Week 1 - External Features

Question 1

What are the main parts of the brain?

Answer 1

Cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem

Question 2

Which cranial fossa does the brainstem lie in?

Answer 2

Posterior cranial fossa

Question 3

Which 2 vesicles embryologically give rise to the brainstem?

Answer 3

Mesencephalon and Rhombencephalon

Question 4

What are the parts of the brainstem?

Answer 4

Midbrain
Pons
Medulla

Question 5

What are the cavities of the ventricular system which lie within the brainstem?

Answer 5

Cerebral aqueduct
4th ventricle

Question 6

What is the groove which separates the pons from the medulla?

Answer 6

Pontomedullary junction

Question 7

Which cranial nerves emerge from the pontomedullary junction?

Answer 7

VI - abducent
VII - facial
VIII - vestibulocochlear

Question 8

What cranial nerves emerge from medulla?

Answer 8

IX - glossopharyngeal
X - vagus
XII - accessory
XII - hypoglossal

Question 9

What is the function of the olives on medulla?

Answer 9

Protrusion formed by underlying inferior olivary complex of nuclei
Relays fibres from brain and spinal cord to cerebellum

Question 10

What is the function of the pyramids on the medulla?

Answer 10

Control conscious voluntary movements

Question 11

What is the function of the decussation of the pyramids?

Answer 11

Cerebrum controlling muscles on oppisite side of body
Contains motor fibres of tracts

Question 12

What are the open and closed parts of the medulla?

Answer 12

Open - superior and on dorsal surface, formed by 4th ventricle
Closed - inferior, where 4th ventricle is narrowed at obex in caudal medulla

Question 13

What foramen does the medulla pass to become spinal cord?

Answer 13

Foramen magnum

Question 14

What cranial nerve emerge from lateral aspect of mid-pons?

Answer 14

Trigeminal nerve - CNV

Question 15

What is the middle cerebellar peduncle made up of?

Answer 15

Projection fibres

Question 16

What does the middle cerebellar peduncle connect?

Answer 16

Pons to cerebellum

Question 17

What part of brain lies superior to midbrain?

Answer 17

Cerebrum

Question 18

What lie inferior to the midbrain?

Answer 18

Cerebellum

Question 19

What does superior cerebellar peduncle connect?

Answer 19

Cerebellum and midbrain

Question 20

What are the projections on midbrain called?

Answer 20

Superior and inferior cuniculi

Question 21

What makes up the diencephalon?

Answer 21

Thalamus, hypothalamus and epithalamus

Question 22

Where does the diencephalon lie?

Answer 22

Between brainstem and cerebrum

Question 23

What projections of hypothalamus called which are visible on surface?

Answer 23

Internal capsule

Question 24

Where is the pineal gland?

Answer 24

Part of diencephalon
Above superior cuniculi

Question 25

What is the function of the pineal gland?

Answer 25

Releases melatonin in response to darkness which helps the body clock

Question 26

What is the midline structure connecting the 2 cerebellar hemispheres?

Answer 26

Vermis

Question 27

What are the 3 lobes of the cerebellar hemisphere?

Answer 27

Anterior, posterior and flucculo-nodular lobe Also have the cerebellar tonsils

Question 28

What is the ventricular space anterior to cerebellum?

Answer 28

4th ventricle

Question 29

What is cerebellar coning?

Answer 29

Sudden drop in intracranial pressure so cerebellar tonsils may herniate through this foramen

Question 30

What are the different lobes of the cerebrum?

Answer 30

Frontal, parietal, frontal and temporal

Question 31

What is the large fissure separating the two cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 31

Median longitudinal fissure

Question 32

What connects the 2 cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 32

Corpus callosum

Question 33

What fibres are most likely to be carried in the corpus callosum?

Answer 33

Commissural fibres

Question 34

What fold of dura mater do the cerebral hemispheres sit on?

Answer 34

Tentorium cerebelli

Question 35

Describe the lateral sylvian fissure

Answer 35

Separates the frontal and temporal lobes of cerebrum

Question 36

What separates the parietal and occipital lobes?

Answer 36

Parieto-occipital sulcus

Question 37

What does the calcarine sulcus separate?

Answer 37

Separates the occipital lobe into superior and inferior lobe

Question 38

Describe the cingulate sulcus

Answer 38

Separates the frontal and parietal lobe Is on medial surface of hemisphere

Question 39

What does the central sulcus separate?

Answer 39

Precentral and post-central cortex

Question 40

Where is the primary motor cortex?

Answer 40

Frontal lobe

Question 41

Where is the primary visual cortex?

Answer 41

Occipital lobe

Question 42

Where is the primary sensory cortex?

Answer 42

Parietal lobe

Question 43

Where is the primary auditory cortex?

Answer 43

Temporal lobe

Question 44

What muscles overlie the bony parts of vertebrae?

Answer 44

Erector spinae

Question 45

What ligaments may be encountered when trying to reveal spinal canal?

Answer 45

Supraspinal, interspinal, ligamentum flavum, posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 46

What vertebral level does spinal cord end?

Answer 46

L1-2 in adults L3 in new born

Question 47

A what vertebral level does the dura mater and arachnoid mater end?

Answer 47

S2

Question 48

What happens to pia mater inferior to spinal cord?

Answer 48

Forms the filum terminale

Question 49

What vertebral level is lumbar puncture performed?

Answer 49

L3-4 in adults

Question 50

How many pairs of spinal nerves are there?

Answer 50

31

Question 51

Where are upper motor neurons located?

Answer 51

Neurons found in cerebral cortex and brainstem

Question 52

Where are lower motor neurons located?

Answer 52

Neurons in spinal cord and brainstem

Question 53

What are upper motor neuron lesions characterised by?

Answer 53

Spasticity, increase in muscle tone, complex sensory syndromes

Question 54

What are lower motor neuron lesions characterised by?

Answer 54

Global sensory changes, flaccid paralysis depending on nature of mixed peripheral nerves