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MS2 - Nervous System > Introduction to the Brainstem > Flashcards

Introduction to the Brainstem Flashcards

1
Q

Functionally, the brainstem is divided into three parts. What are they?

A

Conduit

Cranial nerves

Integrative (life-sustaining functions mediated by the reticular formation)

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2
Q

“The brainstem is kind of like a spinal cord that never closed up.” Explain.

A

The alar plate (sensory) is lateral/posterior to the basal plate (motor), but they have not fused. It’s like a C.

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3
Q

Cerebral peduncle is the modern name for ____________.

A

crus cerebri

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4
Q

The olives are _________ and ________ to the pyramids.

A

lateral; posterior

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5
Q

The colliculi are on the dorsal surface of the _______.

A

midbrain

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6
Q

The predominant features of the dorsal pons are the _________.

A

cerebellar peduncles

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7
Q

The DCML synapses on _________.

A

[dorsal column medial lemniscus (DCML)] on the nucleus gracilis and nucleus cuneatus

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8
Q

The inferior colliculus looks more ___________.

A

ovoid

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9
Q

The superior colliculus looks like _____________.

A

“a butt” (they’re more rounded)

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10
Q

The substantia nigra lies between ___________.

A

the cerebral peduncles and the body of the midbrain

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11
Q

The upper medulla looks like ____________.

A

a butterfly

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12
Q

Where is the best cross section to see the cerebellar peduncles?

A

The upper medulla

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13
Q

The olivary nucleus is visible in which cross sections?

A

Upper medulla and upper middle medulla (it is the “squiggly line” –the monster’s mouth)

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14
Q

The superior colliculus carries ________ reflexes.

A

visual

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15
Q

The inferior colliculus carries __________ reflexes.

A

auditory

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16
Q

If you’re looking at the ventral surface of the medulla, at what landmark is the decussation?

A

The base of the pyramids

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17
Q

In the cerebral peduncles, the corticospinal tract is _________.

A

in the middle (there are other tracts dorsal and ventral)

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18
Q

What is the SCP?

A

The superior cerebellar peduncles (visible in the upper pons–the ears of the cat)

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19
Q

If you’re viewing a cross section of the upper medulla, where will the corticospinal tracts be?

A

Ventral to the olivary nuclei

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20
Q

The ICPs will be seen dorsal to what?

A

Olivary nuclei (upper medulla section)

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21
Q

In the caudal medulla, the nucleus gracilis and nucleus cuneatus are ________ to their respective fasciculi.

A

deep/ventral

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22
Q

Where is the medial lemniscus in the medulla?

A

Medial/deep to the olivary nuclei and posterior/deep to the corticospinal tracts

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23
Q

In the medial lemniscus in the medulla, the upper body is _________ to the lower body.

A

posterior

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24
Q

In the medial lemniscus in the pons, the upper body is ___________ to the lower body.

A

medial

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25
Q

Where do the medial lemniscus go in the midbrain?

A

Laterally (but still posterior to the substantia nigra)

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26
Q

In relation to the medullary olive, where is the spinothalamic tract?

A

Posterior, on the lateral edge of the brainstem

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27
Q

The “sleeping cat” is which cross section?

A

Upper pons

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28
Q

Describe Dr. Stabio’s basic guide to identifying the location of brainstem lesions.

A

Nuclei serve as indicators of latitude and axon tracts serve as indicators of longitude.

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29
Q

Where are the cranial nerve nuclei located?

A

Cerebrum: 1, 2
Midbrain: 3, 4
Pons: 5, 6, 7, 8
Medulla: 9, 10, 11, 12

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30
Q

Most long tract lesion signs will be ____________, while most cranial nerve nuclei signs will be __________.

A

contralateral; ipsilateral

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31
Q

What is the upper-motor neuron equivalent of the cranial nerves (i.e., what is the cranial-nerve version of the corticospinal tract)?

A

The corticobulbar tract

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32
Q

What is the “chemical formula” mnemonic for ocular muscles?

A

(LR6SO4)3
Lateral rectus: 6 (abducens)
Superior oblique: 4 (trochlear)
All the rest: 3 (oculomotor)

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33
Q

The skinny part of the trigeminal nerve (which exits from the pons) carries ____________.

A

motor (mastication)

34
Q

What is the sensory component of CN VII?

A

Taste (the motor is EXPRESSION)

35
Q

The only cranial nerve that exits from the back of the brainstem is ___________.

A

CN IV (TRochlear is TRicky –it is also the only decussating nerve)

36
Q

There are _________ nuclei in the brainstem for CN V.

A

four

  • mesencephalic [in the upper pons]
  • main motor (mastication) [in the mid pons, medial to the main sensory nucleus]
  • main sensory (mechanoreceptors of the face)
  • spinal nucleus (pain)
37
Q

The oculomotor nucleus can be seen in the ________. Where will it be?

A

upper midbrain; it is directly anterior to the cerebral aqueduct

38
Q

What does the MLF do?

A

It coordinates eye movements with head movements to stabilize vision while moving. The MLF connects to CN 3, 4, 6, and 8. It involves the cerebellum and vestibulocochlear system.

39
Q

What is weird about the relationship between the axons of CN VII and the nucleus of CN VI?

A

The axons of CN VII go posteriorly and wrap around the nucleus of CN VI and the spinal tract of CN V.

40
Q

The nucleus of CN VII is split into ________.

A

upper and motor divisions.

41
Q

The ________ division of the facial nucleus receives bilateral innervation.

A

upper

42
Q

What structure divides the two nuclei of CN VIII?

A

The ICP (the cochlear nucleus is on the lateral side of the ICP and the vestibular nucleus is on the medial side)

43
Q

What information does the inferior cerebellar peduncle carry?

A

Spinal cord information to the cerebellum
Vestibular-cerebellar connection
Inferior olivary nucles-cerebellum connection

44
Q

The middle cerebellar peduncle is the route by which _________________.

A

cerebral information passes to the cerebellum via pontine nuclei

45
Q

The superior cerebellar peduncle is the route by which __________________.

A

the cerebellum gets information back to the cerebral cortex by way of the thalamus
also come cerebral-cerebellar communication

46
Q

The 4th ventricle is “embraced” by which peduncles?

A

SCP and MCP

47
Q

True or false: the alar/basal division pertains to tracts.

A

False! Only nuclei

48
Q

MLF stands for _________________.

A

medial longitudinal fasciculus

49
Q

The trigeminal nerve enters the brainstem through the ____________.

A

mid pons

50
Q

What two trigeminal nuclei are ipsilateral to the entry point of the nerve?

A

The motor and principal sensory nucleus (analogous to the nucleus cuneatus/gracilis)

51
Q

Axons from the principal sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve turn _________.

A

caudally before crossing at the base of the medulla

52
Q

The Edinger-Westphal nucleus is part of what CN nuclei?

A

III

53
Q

What are the three longitudinal sections of the brainstem?

A

Basis (anterior)

Tegmentum (middle)

Tectum (posterior)

54
Q

The cerebral aqueduct can be seen in cross sections of what structure?

A

The midbrain

55
Q

At what cross-sectional level does the medial lemniscus flip from an anterior-posterior axis to a medial-lateral axis?

A

Between the upper medulla and the lower pons

56
Q

In the upper pons, the spinothalamic tracts are just ____________ to the medial lemnisci.

A

lateral

57
Q

In the midbrain the spinothalamic tracts are just ___________ to the medial lemnisci.

A

posterior

58
Q

What nuclei are in the upper midbrain periaqueductal gray matter?

A

CN III (with Edinger-Westphal like a scoop of ice cream on the cone)

59
Q

Upon physical exam, how will damages to the right CN II and CN III present?

A

CN II: when you shine a light on the right eye neither pupil constricts (though shining a light on the left eye causes both pupils to constrict)

CN III: when you shine a light on the right eye the left pupil constricts but the right does not

60
Q

The nuclei to what cranial nerve is just posterior to the medial longitudinal fasciculus in the lower midbrain?

A

CN IV

61
Q

The MLF connects to what cranial nerve nuclei?

A

Think about it: it needs to coordinate eye movements with head movements; thus, it connects to all of the nuclei involved in eye movements (3, 4, and 6) with the vestibulocochlear nucleus (8).

62
Q

What is in the cat’s ears?

A

The mesencephalic nucleus of the trigeminal nerve

63
Q

The sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve is ___________ to the motor nucleus in the _______ pons.

A

lateral; mid

64
Q

The “eyes” of the monster in the upper-mid medulla are the _____________.

A

nuclei ambiguus

65
Q

What cross section would you be looking at if you saw the nuclei of 10 and 12 (with 12 being lateral and posterior to 10)?

A

Upper mid medulla

66
Q

What information does the solitary nucleus process?

A

Taste (7, 9, 10)

67
Q

The spinal tract for CN V is ___________ to the spinal nucleus for CN V.

A

lateral

68
Q

The sensory neurons that mediate the stretch reflex synapse where?

A

In the mesencephalic nucleus

69
Q

The corneal blink reflex is mediated by __________ sensory neurons.

A

pain (so those that synapse on the spinal nucleus)

70
Q

The sensory axons from the face (for pressure/vibration) synapse on _____________.

A

the main sensory nucleus of the trigeminal ganglion (analogous to the nucleus gracilis)

71
Q

What structure is just posterior to the spinothalamic tract in the midbrain?

A

The lateral lemniscus (carrying auditory information)

72
Q

In the midbrain, posterior to the medial lemniscus and medial to the lateral lemniscus is what?

A

The SCP

73
Q

Axons that arise from cells in the pons terminate in the ______________.

A

cerebellum (for movement coordination)

74
Q

Anterior to the MLF in the lower midbrain is the _______.

A

SCP

75
Q

Axons from the ______________ synapse on the red nucleus.

A

contralateral cerebellum

76
Q

The lower pons looks kind of like _______________. What are its ears?

A

the aliens from Independence Day (at least to my eyes); the MCP

77
Q

The deep cerebellar nuclei are opposite the ____________.

A

lower pons (across the 4th ventricle)

78
Q

The 5th nerve exits ___________.

A

mid pons

79
Q

Anterior and lateral to the fasciculus cuneatus is the ___________.

A

spinal trigeminal nucleus

80
Q

The axons from the dentate nucleus pass through the ___________.

A

SCP to the thalamus

81
Q

Where are the dentate nuclei?

A

On the opposite sides of the vermis

MS2 - Nervous System (111 decks)

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