N4N Base Of The Brain

Front 1

What is the easiest gyrus to see from the base of the brain?

Back 1

The temporo-occipital gyrus which connects the two lobes

Front 2

What lobe can you NOT see from the base of the brain?

Back 2

The parietal lobe

Front 3

What part of the diencephalon can be seen from the base?

Back 3

Only the base of the hypothalamus

Front 4

What part of the midbrain can be seen by the base?

Back 4

Non because it is elevated above the base due to the cephalic flexure.

Front 5

What part of the metencephalon can be seen from the base of the brain?

Back 5

The pons and above the brainstem is the cerebellum

Front 6

What part of the myelencephalon is seen from the base of the brain?

Back 6

The medulla oblongata (which turns into spinal cord).

Front 7

What are the landmarks of the base of the telencephalon?

Back 7

The gyri rectus and cranial nerve I (olfactory bulb and tract).
Also, the orbital surface.

Front 8

What is the thing that olfactory nerves pass through to the bulb?

Back 8

The cribriform plate which is a sieve-like plate.

Front 9

What are the landmarks of the base of the diencephalon?

Back 9

The anterior boundary are the two gyri rectus!
- optic chiasm (decussation) and optic nerve (CN II)
- Immediately posterior to the optic chiasm is the infundibulum and the pituitary gland.
- Immediately posterior to the infundibulum is the tuber cinerium which is the bit of tissue lying around the stalk.
- Immediately posterior to the tuber cinerium are the mammillary bodies.
-Lateral to the diencephalon are the temporal lobes
-The cerebral peduncles are a fibre tract that go down the spinal cord and emerge from the cerebral hemispheres.
-The interpeduncular fossa is immediately posterior to the mammillary bodies.

Front 10

What is the anterior extremity of the temporal lobes?

Back 10

The uncus which is the head of the hippocampus and amygdala

Front 11

What is interesting about the pons?

Back 11

It involves fibre tracks going across it.

Front 12

What is the arterial distribution centre of the circle of willis?

Back 12

Anterior circulation
1) Internal carotid artery
a) Anterior cerebral artery
b) Middle cerebral artery
Posterior circulation
2) Vertebrobasilar (Two vertebral arteries form one basilar artery)
a) Posterior cerebral
Communicating
1) Anterior communicating
2) Posterior communicating

Front 13

What is interesting about the internal carotid artery?

Back 13

The internal carotid arteries bifarcate to give rise to two cerebral arteries (to go to the forebrain):
1) Anterior cerebral arteries
2) Middle cerebral arteries

Front 14

Where does the anterior cerebral artery go?

Back 14

Up along the gyrus rectus and the very frontal portions of the brain.

Front 15

Where does the middle cerebral artery go to?

Back 15

Laterally to the most lateral surfaces of the brain. They supply the left side which is "language" and the right side which is "spatial".

Front 16

The two anterior cerebral arteries are joined by what?

Back 16

The anterior communicating arteries. They are tiny and can cause lots of havoc!

Front 17

Where do the vertebral arteries join?

Back 17

Over the midline of the medulla oblongata.

Front 18

Where does the basilar artery sit?

Back 18

Over the pons (this is a dangerpoint for neuropsychology)

Front 19

What does the basilar artery bifurcate to?

Back 19

Into the left and right posterior cerebral artery.

Front 20

What bad thing can happen to the communicating arteries?

Back 20

Aneurysm i.e. a ballooning out and rupturing of walls of artery due to congenital weakness. Anterior cerebral arterial vasospasm.

Front 21

What is the pituitary gland also known as?

Back 21

The hypophysis

Front 22

How is the pituitary gland protected?

Back 22

A bony encasement closely holds it in (it is called the sella turcica of sphenoid bone. Because in order to support the base of the dien you need raised bone (i.e. sitting on the sphenoid bone).

Front 23

What is the anterior part of the pituitary gland?

Back 23

The adenohypophysis which arises from Rathke's pouch (i.e. the roof of the mouth). This section is NON-NEURAL.

Front 24

What is the posterior part of the pituitary gland?

Back 24

It is the neurohypophysis which comes down from the diencephalon.

Front 25

The pituitary gland is hollow with what?

Back 25

the third ventricle.

Front 26

What does the pituitary gland look after?

Back 26

Organises endocrine function and looks after our internal environment.

Front 27

What are the bony and vascular relations of the pituitary gland?

Back 27

The middle cranial fossa is lateral to the bony stuff of the pituitary gland. The sella turcica is directly superior to the sphenoid bone. The cavernous sinus has trabeculations just like the subarachnoid space. It holds nerves and blood vessels. The lateral relation to the cavernous sinus is the medial surface of the TL.
Inferior to this is the sphenoidal (paranasal) sinus which runs alongside the nose (and is always inflammed in Melbourne!).

Front 28

What is a pituitary adenoma?

Back 28

It is a tumor (neoplasm = new tissue) and is the commonest pituitary tumor. It is slow growing and typically benign but if it keeps increasing, it may invade adjacent structures and spill over into the cavernous sinus.
It could also surround the internal carotid artery and you could have a massive stroke (this is VERY RARE).
Mass effects are:
-upward pressure on optic chiasm
-pituitary apoplexy (attacks of collapse and visual effects like hemianopia).

Front 29

What is the roof of the mesencephalon?

Back 29

The tectum of the midbrain

Front 30

What is CN I

Back 30

Olfactory bulb and tract

Front 31

What is CN II

Back 31

Optic nerve

Front 32

What is CN III

Back 32

Occulomotor nerve

Front 33

What is CN IV

Back 33

Trochlear nerve (a pulley that supplies the superior oblique muscle only and goes along the top of the eye)

Front 34

CN III oculomotor nerve sits where?

Back 34

Between mesencephalon and metencephalon junction

Front 35

CN V

Back 35

Is the thickest and largest nerve: the trigeminal nerve (triplets) and is a pontine nerve.
It provides three sensory nerves to the face.

Front 36

What is interesting about the vertebral arteries?

Back 36

One is often bigger than the other.

Front 37

What is trigeminal neuralgia?

Back 37

The pain of trigeminal neuralgia comes from the trigeminal nerve. This nerve carries pain, feeling, and other sensations from the brain to the skin of the face. It can affect part or all of the face, and the surface of the eye.

The condition usually affects older adults, but it may affect anyone at any age. Trigeminal neuralgia may be part of the normal aging process.

Trigeminal neuralgia may be caused by:

Multiple sclerosis

Pressure on the trigeminal nerve from a swollen blood vessel or tumor

Front 38

What is the dangerpoint of the basilar artery?

Back 38

Where fatty deposits build up around the junction with the posterior cerebral arteries (which supply the occipital, temporooccipital and thalamic regions). There is a danger of occlusion

Front 39

What is the top of the basilar syndrome?

Back 39

Become amnestic like HM and may have visual problems and alexia.

Front 40

The vertebrobasilar arterial system perfuses what?

Back 40

the medulla, cerebellum, pons, midbrain, thalamus, and occipital cortex.

Front 41

What nerves lie in the ponto-medullary junction?

Back 41

CN VI: abducent nerve
CN VII: facial nerve
CN VIII: vestibulocochlear nerve

Front 42

What does CN VI do?

Back 42

abducent nerve: "carries away" the eye. supplies extrinsic eye muscles and moves the eye to the side

Front 43

What does CN VII do?

Back 43

Facial nerve: sensory/motor to the face. Bell's palsy.

Front 44

What does CN VIII do?

Back 44

Vestibulocochlea nerve supplies the cochlear and organ of balance

Front 45

What are the extraocular nerves?

Back 45

CN III: Eyelid muscles, extraocular muscles, pupilliary constrictors, ciliary muscles (autonomic nerves)
CN IV: Trochlear: Superior oblique, causes depression and intorsion of the eye
CN VI: Abducens: Lateral rectus (straight on the side), causes abdjuction of the eye

Front 46

What particular parts can you see on the base of the myelencephalon? Not the nerves!

Back 46

The medulla oblongata:
The pyramid and the inferior olives.

Front 47

What are the pyramid tracts?

Back 47

They contain motor fibres from the motor cortex. They decussate to the other side, THUS, why the motor moves on one side are looked after by the other side.

Front 48

What are the CNs of the myelencephalon?

Back 48

CN IX: glossopharyngeal nerve
CN X: Vagus
CN XI: spinal accessory
CN XII: hypoglossal

Front 49

What does the CN IX do?

Back 49

supplies part of the tongue and pharynx (the extension of the hard palate and back of the throat).

Front 50

What does the CN X do?

Back 50

Vagus nerve: It is the "wanderer" and is the only cranial nerve to do this. The nerve goes everywhere i.e. to the heart, the gastinointestinal tract and laryingeal, etc.

Front 51

What does the CN XI do?

Back 51

Spinal accessory nerve: spinal "rootlets" which collect in one trunk and bridges the medulla and spinal cord. It supplies the neck.

Front 52

What does the CN XII do?

Back 52

Hypoglossal nerve: "below the tongue" and supplies many structures of the tongue.