Medulla

Front 1

Where do fibers within the fasciculus gracilis and cuneatus begin to synapse in?

Back 1

Yellow indicates the fasciculus gracilis and its nucleus gracilis (where it synapses). Red indicates fasciculus cuneatus and its nucleus cuneatus (where it synapses).

Front 2

Name the orange area. (hint: name circle and outlined space)

Back 2

Spinal trigeminal nucleus (circle) and tract (outlined space)

Front 3

What is the black box labeling?

Back 3

Trigeminal tubercle

Front 4

what type of afferents does the spinal trigeminal nucleus receive? what do these afferents convey?

Back 4

GSA; pain, temperature and crude touch from the face and external ear.

Front 5

what surface marking does the spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract give rise to?

Back 5

the tuberculum cinereum or trigeminal tubercle.

Front 6

what is the black box labeling?

Back 6

trigeminal tubercle

Front 7

what are the three subnuclei of the spinal nucleus?

Back 7

pars oralis, pars interpolaris, and pars caudalis

Front 8

For each number (1-3) give the corresponding subnuclei.

Back 8

1. Pars oralis, 2. Pars interpolaris, and 3. Pars caudalis.

Front 9

what is the Pars oralis responsible for?

Back 9

tactile input (crude touch)

Front 10

what is the pars interpolaris responsible for?

Back 10

dental pain

Front 11

what is the pars caudalis responsible for?

Back 11

pain and temperature input

Front 12

where do the nociceptive afferents from around or encircling the mouth synapse in?

Back 12

rostral part of the pars caudalis

Front 13

which subnuclei of the spinal nucleus has somatotopic organization? what kind of input does it receive?

Back 13

pars caudalis; V1-3

Front 14

describe the dorsal- ventral organization of the particular input for the pars caudalis.

Back 14

Ventral - V1, Dorsal -V3

Front 15

where do the sensory fibers from the external ear travelling in CN 7, 9, and 10 synapse in?

Back 15

dorsal most part of caudal subnucleus.

Front 16

In what nucleus do GSE neurons originate in?

Back 16

spinal accessory nucleus.

Front 17

Identify the orange circle.

Back 17

spinal accessory nucleus

Front 18

This is the pathway for which CN?

Back 18

spinal accessory

Front 19

Label all the colored areas with their appropriate tract name.

Back 19

light blue: medial longitundinal fasciculus
purple: tectospinal tract
orange: rubrospinal tract
dark blue: anterolateral system
yellow: anterior and posterior spinocerebellar tracts

Front 20

Identify where the dorsal column nuclei axonal projections decussate. What are they called?

Back 20

internal arcuate fibers

Front 21

After the neurons in the dorsal column nuclei send axonal projections that arc across the tegmentum enter the medial lemniscus, where do they ascend to?

Back 21

thalamus

Front 22

name the orange region and describe its function.

Back 22

accessory cuneate nucleus: receives proprioceptive information from the upper extremity that is destined for the cerebellum.

Front 23

where do the neurons from the accessory cuneate nucleus project to? Forming what tract?

Back 23

cerebellum as the cuneocerebellar tract

Front 24

Via what area does the cuneocerebellar tract enter the cerebellum?

Back 24

via inferior cerebellar peduncle (restiform body).

Front 25

Name the colored areas in this upper medulla cross section.

Back 25

blue: Hypoglossal nucleus
yellow: dorsal motor nucleus
goldenrod: solitary nucleus
orange: nucleus ambiguus
grey: inferior olivary complex

Front 26

name the colored regions in this cross section of the medulla.

Back 26

dark blue: tectospinal tract
light blue: medial longitudinal fasciculus
yellow: pyramidal tracts

Front 27

what are the major vessels that supply the lower medulla?

Back 27

anterior spinal artery, vertbral arteries and posterior spinal artery.

Front 28

what does the anterior spinal artery supply?

Back 28

anteromedial areas of lower medulla

Front 29

what does the posterior spinal artery supply?

Back 29

dorsal areas

Front 30

what do the vertebral arteries supply?

Back 30

lateral areas

Front 31

At more rostral areas, which area supplies lateral areas?

Back 31

Posterior inferior cerebellar artery

Front 32

where are the motor CN nuclei usually located? sensory nuclei?

Back 32

ventromedially; anterolateral

Front 33

the inferior olive is a derivative of what?

Back 33

the alar plate

Front 34

what cranial nerve is associated with the level of the obex?

Back 34

CN 12- hypoglossal

Front 35

what are the unique characteristics of the upper medulla?

Back 35

area postrema, restiform body, central tegmental tract, and ventral trigeminothalamic tract

Front 36

what is the function of the area postrema?

Back 36

chemosensitive trigger zone for emesis stimulated by blood-borne chemicals

Front 37

what disappears with the appearance of the restiform body?

Back 37

posterior spinocerebellar tract

Front 38

what does the restiform body provide?

Back 38

a major afferent pathway into the cerebellum from spinal cord and medulla.

Front 39

at the level of the obex, which tracts begin to form?

Back 39

central tegmental tract and ventral trigeminothalamic tract.

Front 40

what is the function of the central tegmental tract?

Back 40

local communication pathway within the brainstem.

Front 41

where is the central tegmental tract far more pronounced?

Back 41

rostral medulla and above

Front 42

what types of fibers does the central tegmental tract contain?

Back 42

fibers descending from the parvocellar red nucleus, ascending (taste) fibers originating in the gustatory nucleus (rostral solitary nucleus).

Front 43

where does the ventral trigeminaothalamic tract begin to form?

Back 43

lateral to the medial lemniscus

Front 44

what does the ventral trigeminothalamic tract carry?

Back 44

pain and temperature from the face.

Front 45

name the colored regions on this cross section of the upper medulla.

Back 45

blue: area prostrema
yellow: restiform body
pink: ventral trigeminothalamic tract
green: central tegmental tract

Front 46

what are the structures retained from the level of sensory decussation?

Back 46

hypoglossal nucleus and nerve, nucleus ambiguus, dorsal motor nucleus of vagus, solitary nucleus and tract, nucleus gracilis and cuneatus, accessory cuneate nucleus, inferior olive and spinal trigeminal nucleus and tract.

Front 47

Identify all of the colored areas retained from level of sensory decussation.

Back 47

Yellow: pyramid
Grey: inferior olive
Purple: spinal trigeminal nucleus
blue: spinal trigeminal tract
orange: restiform body
green: obex
pink: area postrema
lime green: hypoglossal nucleus
maroon: medial lemniscus

Front 48

what are the prominent features of the midolivary level?

Back 48

inferior olivary complex, hypoglossal nerve and vagus nerve

Front 49

where does the hypoglossal nerve exit?

Back 49

preolivary sulcus

Front 50

where does the vagus nerve exit?

Back 50

the postolivary sulcus

Front 51

what is the principal olivary nucleus involved in?

Back 51

control of planned or skilled, voluntary movements;

Front 52

what are the two accessory olives called?

Back 52

medial accessory and dorsal accessory olive

Front 53

how do the output fibers from the inferior olive project to the cerebellum?

Back 53

through the contralateral inferior cerebellar peduncle (olivocerebellar tract).

Front 54

where is the hypoglossal nucleus found?

Back 54

deep to the hypoglossal trigone.

Front 55

what is the labelled area? what can be found deep to this area?

Back 55

hypoglossal trigone; hypoglossal nucleus

Front 56

name the yellow area.

Back 56

nucleus ambiguus

Front 57

what cranial nerves are associated with the nucleus ambiguus?

Back 57

9, 10, and 11

Front 58

where does the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus lie deep to?

Back 58

vagal trigone

Front 59

where is the vagal trigone?

Back 59

lateral to the hypoglossal trigone

Front 60

where do the fibers of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus synapse? what are the associated structures?

Back 60

postganglionic parasympathetic neurons. associated with visceral structures of thorax and abdomen.

Front 61

the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus receives input from another nucleus, what is it? what does this input help the DMN take part in?

Back 61

solitary; efferent component of the baroreceptor reflex.

Front 62

The dorsal motor nucleus of vagus also plays a role in what protective action? (hint: think blood borne chemicals)

Back 62

emesis

Front 63

name the red region and its exit pathway.

Back 63

Dorsal motor nucleus and it exits in the postolivary sulcus.

Front 64

name the purple region and its exit pathway.

Back 64

solitary nucleus and it exits via the postolivary sulcus.

Front 65

what are the two general zones of the solitary nucleus? what type of afferents are present?

Back 65

1) rostral and (lateral) gustatory zone. SVA from the oral cavity and pharynx via CN 7.9.10 and 2) a more caudal cardiorespiratory zone.

Front 66

where do the neurons from the gustatory nucleus project to? via which tract?

Back 66

thalamus (ventral posteromedial nucleus); central tegmental tract

Front 67

what two CNs contribute to the cardiorespiratory zone of the solitary nucleus?

Back 67

11 and 10

Front 68

which reflex is most notably taken by the caudal solitary nucleus?

Back 68

baroreceptor

Front 69

neurons from the cardiorespiratory zone project to which nuclei?

Back 69

dorsal motor neurons, nucleus ambiguus, and the intermediolateral column.

Front 70

the vestibular nuclei receive input from what?

Back 70

the labyrinth of the inner ear

Front 71

what is the vestibular nuclei involved in?

Back 71

body equilibrium and control of eye movement.

Front 72

Damage to the vestibular nuclei will result in what?

Back 72

vertigo, nausea and nystagmus

Front 73

what nuclei is the arcuate nuclei continuous with?

Back 73

pontine

Front 74

what do arcuate nuclei send axons into the cerebellum as?

Back 74

ventral external arcuate fibers and striae medullares

Front 75

Name all the colored areas.

Back 75

purple: spinal nucleus and tract
dark blue: anterolateral system
orange: arcuate nuclei
red: pyramidal tract
yellow: medial lemniscus
light blue: tectospinal tract and medial longitundinal fasciculus

Front 76

what is no longer present at the midolivary level? (hint: vestibular nuclei adopt their position)

Back 76

nucleus gracilis and cuneatus

Front 77

three things appear in the rostral medulla, what are they?

Back 77

1) dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei, 2) inferior salivatory nucleus, and 3) nucleus prepositous

Front 78

what nucleus receives influences from hypothalamus and olfactory system?

Back 78

inferior salivatory nucleus

Front 79

In the rostral medulla, what two tracts are now part of the restiform body?

Back 79

posterior spinocerebellar tract and cuneocerebellar tract

Front 80

what are two functions of the reticular formation?

Back 80

consciousness and sleep

Front 81

what is the blood supply to the upper medulla?

Back 81

vertebral arteries, anterior spinal artery and posterior inferior cerebellar artery.

Front 82

what are two distinct long tract features that relate to the medulla?

Back 82

in the caudal medulla, both the dorsal column-medial lemniscal system and corticospinal tract decussate.

Front 83

Ventrally, what is the caudal boundary of the lower medulla? Dorsally, what is the caudal boundary?

Back 83

Ventral- pyramidal decussation
dorsal- obex