Control L6 brainstem and intro to the cerebellum

Question 1

What are the general functions of the brainstem?

Answer 1

conduit and relay of signals
integration of pathways
Contains reflex centres and nuclei of cranial nerves

Question 2

What are some behaviours/functions controlled by the brain stem?

Answer 2

Consciousness
Cardiovascular functions
Respiratory functions
Perception of pain
Influences motor patterns including balance, posture and muscle tone

Question 3

What components of the ventricular system run through the brainstem?

Answer 3

Fourth ventricle and the cerebral aquaduct

Question 4

What are the brain areas surrounding the brain stem?

Answer 4

Midbrain continuous with dienchephalon rostrally
Spinal cord caudally (continuous with the medulla at the level of the foramen magnum)
Clivus of the occipital bone ventrally
Cerebellum dorsally

Question 5

What are the three sub divisions of the brainstem?

Answer 5

Midbrain
Pons
Medulla oblongata

Question 6

What part of the brainstem do 10/12 of the cranial nerves come from?

Answer 6

Tectum

Question 7

What cranial nerves emerge from the CNS not the brainstem?

Answer 7

Cranial nerves I and II

Question 8

Which part of the nervous system are cranial nerve III - XII a part of?

Answer 8

Peripheral nervous system

Question 9

What are the three areas of the brainstem?

Answer 9

Tectum
Tegmentum
Basal area

Question 10

Where in the brainstem is the tectum found?

Answer 10

Posterior to the ventricular system

Question 11

What areas of the brainstem are anterior to the ventricular system?

Answer 11

Tegmentum
Basal area

Question 12

What travels down through the basal area?

Answer 12

Descending motor pathways

Question 13

What travels/emerges from the tectum?

Answer 13

Cranial nerves III-XII

Question 14

What area is in the pons?

Answer 14

The basal area

Question 15

What is the pontomedullary junction?

Answer 15

Division between the medulla and the pons

Question 16

Where is the anterior median fissue seen on the brainstem?

Answer 16

Ventral view on anterior surface of the medulla

Question 17

What are the bulges that surround the anterior median fissue?

Answer 17

Pyramids of the medulla

Question 18

What travels beneath the pyramids of the medulla?

Answer 18

Descending motor axons

Question 19

What is the point where the anterior median fissue disappears called?

Answer 19

Decussation of the pyramids

Question 20

What happens at the decussation of pyramids?

Answer 20

The nerve fibres cross over (as left brain supplies right body and vice versa)

Question 21

What is found laterally to the pyramids of the medulla?

Answer 21

The olives of the medulla

Question 22

What marks the division between the olives and pyramids of the medulla?

Answer 22

Anterolateral sulcus

Question 23

What nerve fibres emerge at the anterolateral sulcus?

Answer 23

Cranial nerve XII

Question 24

What nerves emerge laterally to the olives?

Answer 24

IX, X and some fibres of XI

Question 25

What is the name of the area where cranial nerves IX, X and some fibres of XI emerge?

Answer 25

Posterolateral sulcus

Question 26

What is the diamond shape seen in the dorsal view of the brain stem?

Answer 26

Floor of the 4th ventricle

Question 27

What runs in the midline of the medulla seen from a dorsal view?

Answer 27

Posterior median fissure

Question 28

What are the elevations either side of the posterior medulla fissure called?

Answer 28

Gracile fascicle

Question 29

What are fasicicles?

Answer 29

Groups of axons

Question 30

What sit laterally to the gracile fascicles?

Answer 30

The cuneate fascicles

Question 31

What are the tubercles at the top of the gracile and cuneate fascicles called?

Answer 31

The gracile and cuneate tubercles respectively

Question 32

What is contained in the gracile and cuneate tubercles?

Answer 32

Cell bodies

Question 33

What is the rostral medulla also called?

Answer 33

Open medulla

Question 34

Why is the rostral medulla called the open medulla?

Answer 34

It opens to the 4th ventricle

Question 35

What is another name for the caudal medulla? Why?

Answer 35

Closed medulla - a membrane separates it from the 4th ventricle

Question 36

What is the area where the fourth ventricle connects to the central canal of the spinal cord called?

Answer 36

Obex

Question 37

What part of the medulla are the gracile and cuneate tubercles found?

Answer 37

Closed/caudal medulla

Question 38

What part of the medulla are the olives found?

Answer 38

The open medulla

Question 39

What part of the medulla are the pyramids found?

Answer 39

Both open and closed medulla

Question 40

What is contained in the olives?

Answer 40

Nucleus

Question 41

What connects the cerebellum to the brain stem?

Answer 41

Inferior cerebella penduncles?

Question 42

What is the pontomesencephalic junction?

Answer 42

Where the medulla becomes the pons

Question 43

What is the structure of the pons and its relation to the cerebellum?

Answer 43

Horizontal/transverse fibres that allow the hemispheres of the cerebellum to communicate

Question 44

What is the groove in the middle of the horizontal fibres over the pons called?

Answer 44

The basilar groove

Question 45

What nerve emerges from the middle of ventral pons?

Answer 45

Sensory and motor root of cranial nerve 5

Question 46

What is the area called where the pons meets the cerebellum?

Answer 46

Cerebellopontine angle

Question 47

What nerves emerge from the cerebellopontine angle?

Answer 47

Cranial nerves V, VI, VII and VIII

Question 48

Where does cranial nerve VI emerge?

Answer 48

Pontomedullary junction

Question 49

What are the three cerebella peduncles?

Answer 49

Superior, middle and inferior

Question 50

What is the bump seen in the middle of the floor of the 4th ventricle called?

Answer 50

Facial colliculus

Question 51

What sits in the basilar groove?

Answer 51

The basilar artery

Question 52

What is the name for the descending motor fibres in the pons?

Answer 52

Corticospinal fibres

Question 53

Why do the corticospinal fibres look less organised in the pons compared to the medulla?

Answer 53

They are interrupted by horizontal fibres so are less organised

Question 54

Where does the cerebral aqueduct begin?

Answer 54

At the level of the rostral pons

Question 55

What sits below the facial colliculus?

Answer 55

Nucleus of cranial nerve VI and fibres of cranial nerve VII which wrap around it

Question 56

What separates the pons from the midbrain?

Answer 56

The pontomesencephalic junction

Question 57

What connects the brain stem with the cerebrum?

Answer 57

Cerebral peduncles

Question 58

What sits in between the cerebral peduncles?

Answer 58

The interpeduncluar fossa containing the mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus

Question 59

Where does cranial nerve III emerge?

Answer 59

Interpeduncular fossa

Question 60

Where does cranial nerve IV emerge?

Answer 60

Dorsal surface of the midbrain (wraps around to emerge anteriorly)

Question 61

What are the four bumps seen in a dorsal view of the midbrain?

Answer 61

The paired superior colliculus and inferior colliculus

Question 62

What connects the superior and inferior colliculus to the thalamus?

Answer 62

The brachium of the superior and inferior colliculus

Question 63

What connects the cerebral peduncle to the tegmentum?

Answer 63

The substantia nigra

Question 64

What area of the brainstem are the superior and inferior colliculus of the medulla?

Answer 64

The tectum

Question 65

What is the reticular formation?

Answer 65

A complex, diffuse and multi synaptic network of neurones within the tegmentum of the brainstem

Question 66

What makes up the reticular formation?

Answer 66

Reticular nuclei Vital autonomic centre Ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) Pain modulation centre Sleep wake cycle Arousal centre

Question 67

What is the role of the reticular nuclei?

Answer 67

Gives rise to the reticulospinal tract to send descending motor fibres for voluntary motion, breathing and consciousness

Question 68

What is the role of the vital autonomic centres?

Answer 68

Vital respiratory and cardiovascular functions e.g. heart rate and breathing

Question 69

What is the role of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS)?

Answer 69

Travels to the cortex arose the brain into consciousness

Question 70

How will patient’s with damage to the ARAS present?

Answer 70

In a coma as they cannot gain consciousness

Question 71

What arteries supply the brainstem?

Answer 71

Superior cerebellar (SCA) Basilar - including lateral pontine arteries Anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) Posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) Vertebral arteries - lateral and paramedian branches