Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Neurosurgery Interview > Thalamus > Flashcards

Thalamus Flashcards

(63 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Components of the forebrain

A

Telencephalon

Diencephalon

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Composition of the diencephalon from rostral to caudal

A

Epithalamus

Thalamus

Subthalamus

Hypothalamus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is found immediately caudal to the optic chiasm?

A

Small midline elevation, the tuber cinereum.

From its apex extends the infundibulum or pituatry stalk which attaches to the pituitary gland

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is found caudal to the tuber cinereum

A

A pair of rounded eminences, the mamillary bodies.

These contain the mamillary nuclei of the hypothalamus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What forms the lateral wall of the third ventricle?

A

The diencephalon.

The dorsal part formed by the thalamus and the ventral, the hypothalamus.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Epithalamus

A

Relatively small part of the diencephalon located in its most caudal and dorsal region, immediately rostral to the superior colliculus of the midbrain.

It consists principally of the pineal gland and the habenula (habenular nuclei)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Pineal gland

A

Implicated in control of sleep/waking.

Synthesises the hormone melatonin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Habenular nuclei

A

Have connections with the limbic system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q
A
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Subthalamus

A

Lies beneath the thalamus and dorsolateral to the hypothalamus with its ventrolateral aspect against the internal capsule

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the two notable cell groups of the subthalamus

A

Subthalamic nucelus

Zona incerta

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Subthalamic nucleus

A

Located in the ventrolateral part of the subthalamus, immediately medial tom the internal capsule.

It has a shape of a biconvex lens in coronal section.

It has prominent conections with the globus pallidus and the substantia nigra and is important in the control of movement.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Zona incerta

A

Rostral extension of the brainstem reticular formation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Relationship of ascending sensory pathways to the subthalamus

A

Several important fibre systems traverse the subthalamus en route to the thalamus. These include the medial lemniscus, spinothalamic and trigeminothalamic tracts, cerebellothalamic fibres from the dentate nucleus and pallidothalamic fibres from the internal segment of Globus pallidus.

The latter group of fibres envelop the zona incerta as the lenticular fasciculis and thalamic fasciculus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What demarcates the hypothalamus from the thalamus

A

A faint groove, the hypothalamic sulcus

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Massa intermdia

A

The interthalamic adhesion across the third ventricle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Stria medullaris

A

A fascicle of nerve fibres which has limbic connections that courses along the dorsomedial margin of the thalamus. Along this line, the ependymal lining of the third ventricle spans the narrow lumen to form the vnetricular roof.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

To where does the anterior pole of the thalamus extend?

A

As far as the intervetricular foramen, through which the third and lateral ventricles are in continuity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What is found lateral to the thalamus?

A

Posterior limb of the internal capsule

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What lies anterolateral to the thalamus
Head of the caudate nucleus
26
What forms the floor of the body of the lateral ventricle
The dorsum of the thalamus
27
Stria terminalis
Fascicle of nerve fibres with limbic connections marks the boundary between the thalamus and the caudate.
28
29
Internal medullary lamina
Thin layer of nerve fibres composed of some of the afferent and efferent connections of the thalamic nuclei. Roughly y shaped when viewed from above and provides the basis for dividing the thalamus into 3 main nuclear masses
30
What are the three main nuclear groups of the thalamus?
Anterior Medial Lateral Each of these is further subdivided into a number of individually named nuclei
31
What is found within the internal medullary lamina?
Several cell groups known collectively as the intralmaiar nuclei
32
What is found between the reticular nucleus and the lateral thalamus?
The lateral medulalry lamina
33
34
35
To where do all the nuclei of the thalamus project? What is the exception
They all project to the ipsilateral cerbral cortex and the whole cortex receives input from the thalamus. Similarly, all thalamic nuceli receive corticofugal fibres that are organised in.a basically reciprocal fashion. In some cases precise point-to-point projections exist between individual thalamic nuclei and restricted cortical zones. These are often referred to as the specific nuclei. Reticular nucleus of the thalamus,.
36
Where are the specific nuclei of the thalami found?
In the ventral tier of the lateral nuclear group.
37
What are the non-specific nuclei
Thalamic nuclei that recieve less funcitonally distinct afferent input that does not include overtfly sensory or motor pathways. They includ ethe nuclei of the dorsal tier of the lateral nuclear complex as well as the whole anterior and medial complexes.
38
What are the contents of the lateral nuclear group
Contains all of the specific thalamic nuclei. These are located in the ventral part of the complex and icnlude the ventral anterior, ventral lateral, ventral posterior, LGN and MGN
39
Location of the VPN
Lies between the ventorlateral nucleus and the pulvinar
40
What are the contents of the VPN
There is termination of all the ascending pathways from the spinal cord and brainstem that carry general sesnory information from the contralateralhalf of the body to a conscious level. These pathways include the spinothalamic tracts, medial lemniscus and trigeminothalamic tracts. The termination of these fibres is high organised somatotopically.
41
VPL division
An extensive lateral portion of the nucleus recives information from the trunk and limbs via the spinothalamic tracts and medial lemnisucs. This is the VPL division of the VPN
42
VPM
A smaller, medial portion of the VPN receives infromation from the head via the trigeminothalamic tract. It also receives taste informatio from the nucelus solitarius of the medulla and vstibular information from the vestibular nuclei.
43
To where does the VPN project?
Postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe
44
Location of the LGN
Located near the posterior pole of the thalamus, ventral to the pulivinar, forming small eminences on the surface
45
What is the LGN
Part of the visual system. Site of termination of the optic tract, which carries the axons of retinal ganglion cells. As a result fo the hemidecussation of the optic nerve fibres, each LGN receives nerve fibres that have originated from the ipsilatearl temporal hemiretina and the contralateral nasal hemiretina. Each LGN therefore receives visual information relating to the contralteral half of the visual field.
46
To where does the LGN send information
Sends fibres via the retrolenticular part of the internal capsule and the optic radiation to the priamry visual cortex of the occipital lobe.
47
MGN
Part of the auditory system. Receives ascending fivres from the inferior colliculus of the midbrain, via the inferior brachium. Projects via the retrolenticular part of the internal cpasule and the auditory radiation to the praimry auditory cortex of the temporal lobe.
48
Ventral anterior nucleus
Occupies the rostral part of the lateral nuclear mass. It consists of two subdivisions. The large principal part (VApc), the smaller magnocellular part (VAmc)
49
What are the primary afferents to the ventral anterior nucleus?
Output fibres of the ipsilateral system which originate from the internal segment of the globus pallidus and its homologue, the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra.
50
Fibres from the globus pallidus terminate in which part of the ventral anterior nucleus
VApc
51
Fibres from the substantia nigra terminate with which portion of the ventral anterior nucleus?
VAmc.
52
With what does the ventral anterior nucleus connect?
Has reciprocal connecitons with motor regions of the fortnal lobe, particularly the premotor and supplementary motor cortices
53
Location of the VLN
Lies immediately caudal to the ventral anterior nucleus in the ventral tier of the lateral nuclear complex
54
Constitutents of the ventral lateral nucleus
Pars oralis (VLo) Pars medialis (VLm) Pars caudalis (VLc)
55
Afferents to the ventral lateral nucleus
Afferents originate mainly from the ipsilateral globus pallidus and substantia nigra and from the contralateral nucleus of the cerebellum
56
Where in the VLN do afferents from the GP and SN termiante?
VLo and VLm
57
Where in the VLN do afferents from the cerebellum terminate?
VLc
58
Funciton of VLN and VAN
Improtant part of the mechanism by which the basal ganglia and cerebellum exert their influence on normal movement.
59
What is found within the dorsal tier of the lateral nuclear complex
The non-specific nuclei. Lateral dorsal nucleus- hippocampus Lateral posterior nucleus- sensory association cortex of the parietal lobe Pulvinar- association cortices of the parietal, temporal and occipital lobes.
60
Feautres of the anterior nuclear group
Three subdivisions Anteroventral, anteromedial and anterodorsal nuclei. Part of the limbic system, receies a large afferent projection from the mammilary body of the hypothalamus. Projets principally to the cingulate gyrus. Involved in the control of instinticitve drives, in the emotional aspects of behaviour and in memory
61
Medial nuclear group
Consists mainly of the mediodorsal nucleus and some smaller components like the nucleus reuniens. Subcortical afferents come from the hypothalamus, amygdala and other thalamic nuclei inlcuding the intralaminar and lateral complex nculei. Extensive reciprocal connections with the prefrontal cortex. Mainly concerned with the control of mood and emotions
62
Intralaminar nuclei
Found winthin the internal medullary lamina of the thalamus. Includ eth centromedian and parafasciuclar nculei. Receives afferents from the brainstem reticular formation and from the spinothalamic and trigeminothalamic systems. Projects in turn to widespread regions of the ceebral cortex and to the caudate nucleus and putamen of the BG.
63
Reticular nuclei
Thin layer of cells located on the lateral aspect of the thalamus between the external medullary lamina and internal capsule. Receives collaterals of both thalamocortical and corticothalamic fbires, which pass between other thalamic nuclei and the cerebral cortex

Neurosurgery Interview (24 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions