are the 8 structures?

A
  1. reticular formation
  2. cranial nerve nuclei
  3. cerebellar peduncles
  4. deep cerebellar peduncles
  5. ascending sensory pathways
  6. descending motor pathways
  7. trapezoid body
  8. additional important nuclei
35
Q

What are the cranial nerve nuclei associated with the pontine tegmentum?

A

CN 5 nuclei (trigeminal)
CN 6 nuclei (abducens)
CN 7 nuclei (facial)
CN 8 nuclei (vestibular)

36
Q

Of the cranial nerve nuclei located in the pontine tegmentum. which ones are located in the CAUDAL pons?

A

trigeminal, abducens, facial and vestibular

37
Q

Of the cranial nerve nuclei located in the pontine tegmentum. which ones are located in the ROSTRAL pons?

A

trigeminal and vestibular

38
Q

What are the 3 cerebellar peduncles in the pontine tegmentum

A

superior, middle and inferior peduncles

39
Q

Of the cerebellar peduncles located in the pontine tegmentum, which are located in the CAUDAL pons?

A

Superior, middle and inferior

40
Q

Of the cerebellar peduncles located in the pontine tegmentum, which are located in the Rostral pons?

A

superior and middle

41
Q

Are the deep cerebellar nuclei located caudally or rostrally?

42
Q

is the trapezoid body located caudally or rostrally?

43
Q

What are the names of the additional important nuclei located in the pontine tegmentum?

A

nucleus of Locus Ceruleus
Raphe Nucleus
superior olivary nucleus

44
Q

Of the additional important nuclei in the pontine tegmentum, which of the nuclei are located rostrally?

A

nucleus of locus ceruleus

raphe nucleus

45
Q

Of the additional important nuclei in the pontine tegmentum, which of the nuclei are located caudally?

A

superior olivary nucleus

46
Q

The superior and middle cerebellar peduncles are located:

A

The caudal and rostral pontine tegmentum (or just the pontine tegmentum)

47
Q

The inferior cerebellar peduncle is located only in the:

A

caudal pontine tegmentum

48
Q

What cranial nerves emerge from the surface area of the medulla?

49
Q

Which part of the brain stem is considered to be the survival center?

A

medulla oblongata

50
Q

What is the bridge between the brainstem and cerebellum?

A

cerebellar peduncles of the pontine tegmentum

51
Q

At the trapezoid body, the fibers are in a decussation. This means that ______________ fibers cross.

52
Q

why is it important to appreciate why fibers cross?

A

If there is a stroke above your caudal pons in your auditory pathway, the fibers have crossed from ear so there will be injury on the contralateral side. Below the caudal pons or the decussation, the impairment will be ipsilateral.

53
Q

What is the medulla survival kit?

A

Heart Rate
Blood Pressure
Breathing
Swallowing

54
Q

Why is the medulla called the survival center?

A

Because it is responsible for the function of your cardiovascular, respiratory and vasomotor centers.

It controls autonomic functions.

55
Q

The Myelencephalon in the Medulla Oblongata is divided into:

A

Rostral and Caudal

56
Q

What are the major 7 structures located in the Rostral Myelencephalon of the medulla oblongata?

A
  1. Reticular Formation
  2. Ascending tracts
  3. Medullary pyramids
  4. Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle
  5. Open Medulla
  6. Inferior olivary nuclei
  7. cranial nerve nuclei
57
Q

The medullary pyramids of the rostral medulla oblongata carries the:

A

major descending motor tracts

58
Q

What cranial nerve nuclei are included in the rostral portion of the medulla oblongata?

A

CN 8 Vestibular Nuclei
Nucleus Solitarius
Nucleus Ambiguous
Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus

59
Q

What are the 8 major structures included in the caudal section of the myelencephalon of the medulla oblongata?

A
  1. Central canal
  2. Reticular Formation
  3. Ascending tracts
  4. Medullary pyramids
  5. Cranial nerve nuclei
  6. inferior olivary nuclei
  7. medial lemniscus decussation
  8. pyramidal decussation (Cervicomedullary junction)
60
Q

The ascending tracts in the caudal myelencephalon of the medulla oblongata hold what important structures?

A

Nuclei Gracilis and Cuneatus

61
Q

The medullary pyramids contains what important structure in the caudal myelencephalon?

A

Descending motor tracts

62
Q

What cranial nerve nuclei are including in the myelencephalon?

A 
CN 10 Vagus motor nuclei
CN 12 Hypoglossal nuclei
Nucleus solitarius
Nucleus ambiguous 
CN 11 Spinal Accessory Nucleus
63
Q

The reticular formation can best be compared to:

A

an on and off switch

64
Q

What occurs if the Reticular Formation is damaged?

A

Coma or death

65
Q

The reticular formation is an intricate system composed of:

A

loosely clustered neurons

66
Q

The reticular formation extends through central core of:

A

medulla
pons
midbrain

67
Q

The projections of the reticular formation can be found in the:

A

thalamus
cerebellum
spinal cord
optic

68
Q

What are the functions of the reticular formation?

A
  1. General arousal and awareness
  2. Reticular Activating System (RAS)
    - ——- synapses with all major ascending tracts
    - ——- functions in arousal from sleep
  3. motor awareness
    - ——- medial and lateral reticulospinal tracts
  4. autonomic regulation

Neuroscience (10 decks)

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