Brain Stem

Question 1

Where is the fourth ventricle located?

Answer 1

Partly in the medulla and partly in the pons.

Question 2

Where are the corticospinal fibres located in the brain stem?

Answer 2

Pyramid of the medulla

Question 3

What two fasciculi continue to travel from the spinal cord to the medulla?

Answer 3

Gracile and cuneate fasciculi.

Question 4

How many cranial nerves are attached to the medulla?

Answer 4

7
Abducens
Facial
Vestibulocochlear
Glossopharyngeal
Vagus
Accessory
Hypoglossal

Question 5

Which part of the brain stem attaches to the cerebellum?

Answer 5

Pons
The basal pons blends laterally into the middle cerebellar peduncles with the attachment of the trigeminal nerve marking the transition

Question 6

What is the importance of the basal pons?

Answer 6

Serves as a large synaptic relay station, providing a connection from the cortex of each cerebral hemisphere to the opposite cerebellar hemisphere,

Question 7

What structure is situated immediately below the cerebral peduncles and inferior colliculi of the midbrain?

Answer 7

Isthmus of the brain stem

Question 8

What is the purpose of the foramen of Magendie (median aperture of the fourth ventricle)?

Answer 8

A hole that provides the principal communication between the ventricular system and the subarachnoid space

Question 9

What does the choroid plexus secrete and where is it located?

Answer 9

CSF in the fourth ventricle.

Question 10

What are the several functions of primary performance of the the reticular formation

Answer 10

1. Influence levels of consciousness and degree of alertness
2. Control of movement through efferents to the spinal cord and to motor nuclei of cranial nerves
3. Contributing to visceral and other involuntary activities through groups of neurons that function as cardiovascular and respiratory centres.

Question 11

What transitional zones are located in the ventral grey horns of the medulla?

Answer 11

Extend to the region of decussation which includes motor cells for the first cervical nerve and the spinal root for the accessory nerve. From here, it passes from the pyramids to the corticospinal tracts.

Question 12

What are the dorsal grey horns replaced by?

Answer 12

Spinal trigeminal nuclei

Question 13

Where does the medial lemniscus system tract end?

Answer 13

The lateral division of the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus

Question 14

What two tracts merge together to form the spinal lemniscus?

Answer 14

Spinothalamic and spinotectal tracts

Question 15

What are the three routes from the spinal cord to the thalamus and cerebral cortex?

Answer 15

1. Medial lemniscus system
2. Neospinothalamic system
3. Paleospinothalamic system

Question 16

Where are the dorsal and ventral spinocerebellar tracts located?

Answer 16

Near the lateral surface of the medulla

Question 17

What does the cuneocerebellar fibres provide?

Answer 17

A pathway to the cerebellum from proprioceptive and other sensory endings in the neck and upper limb

Question 18

What information is passed through the inferior cerebellum?

Answer 18

Spinal cord to cerebellum

Question 19

What information is passed through the middle cerebellum peduncle?

Answer 19

Cerebellum to cerebellum via pons

Question 20

What is the medulla?

Answer 20

Continuation between spinal cord and brain stem

Question 21

What is the basis pedunculi composed of?

Answer 21

Corticospinal
Corticobulbar
Corticopontine fibres

Question 22

What information does the superior colliculus pick up?

Answer 22

Vision

Question 23

What information does the inferior colliculus pick up?

Answer 23

Auditory stimuli

Question 24

What is the gracile fasciculus concerned with?

Answer 24

Sensations from the leg and lower trunk

Medial

Question 25

What is the cuneate fasciculus carry?

Answer 25

Sensations from the upper trunk, arm and neck

Lateral

Question 26

What does the spinothalamic tract pick up?

Answer 26

Pain, temp, touch on opposite sides

Question 27

What does the spinotectal tract pick up?

Answer 27

Sensory information to the superior colliculus and the reticular formation of the midbrain and then into the medulla