General features of the brain

Question 1

What is sagittal plane?

Answer 1

splits the hemispheres

Question 2

what is horizontal/transverse/axial plane?

Answer 2

separates the top from the bottom (cerebellum and brain stem below, cortex above_

Question 3

what is the coronal/frontal plane?

Answer 3

splits the front from the back (frontal cortex at front and occipital cortex at the back)

Question 4

what makes up the hindbrain?

Answer 4

medulla, pons and cerebellum

Question 5

what makes up the midbrain?

Answer 5

tectum (superior and inferior colliculi) and cerebral peduncle (tegmentum and crus cerebri)

Question 6

what makes up the forebrain?

Answer 6

diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus) and telencephalon (cerebral cortex, basal ganglia)

Question 7

what is a neuropil?

Answer 7

feltwork of intermingled an dinterconnected neuronal processes space between the neuronal cells bodies

Question 8

whats the difference between nuclei and ganglia?

Answer 8

nuclei in the CNs, ganglia in the PNS

Question 9

whats the role of the frontal lobe?

Answer 9

• higher intellectual functions
• voluntary movement
• expressive language

Question 10

where is Brocas area found and what does it do?

Answer 10

frontal lobe
articulation of speech

Question 11

whats the function of the temporal lobe?

Answer 11

• primary auditory cortex
• memory processing

Question 12

where is wernickes area and where is it found?

Answer 12

temporal lobe
speech comprehension and formulation

Question 13

what happens in wernickes aphasia?

Answer 13

-speak in jumbled ‘word salad’ and others cannot understand

Question 14

what happens in brocas aphasia?

Answer 14

• limited language but people can understand

Question 15

whats the role of the parietal lobe?

Answer 15

-primary somatosensation
- maths
- spatial sense and nagivation

Question 16

whats the role of the occipital lobe?

Answer 16

• vision

Question 17

whats the role of the cerebellum?

Answer 17

motor control of equlibirium, posture and muscle tone

Question 18

whats the role of the thalamus?

Answer 18

filter and relay station

Question 19

whats the role of the basal ganglia?

Answer 19

modulator, motor and cognitive patterns generator

Question 20

whats the inferior brachium?

Answer 20

auditory information from the medial geniculate body to the inferior colliculi

Question 21

whats the superior brachium?

Answer 21

visual information form th elateral geniculate body to the superior colliculi

Question 22

what are the two layers of the dura?

Answer 22

outer endosteal layer and inner meningeal layer

Question 23

whats the role of the falx cerebri?

Answer 23

keeps the two hemispheres seperate

Question 24

whats the tentorium cerebelli?

Answer 24

sheet of dura between cerebellum and occipital ples

Question 25

what are the small calcified bumps important for CSF reabsorbtion called?

Answer 25

arachnoid granulations

Question 26

what is typically the cause of extradural haemorrhage?

Answer 26

traumatic head injury

Question 27

what is the typical cause of subarachnoid haemorrhage?

Answer 27

- stroke and vascular incidents

Question 28

what artery supplies the anterior circulation of the brain?

Answer 28

internal carotid arteries

Question 29

what supplies posterior circulation?

Answer 29

- vertebral and basilar arteries

Question 30

what two major branches come from the carotid artery?

Answer 30

- anterior cerebral artery - middle cerebral artery

Question 31

what does the anterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 31

supplies the corpus callosum and the medial territories of hemispheres

Question 32

what are the anterior cerebral arteries joined by?

Answer 32

anterior communicating artery

Question 33

what does the middle cerebral artery supply?

Answer 33

lateral territories of hemispheres

Question 34

where does the middle cerebral artery run through?

Answer 34

middle of lateral fissure

Question 35

what does the posterior circulation supply blood to?

Answer 35

- hindbrain and inferior and posterior regions of cerebrum

Question 36

whats the final branch of the basilar artery and what does it supply?

Answer 36

- posterior cerebral artery - supplies inferior and medial surface of temporal lobes and occipital lobes

Question 37

which arteries supply the cerebellum?

Answer 37

- posterior inferior cerebellar arteries - anterior inferior cerebellar arteries - superior cerebellar artery

Question 38

what joins the basilar to the internal carotid artery?

Answer 38

posterior communicating artery

Question 39

what vein runs along the lateral fissure?

Answer 39

superficial middle cerebral vein

Question 40

how does the venous drainage system work?

Answer 40

internal cerebral veins -> external cerebral veins -> dural sinuses

Question 41

how are dural venous sinuses formed?

Answer 41

- endosteal and meningeal layers of dura separate and the spaces formed between these layers are venous sinuses

Question 42

which sinus runs along the superior surface of falx cerebri?

Answer 42

superior sagittal sinus

Question 43

which sinus runs along the inferior sagittal sinus?

Answer 43

inferior sagittal sinus

Question 44

which sinus runs along the middle of the tentorium cerebelli?

Answer 44

straight sinus

Question 45

whats it called when the straight sinus meets the superior sagittal sinus?

Answer 45

confluence of sinuses

Question 46

whats the flow of blood after the confluence of sinuses?

Answer 46

transverse sinus -> sigmoid sinus -> jugular vein

Question 47

clinical relevance of sinuses?

Answer 47

potential root of infection is the cavernous sinus - contains 5 cranial nerves (2,3,4 and V2 of 5) and internal carotid

Question 48

where does the carotid arteries enter the skull?

Answer 48

carotid canal

Question 49

where does the vertebral arteries enter the skull?

Answer 49

foramen magnum

Question 50

where does the sigmoid sinus leave the skull and what does it become?

Answer 50

- jugular foramen and becomes internal jugular vein

Question 51

where does opthalmic arteries leave the skull?

Answer 51

optic canal with optic nerve

Question 52

where does the middle meningeal artery pass through the skull?

Answer 52

foramen spinosum

Question 53

Explain the parts of the lateral ventricle?

Answer 53

- anterior horn (goes into frontal lobe) - inferior horn (goes into temporal lobe) - posterior horn (goes into occipital lobe)

Question 54

how are the 3rd ventricle and lateral ventricle connected?

Answer 54

intraventricular foramen (foramen of Munroe)

Question 55

how are the 3rd and 4th ventricles connected?

Answer 55

cerebral aqueduct

Question 56

what are oligodendrocytes?

Answer 56

-myelinating cells of CNS -provide metabolic support for axons

Question 57

what are the myelinating cells of the PNS?

Answer 57

Schwann cells

Question 58

Apart from location whats a difference between oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells?

Answer 58

- oligodendrocytes can myelinate multiple axons - Schwann cells can only myelinate single or single bundles of axons

Question 59

what is BBB sensitive to?

Answer 59

inflammation. hypertension, trauma and ischaemia

Question 60

what is BBB formed from?

Answer 60

- endothelial cells, astrocytes and pericytes

Question 61

features of BBB?

Answer 61

- endothelial tight junctions - astrocyte end feet - pericytes - continuous basement membrane (lack of fenestrations) - need specific transporters for glucose, water (AQP4), essential ions

Question 62

what are circumventricular organs?

Answer 62

- lack normal BBB as they are important for homeostasis and endocrine function