Nervous system

brain stem
Weihua Yu
Department of Anatomy Chongqing Medical University

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Cerebullar development

telencephalon

Brain

diencephalon procerebrumtelencephalon and diencephalon midbraindont have obvious change afterbrainpons and afterbrain cerebellum marrowbrainmedulla oblongata brain stem

Brain is divide into 6 parts telencephalon diencephalon cerebellum mid brain brain stem
pons medulla oblongata

midbrain

cerebellum

pons medulla oblongata

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The external features of brain stem

the shape of brain stem
1. ventral surface of brain stem 1medulla oblongata
bulbopontine sulcus pyramid decussation of pyramid olive

2pons
basilar part of pons basilar sulcus middle cerebellar peduncle bulbopontine sulcus

3mid brain cerebral peduncle interpeduncular fossa posterior perforated substance

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There are 9 pairs of cranial nerves on ventral surface of brain stem the oculomotor nerves links with mid brain, and arise from interpeduncular fossa there are four pairs of cranial nerves links with pons trigeminal nervesv linked with basilar part of pons there are abducent nerve,facial nerveand vestibulocochlear nerve in the juncture with middle cerebellar peduncle or bulbopontine sulcus from medial to lateral. There are four pairs of cranial nerves linked with medulla oblongata glossopharyngeal nerve vagus nerve and accessory nerve on the dorsal and lateral side of olive from above downward in order. The hypoglossal nerve leaves medulla oblongata between pyramids of medulla oblongata and olive.

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2. Dorsal surface of brain stem 1medulla oblongata

gracile tubercle cuneate tubercle inferior cerebellar peduncle restiform body

2pons superior cerebellar peduncle middle cerebellar peduncle 3mid brain superior colliculus inferior colliculus quadrigeminal bodies brachium of superior colliculus brachium of inferior colliculus 4rhomboid fossa sulcus mediansulcus limitansstriae medullaresmedial eminencefacial colliculushypoglossal trianglevagal triangle funiculus separansareas postremavestibular areaacoustic tubercle locus ceruleusobex
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3. fourth ventricle of cerebrum

medulla oblongatapons and cerebellum Similar to diamond shape The bottom is rhomboid fossa The point exposition to vermis

superior medullary velum inferior medullary velum tela choroidea of fourth ventricle ependyma choroid plexus of fourth ventricle

There are 3 holes on fourth ventricle single median aperture of fourth ventricle lies in rhomboid fossa paired lateral aperture of fourth ventricle Communicate with subarachnoid space
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The internal structure of brain stem

Compared with spinal cord, the internal structure of brain stem appears the following characters 1The structure of medulla oblongatas inferior part is similar to spinal cord. The central canal still remains, but moves to dorsal gradually. 2The gray matter of brain stem dont continue and form gray column which run lengthwise through the total length of brain stem like that in spinal cord, but get together forming all kinds of nucleus separated with each other. 3The nucleus groups of gray substance of spinal cord all link with spinal nerve basically. 4The reticular structure appeared in the region between gray matter and white matter has sharp expansion area, and more complex in structure, which contains many important nuclear groups of vital center, such as center of heartbeat, blood pressure and respiratory.

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1. Gray matter of brain stem

Nuclei of cranial nerves non-nuclei of cranial nerves relay nucleus reticular nucleus
1nuclei of cranial nerves

somatic motor fiber visceral motor fiber visceral sensory fiber somatic sensory fiber

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1general motor nucleus 4 pairs

dominate skeletal muscle lingual muscle extraocular muscles

nucleus of oculomotor nerve nucleus of trochlear nerve nucleus of abducent nerve hypoglossal nucleus

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2special visceral motor nucleus 4 pairs Dominate the skeletal muscle evolved from branchial arch masseter muscle muscles soft palatepharyngeal musclelaryngeal muscle motor nucleus of trigeminal nerve facial nucleus ambiguous nucleus accessory nucleus

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3general visceral motor nucleus 4 pairs

Dominate smooth muscle cardiac muscle and glands

accessory nucleus of oculomotor nerve superior salivatory nucleus inferior salivatory nucleus dorsal nucleus of vagus

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4general visceral sensory nucleus1 pair receive the sensory fiber of organ and cardiovascular

the lower half of solitary nucleus

5special visceral sensory nucleus

receive taste fibers the capitular head of solitary nucleus

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6general somatic sensory nucleus1 pair

Receive sensory fiber of skin on head and face and mucosa in oral and nasal cavity mesencephalic nucleus of trigeminal nerve the proprioceptive sense of masseter muscle pontine nucleus of trigeminal nerve tactile sense spinal nucleus of trigeminal nerve sense of pain and warm
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7special somatic sensory nucleus Receive the fiber of auditory or equilibratory sensation.

vestibular nucleussuperior nucleusinteriorlateral nuclear inferior nucleus cochlear nucleus dorsal nucleus of cochlear nerve ventral nucleus of cochlear nerve anterior nucleusposterior nucleus)

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According to the nature and function, 6 functional columns arrange longitudinally in brain stem according to the following laws
In the gray matter of the bottom of fourth ventricle of cerebrum, the motor nucleus and columns are interior to sulcus limitans while the sensory nucleus and columns lie lateral to sulcus limitans from median line to two sides are general somatic motor column, general visceral motor column, general and special visceral sensory column and special somatic sensory column. Special visceral column and general somatic sensory column are ventrolateral to gray matter of pavimentum ventriculi, or in reticular structure.

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2non-nuclei of cranial nerves 1medulla oblongata

1gracile nucleus cuneate nucleus medial lemniscus

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2inferior olivary nucleusparticipate in the controlling of cerebellum on motor olivocerebellar tractinferior cerebellar peduncle enter into cerebellum 3accessory cuneate nucleus cuneocerebellar tractinferior cerebellar peduncle enter into cerebellum

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2Pons
1superior olivary nucleus enter into lateral lemniscus and participate in tone localization

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2nuclei of pons pontocerebellar fibersmiddle cerebellar peduncle enter into cerebellum The relay station of these fibers connects cerebral cortex with cerebellum cortex.

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3nucleus of lateral lemniscus lateral lemniscus

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1inferior colliculus receive the termination of lateral lemniscus auditory reflex center 2superior colliculus visual reflex centertectospinal tract emited from superior colliculus red nucleus, eyes and horns of a cattle cow

3mid brain

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3pretectal area
lies in the symphyses of mid brain with diencephalon, an area between commissura posterior and superior colliculus

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4red nucleusreceive the projection of dentate body of cerebellum receive the corticocerebral projection send out fibers to spinal cord rubrospinal tract send out fibers to inferior olivary nucleus 5substantia nigra produce dopamine neostriatum 6ventral tegmental area the deep surface of interpeduncular fossa contains dopamine neurons, which participates in the regulation of voluntary movements

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white matter fiber bundles

long preceding fiber bundles long descending fiber bundles

1 long preceding fiber bundles

medial lemniscus spinal lemniscus trigeminal lemniscus lateral lemniscus anterior spinocerebellar tract posterior spinocerebellar tract medial longitudinal fasciculus

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1medial lemniscusnucleus ventralis posterolateralis thalami

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1medial lemniscus

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1medial lemniscus

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1medial lemniscus

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1medial lemniscus

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1medial lemniscus
The sensory conductive pathway

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2spinothalamic tractspinal lemniscusnucleus ventralis posterolateralis thalami

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2spinothalamic tractspinal lemniscus

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2spinothalamic tractspinal lemniscus

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2spinothalamic tractspinal lemniscus

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2spinothalamic tractspinal lemniscus

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2spinothalamic tractspinal lemniscus

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3spinal lemniscus nucleus ventralis posteromedialis thalami

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3trigeminal lemniscus

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3trigeminal lemniscus

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3trigeminal lemniscus

the conductive pathway

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4lateral lemniscus arises from the auditory fibers of superior olivary nucleus on two sides and dorsal cochlear nucleus as well as ventral cochlear nucleus of opposite side. The lateral lemniscus turns upward on the lateral superior olivary nucleus and forms lateral lemniscusinferior colliculusmedial geniculate body

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4lateral lemniscus

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4lateral lemniscus

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4lateral lemniscus
trapezoid body The auditory fibers of superior olivary nucleus and ventral cochlear nucleus runs transversely in the inferior middle part of pons, then crosses above median line and forms trapezoid body. Some trapezoid body fibers turn upward and join lateral lemniscus.

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4lateral lemniscus the conductive pathway

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5posterior spinocerebellar tract

posterior spinocerebellar tract inferior cerebellar peduncle enter into cerebellum

anterior spinocerebellar tractascending via superior cerebellar peduncle enter into cerebellum

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6medical longitudinal fasciculus

these fibers derived from vestibular nucleus go upward and downward along median line. preceding fiberextraocular muscles motor nucleus descending fibercervical cord segmentintermedial zone and medial part of anterior horn

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2long descending fiber bundle pyramidal tract rubrospinal tract

tectospinal tract
vestibulospinal tract reticulospinal tract

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1pyramidal tract

corticonuclear tract corticospinal tract

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1pyramidal tract

corticonuclear tract corticospinal tract

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1pyramidal tract

corticonuclear tract corticospinal tract

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1pyramidal tract

corticonuclear tract corticospinal tract

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1pyramidal tract

corticonuclear tract corticospinal tract

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1pyramidal tract

corticonuclear tract corticospinal tract

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2tectospinal tract

3rubrospinal tract

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4vestibulospinal tract

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3reticular formation of brain stem

There are lots of pericaryon in central region of brain stem. The fibers arranged in a cross pattern, which constitutes reticular formation of brain stem.

the main nucleus groups of reticular formation of brain stem

1the nuclear groups project to cerebellum 2raphe nuclei groups 3the reacting region of medial nucleus 4the reception region of lateral nuclear group
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