Brainstem Structure Function

Question 1

R-C location of: Oculomotor Nuclear Complex

Answer 1

Midbrain (at level of superior colliculus)

Question 2

R-C location of: Edinger-Westphal Nucleus

Answer 2

Midbrain (posterior to ONC)

Question 3

R-C location of: Trochlear nucleus

Answer 3

Midbrain (at level of inferior colliculus)

Question 4

R-C location of: Mesencephalic Nucleus of V

Answer 4

Midbrain (extending up from pons to rostral midbrain)

Question 5

R-C location of: Motor nucleus of V

Answer 5

pons

Question 6

R-C location of: Chief sensory nucleus of V

Answer 6

pons

Question 7

R-C location of: Spinal Nucleus of V

Answer 7

caudal medulla

Question 8

R-C location of: Abducens nucleus

Answer 8

pons (close to midline)

Question 9

R-C location of: Facial nucleus

Answer 9

pons (caudal and lateral)

Question 10

R-C location of: Superior salivatory nucleus

Answer 10

pons (posterior to facial nucleus)

Question 11

R-C location of: Inferior Salivatory Nucleus

Answer 11

medulla (rostral/near postero-midline)

Question 12

R-C location of: Vestibular and Cochlear ganglia

Answer 12

pons/rostral medulla

Question 13

R-C location of: Nucleus Solitarius

Answer 13

medulla (rostral and posterior)

Question 14

R-C location of: Inferior spinal vestibular nuclei

Answer 14

medulla (lateral to dorsal motor nucleus of X)

Question 15

R-C location of: Dorsal motor nucleus of X

Answer 15

medulla (posterior portion of rostral)

Question 16

R-C location of: Spinal trigeminal nucleus

Answer 16

medulla (rostral, postero-lateral)

Question 17

R-C location of: Nucleus Ambiguus

Answer 17

medulla (rostral, medial)

Question 18

R-C location of: Hypoglossal Nucleus

Answer 18

Medulla (medial to dorsal motor nucleus of X)

Question 19

Which cranial nerves do not have their cell nuclei in the brainstem?

Answer 19

I (CNS tract)
II (CNS tract)
XI (in spinal cord C1-C5/C6)

Question 20

What “system” of vessels supplies the brainstem?

Answer 20

Vertebral-Basilar System

Question 21

What vessel and its branches supplies the medulla?

Answer 21

Vertebral Arteries (2 Posterior Spinals, Anterior Spinal, PICAs)

Question 22

What vessel supplies the posterior 1/3 of each spinal cord?

Answer 22

Posterior Spinal Artery

Question 23

What vessel supplies the anterior 2/3 of each spinal cord?

Answer 23

Anterior spinal artery

Question 24

What does the PICA supply?

Answer 24

Posterior/inferior surface of cerebellar hemispheres

Question 25

What vessels supply the pons?

Answer 25

Basilar (major) | Superior cerebellar Arteries

Question 26

What part of the cerebellum does the SCA supply?

Answer 26

Superior surface and cerebellar peduncle

Question 27

What artery supplies the entire midbrain?

Answer 27

posteiror cerebral artery

Question 28

What does the AICAs serve?

Answer 28

- Anterior/inferior surface of cerebellar hemispheres | - Middle cerebellar peduncles

Question 29

Functions in control of reflex movements that orient the eyes, head, and neck in response to visual, auditory, and somatic stimuli

Answer 29

Superior colliculus

Question 30

Functions in the processing of autonomic and limbic activities, as well as modulation of nociception

Answer 30

PAG

Question 31

passageway connecting the 3rd and 4th ventricles

Answer 31

Aqueduct

Question 32

houses the parasympathetic innervation of the eye to constrict the iris and to the ciliary muscle to alter lens shape for accomodaiton

Answer 32

Nucleus of Edinger-Westphal

Question 33

motor control of the eye muscles

Answer 33

CN III Nuclei

Question 34

fiber pathway to thalamus for pain/temperature from the periphery

Answer 34

Spinaothalamic tract

Question 35

sensory pathway for proprioception connecting the nucleus gracilis and cuneatus with the thalamus

Answer 35

Medial Leminiscus

Question 36

thalamic relay nuclei for auditory information

Answer 36

Medial geniculate

Question 37

thalamic relay nuclei for visual information

Answer 37

Lateral geniculate

Question 38

fiber bundles of the corticospinal tract connecting the cerebral cortex to the brainstem

Answer 38

Cerebral peduncle

Question 39

optic fibers from the optic chiasm to the lateral geniculate

Answer 39

Optic tract

Question 40

one of several nuclei involved in smooth muscle motor control—degenerates in Parkinson’s disease

Answer 40

substantia nigra

Question 41

Relay nuclei between the cerebellum to the thalamus

Answer 41

red nucleus

Question 42

fiber pathway to and from the cerebellum

Answer 42

superior cerebellar peduncle

Question 43

fiber pathway to and from the cerebellum

Answer 43

middle cerebellar peduncle

Question 44

Three nuclear components (Mesencephalic, Main Sensory Nucleus, and Motor Nucleus)

Answer 44

Nuclei of V

Question 45

collection of neurons in the pons that receive input from the neocortex and send crossing fibers through the middle cerebellar peduncle

Answer 45

Pontine Nuclei

Question 46

Noradrenergic brainstem nucleus involved in mood and sleep/wake cycle

Answer 46

Locus Coeruleus

Question 47

One of several serotonin type nuclei involved in mood and sleep/wake cycle

Answer 47

Raphe nucleus pontis

Question 48

motor fibers from neocortex to spinal interneurons and lower motor neurons

Answer 48

Corticospinal Tract

Question 49

Nuclei of the vestibular system that regulate balance

Answer 49

Interior and Medial Vestibular Nuclei

Question 50

Sensory nucleus for taste (from CN VII), glands, and chemo/baroreceptors (CN IX, X)

Answer 50

Nucleus and tractus solitarius

Question 51

parasympathetic motor nucleus to the lungs and gut

Answer 51

Dorsal motor nucleus of X

Question 52

nuclear and tract components of the trigeminal nerve that extends down into the upper cervical spinal cord

Answer 52

Spinal nucleus and tract of CN V

Question 53

Origin of the climbing fibers to the cerebellar Purkinje cells

Answer 53

Inferior olivary nucleus

Question 54

Name given to the corticospinal tract fibers in the medulla

Answer 54

Pyramid

Question 55

network of neurons and axons that reside in the brainstem tegmentum and are involved in arousal, respiration, and heart rate control

Answer 55

Reticular formation

Question 56

glossopharyngeal nucleus with motor control over tongue and pharyngeal muscles with taste from the posterior 1/3 of the tongue

Answer 56

Nucleus of CN IX

Question 57

Fiber pathway between the vestibular nuclei and the CN nuclei III, IV, VI tocoordinate head/eye movements

Answer 57

Medial longitudinal fasciculus

Question 58

Where is the location of a lesion that would lead to ipsilateral 3rd nerve paresis and contralateral hemiparesis, tremor and ataxia?

Answer 58

Base and tegmentum of the midbrain

Question 59

What phenomenon might lead to a lesion that would lead to ipsilateral 3rd nerve paresis (CN III palsy- eye down and out), ipsilateral pupil dilation, and contralateral hemiparesis, tremor, ataxia and loss of fine touch?

Answer 59

Benedikt's syndrome (occlusion of tip of basilar or branches of the PCA) - CN III harmed in palsy - E-W nucleus harmed to prevent constricton of pupil - Red nucleus harm lead to the tremor - Medial Lemniscus leads to loss of epicritic senstion)

Question 60

Where is the location of a lesion that causes contralateral hemiparesis, ipsilateral facial paresis, and ipsilateral gaze paresis?

Answer 60

Base and tegmentum of medial pons

Question 61

What phenomenon might lead to a lesion that causes contralateral hemiparesis, ipsilateral facial paresis, and ipsilateral gaze paresis?

Answer 61

Foville's syndrome (occlusion of paramedian branches of basilar artery)

Question 62

What structures are involved in a lesion that causes contralateral hemiparesis, ipsilateral facial paresis, and ipsilateral gaze paresis?

Answer 62

``` Corticospinal tract CN VII (controls muscles of facial expression) CN VI (controls lateral rectus for ipsilateral gaze) ```

Question 63

Where is the location of a lesion that leads to ipsilateral ataxia, vertigo, and nausea, ipsilateral decrease in face pain sensation, contralateral decrease in body pain sensation, and ipsilateral Horner's syndrome?

Answer 63

LATERAL medulla (note there is no body weakness, so medial medulla is preserved but you do have loss of pain sensation which is through the spinothalamic tract--which is lateral)

Question 64

Where is the location of a lesion that leads to contralateral arm/leg weakness, contralateral decrease in position/vibration and ipslateral tongue weakness?

Answer 64

MEDIAL medulla

Question 65

What phenomenon might lead to a lesion that leads to ipsilateral ataxia, vertigo, and nausea, ipsilateral decrease in face pain sensation, contralateral decrease in body pain sensation, and ipsilateral Horner's syndrome?

Answer 65

Wallenberg's syndrome (occlusion of PICAs or vertebral arteries)