The brain

 Telencephalon
 Diencephalon
 Cerebellum
 Brain stem
The brain stem

Guiqiong He

Department of Anatomy
Chongqing Medical University
 Introductio
 n
Located between the cerebrum
and the SC
 Provides a pathway for tracts
running between higher and
lower neural centers.
midbrain
 Microscopically, it consists of
deep gray matter surrounded by
white matter fiber tracts. pons

 Produce automatic behaviors

necessary for survival.
Medulla
 Consists of the midbrain, oblongata
pons, and medulla oblongata.
 Each region is about an inch in
length.
 Medulla oblongata
Ventral surface
 Pyramid: contain pyramidal
tract (corticospinal tract)
 Decussation of pyramid:
formed by crossing fibers of
corticospinal tract
 Olive: produced by underlying
inferior olivary nucleus
 Anterolateral sulcus: rootlets
of hypoglossal nerve emerge from it
 Retroolivary sulcus: rootlets of
glossopharyngeal, vagus and
¶ IX, X, XI, XII cranial n. attach to
accessory nerves emerge from it
the medulla oblongata
 Medulla oblongata
Dorsal surface
 Lower portion
 Gracile tubercle: produced
by underlying gracile nucleus
 Cuneate tubercle: marks the
site of cuneate nucleus
 Inferior cerebellar peduncle
 Obex
 Upper portion: forms the lower
half of rhomboid fossa
 Pons
Ventral surface
 Basilar part
 Basilar sulcus
 Bulbopontine sulcus: from
medial to lateral, the abducent,
facial and vestibulocochlear nerves
appear
 Middle cerebellar peduncle
Trigeminal nerve
 Pontocerebellar trigone: the
junction of medulla, pons and cerebellum
¶ V, VI, VII, VIII cranial n. attach to
the pons
 Pons

Dorsal surface
 Superior cerebellar
peduncle
 Superior medullary velum
 Midbrain

Ventral surface
 Crus cerebri
 Interpeduncular fossa:
oculomotor nerves emerge from
medial of crus cerebri

 Posterior perforated
substance

¶ III cranial n. attach to the ventral surface of

the midbrain
 Midbrain
Dorsal surface
 Superior colliculus:
constitute centers for visual
reflexes
 Inferior colliculus:
associated with auditory
pathway
 Brachium of superior
colliculi
 Brachium of inferior
colliculi
trochlear nerves ¶ IV cranial n. attach to the posterior surface of
the midbrain
 Fourth ventricle
Central canal →fourth ventricle →mesencephalic aqueduct→third ventricle

Position
 Situated ventral to
cerebellum, and
dorsal to pons and
cranial half of
medulla
Boundaries
 Inferolateral: gracile and
cuneate tubercles, inferior
cerebellar peduncle
 Superolateral: superior
cerebellar peduncle
 Lateral recess
Features
 Median sulcus
 Sulcus limitans
 Vestibular area: overlies
vestibular nuclei
 Acoustic tubercle: overlying
dorsal cochlear nucleus

 Medial eminence
 Striae medullares
 Facial colliculus: overlies
nucleus of abducent n. and genu of
facial nerve

 Hypoglossal triangle: overlying

hypoglossal nucleus
 Vagal triangle: overlies dorsal
nucleus of vagus nerve

 Funiculus separans
 Area postrema
 Locus ceruleus
Roof
 Anterior part: formed by
superior cerebellar peduncle
and superior medullary velum
 Posterior part: formed by
inferior medullary velum and
choroid plexus of fourth
ventricle
 Three apertures
 Median aperture of fourth
ventricle
 Two lateral apertures of fourth
ventricle
Tela choroidea and choroid
plexus
 Internal structures
Somatic
Gray matter sensory
nuclei.
 Cranial nerve nuclei
 Non-cranial nerve nuclei
(eg. relay nuclei) Visceral
sensory nuclei.

Visceral motor
nuclei.
Somatic motor
nuclei.
Cranial nerve nuclei

i.General somatic motor nuclei

 Nucleus of oculomotor n.
 Nucleus of trochlear n.
 Nucleus of abducent n.
 Nucleus of hypoglossal n.
 Summary of general somatic motor nuclei

Nucleus Site Cranial n. Function

Nucleus of Midbrain Ⅲ Supreior, inferior,and

medial recti, inf. obliquus,
Oculomotor n. levator palpebrae superioris

Nucleus of Midbrain Ⅳ Superior obliquus

trochlear n.
Nucleus of Pons Ⅵ Lateral rectus
abducent n.
Nucleus of Medulla Ⅻ Muscles of tongue
hypoglossal n.
ii. Special visceral motor nuclei

 Motor nucleus of trigeminal n.

 Nucleus of facial n.
 Nucleus ambiguus
 Accessory nucleus
 Summary of special visceral motor nuclei

Nucleus Site Cranial n. Function

Motor nucleus of Pons Ⅴ Masticatory muscles

trigeminal n.
Nucleus of facial Pons Ⅶ Facial m., platysma,
n. posterior belly of digastric,
stylohyoid, stapedius

Nucleus ambiguus Medulla Ⅸ,Ⅹ.Ⅺ Skeletal m. of pharynx,

larynx and upper part of
esophagus
Accessory nucleus Medulla- Ⅺ Sternocleidomastoid,
cervical cord trapezius
iii. General visceral motor nuclei

 Accessory oculomotor nucleus

 Superior salivatory nucleus
 Inferior salivertory nucleus
 Dorsal nucleus of vagus n.
 Summary of general visceral motor nuclei

Nucleus Site Cranial Function

n.

Accessory Midbrain Ⅲ Sphincter pupillae and

oculomotor nucleus ciliary m.

Superior salivatory Pons Ⅶ Submandibular,

nucleus sublingual and lacrimal
glands
Inferior salivertory Medulla Ⅸ Parotid gland
nucleus

Dorsal nucleus of medulla Ⅹ Many cervical,

vagus n. thoracic and abdominal
viscera
iv. Visceral sensory nuclei ( general and special )

 Nucleus of solitary tract

 Summary of visceral sensory nuclei
( general and special )

Nucleus Site Cranial n. Function

Nucleus of Medulla Ⅶ,Ⅸ,Ⅹ Taste and visceral

solitary tract sensation
v. General somatic sensory nuclei

 Mesencephalic nucleus
of trigeminal n.
 Pontine nucleus of
trigeminal n.
 Spinal nucleus of
trigeminal n.
 Summary of general somatic sensory nuclei

Nucleus Site Cranial n. Function

Mesencephalic Midbrain Ⅴ Proprioception
nucleus of of head
trigeminal n.
Pontine nucleus Pons Ⅴ Tactile sensation
of trigeminal n. of head

Spinal nucleus of Medulla Ⅴ Pain and

trigeminal n. temperature
sense of head
vi. Special somatic sensory nuclei

 Cochlear nuclei

 Vestibular nuclei
 Summary of special somatic sensory nuclei

Nucleus Site Cranial n. Function

Cochlear Pons and Ⅷ Sense of hearing

nuclei medulla

Vestibular Pons and Ⅷ Sense of

nuclei medulla equilibrium
Non-cranial nuclei (relay
nuclei)
Gracile nucleus
 Cuneate nucleus
 Inferior olivary nucleus
 Superior olivery nucleus
 Pontine nucleus
 Nucleus of inferior colliculus
 Gray matter layers of superior
colliculus
 Red nucleus
 Substantia nigra
 Pretectal area
 Summary of non-cranial nerve nuclei
Nucleus Site

Gracile nucleus Medulla (underneath gracile tubercle)

Cuneate nucleus Medulla (underneath cuneate tubercle)

Superior olivery nucleus Pons

Pontine nucleus pons
Nucleus of inferior colliculus Midbrain

Gray matter layers of superior Midbrain

colliculus
Red nucleus Midbrain

Substantia nigra Midbrain

Pretectal area Midbrain
 White matter
Ascending tracts
 Medial lemniscus
 Spinal lemniscus
 Trigeminal lemniscus
 Lateral lemniscus
Medial lemniscus
Spinal lemniscus
Trigeminal lemniscus
Descending tracts

 Corticospinal tract
 Rubrospinal tract
 Tectospinal tract
 Vestibulospinal tract
 Reticulospinal tract
Lateral lemniscus
Reticular formation of
brain stem
 Ascending reticular
activating system
(ARAS)
 Motor central and
vital centres
 Reticulospinal tract
 Cardiovascular center
and respiratory center
 Serotonergic rapheal
nuclei
 The characters of
internal structure of
brain stem
 Medulla oblongata
Lower part (closed part)
 Two decussations–
 Decussations of medial lemniscus
 Decussations of pyramid
 Medulla oblongata

Upper part (open part)

 Appearance of inferior
olivary nuculeus and
inferior cerebellar
peduncle
 Enlargement of central
canal to form the fourth
ventricle floor
 Pons
 Tegmentum of pons
directed upward continuation of
medulla oblongata
 Basilar part
contain both longitudinal and
transverse fibers intermixed with
pontine nuclei
 Midbrain
 Rectum of midbrain:
includes superior and inferior
colliculi
 Cerebral peduncle
 Tegmentum
contain ascending tracts, central gray
matter, recticular formation and so on
 Substentia nigra
 Crus cerebri :
 Pyramidal tract
middle three-fifths of the crus:
 Frontopontine tract:
medial one-fifth:
 pariatotempopontine tract:
lateral one-fifth
 Medulla
 Nuclei in the medullaOblongata
are
associated w/ autonomic
control, cranial nerves, and
motor/sensory relay.
 Autonomic nuclei:
 Cardiovascular centers
 Cardioinhibitory/cardioacce
leratory centers alter the
rate and force of cardiac
contractions
 Vasomotor center alters
the tone of vascular
smooth muscle
 Respiratory rhythmicity
centers
 Receive input from the
pons
 Additional Centers
 Emesis, deglutition,
coughing, hiccupping, and
sneezing
Medulla
Oblongata
 Sensory & motor nuclei of 5
cranial nerves:
 Auditory/Vestibular (8),
Glossopharyngeal (9), Vagus
(10), Accessory (11), and
Hypoglossal (12)
 Relay nuclei
 Nucleus gracilis and nucleus
cuneatus pass somatic sensory
information to the thalamus
 Olivary nuclei relay info from the
spinal cord, cerebral cortex, and
the brainstem to the cerebellar
cortex.
 Located btwn the
diencephalon and the pons.
 2 bulging cerebral
peduncles on the ventral
Midbrain
side. These contain:
 Descending fibers that go
to the cerebellum via the
pons
 Descending pyramidal
tracts
 Running thru the midbrain is
the hollow cerebral
aqueduct which connects
the 3rd and 4th ventricles of
the brain.
 The roof of the aqueduct
( the tectum) contains the
corpora quadrigemina
 2 superior colliculi that
control reflex movements of
the eyes, head and neck in
response to visual stimuli
 2 inferior colliculi that
control reflex movements of
•Cranial nerves 3&4
(oculomotor and trochlear)
exit from the midbrain
•Midbrain also contains the
headquarters of the
reticular activating system
Midbrain
 On each side, the
midbrain contains a red
nucleus and a substantia
nigra
 Red nucleus contains
numerous blood vessels
and receives info from the
cerebrum and cerebellum
and issues subconscious
motor commands
concerned w/ muscle tone
& posture
 Lateral to the red nucleus
is the melanin-containing
substantia nigra which
secretes dopamine to
inhibit the excitatory
neurons of the basal
nuclei.
 Damage to the substantia
Pons
 Literally means “bridge”
 Wedged btwn the midbrain &
medulla.
 Contains:
 Sensory and motor nuclei for 4
cranial nerves
 Trigeminal (5), Abducens (6),
Facial (7),
and Auditory/Vestibular (8)
 Respiratory nuclei:
 Apneustic & pneumotaxic
centers work w/ the medulla to
maintain respiratory rhythm
 Nuclei & tracts that process and
relay info to/from the cerebellum
 Ascending, descending, and
transverse tracts that
interconnect other portions of the
CNS
 Medulla

Oblongata
Most inferior region of the
brain stem.
 Becomes the spinal cord
at the level of the foramen
magnum.
 Ventrally, 2 ridges (the
medullary pyramids) are
visible.
 These are formed by the
large motor corticospinal
tracts.
 Right above the medulla-
SC junction, most of
these fibers cross-over
(decussate).
What brainstem
structures are
visible here?