Term Test 2 (Lec 9-13) Flashcards
(97 cards)
3 major functions of Brainstem
Relay (conduit):
- long tracts TO and FROM the spinal cord
Cranial Nerves:
- attachment point for most cranial nerves
- cranial nerve nuclei
Integrative Functions:
- Cardiovascular
- Respiratory
- General visceral sensory and motor
- Reticular formation
External Anatomy - Dorsal View
External Anatomy - Ventral View
Internal Brainstem Divisions
3 major divisions:
Tectum (“roof”):
- Area posterior to the ventricular
space
- Midbrain: superior & inferior colliculi
Tegmentum (“covering”):
- Area anterior to the ventricular
space
- The reticular formation, cranial nerves & nuclei, spinal tracts
Appended structures:
- Cerebral peduncles, basal pons & pyramids
Reticular Formation (“consciousness”)
- The core of tissue found throughout the brainstem
Functions:
* Respiratory control
* Cardiovascular control
* Sleep/wake cycles (ascending reticular activating system – ARAS)
* Sensory modulation
* Reflexes (i.e. coughing)
Brainstem Nuclei
- So far we have focused on brainstem nuclei with discrete connectivity
- Spinal tracts
- Cranial nerve nuclei
- BUT some brainstem nuclei have extremely widespread connectivity designed to modulate the activity of the brain
- Locus coeruleus
- Substantia nigra (pars compacta) * Ventral tegmental area (VTA)
- Raphe nuclei
* Each uses a distinct small-molecule neurotransmitter
Locus Coeruleus – Noradrenaline
- Latin for “blue spot”
- Floor of 4th ventricle in rostral pons
Projections to:
* Thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus & cerebral cortex (somatosensory)
Roles:
* Maintaining attention and vigilance
Substantia Nigra & VTA – Dopamine
Substantia nigra (compact part)
* Rostral midbrain
* Projections to striatum & putamen
(nigrostriatal pathway)
Ventral tegmental area (VTA)
* Rostral midbrain
* Projections to cerebral cortex & amygdala (mesocortical & mesolimbic pathways)
- Roles: initiation of movement, motivation & cognition.
Raphe Nuclei – Serotonin
- A series of nuclei found along the midline of the brainstem reticular formation
Projections to:
* All parts of the CNS
* Higher density in sensory & limbic cortical regions
* Cerebellum, brainstem & spinal cord
Roles:
* Overall level of arousal
* Descending pain control system
Brainstem Cross Sections (7)
- Red –> motor
- Blue –> sensory
- Green –> connections with the cerebellum/reticular formation
- Purple –> special nuclei (presented today!)
- Black –> other landmarks/structures of interest
Caudal/Middle Medulla
Rostral Medulla
Pontomedullary Junction
Rostral Pons
Caudal Midbrain
Rostral Midbrain
Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus (MLF)
- Runs the entire length of the brainstem
- Composition of fibers changes at different levels
- Important roles in:
- Eye movements (coordination of oculomotor, trochlear & abducens nuclei)
- Vestibular compensations (ie. gait adjustments)
Neocortical Lamination
- Layer I: cell-poor
- Layer II: granular cells
- Layer III: small pyramidal cells
- Layer IV: granular cells
- Layer V: large pyramidal cells
- Layer VI: fusi/multiform (spindle-like) pyramidal cells
Cortical Lamination
- The 6 cell layers are not always the same thickness
- Differences often relate to the function of the cortical area
- E.g. Motor cortex ! numerous pyramidal cells, few granule cells
Neocortical Connectivity
- Different neocortical layers have distinctive connections
Afferents (inputs):
* Subcortical
–> Thalamic relay nuclei (VPL/VPM): Middle layers, particular layer IV
–> Other thalamic nuclei (LGN/MGN)
* Corticocortical: Mostly layers II and III
Efferents (outputs):
* Subcortical
–> Basal ganglia, brainstem & spinal cord: Layer V
–> Thalamic regulatory projections: Layer VI
* Corticocortical: Mostly layer III
Cerebral Cortex Efferents
Corticocortical:
* Commissural pathway
–> Corpus callosum & anterior commissure to contralateral hemisphere
* Association pathway
–> Short & long projections to
ipsilateral hemisphere
Projection fibers:
- Subcortical
- Corticothalamic
Association Fibres
- Short association fibers:
–> “U fibers”
–> Connect adjacent gyri - Long association fibers:
–> Connect different lobes- Superior longitudinal fasciculus (arcuate fasciculus)
- Cingulum
- Uncinate fasciculus
Brodmann’s Areas
- German anatomist Korbinian Brodmann (1868-1918)
- Division of the cerebral cortex in 46 areas based upon cytoarchitectural characteristics
–> Similar to the Rexed laminea in spinal cord - Boarders between areas are not sharp
- Size of areas can vary from person to person
- Some, but not all, correspond to functional areas within the cortex
5 Lobes of the Cerebrum