GROSS NEUROANATOMY

NS V: Spinal cord and spinal nerves

NS VI: Brainstem and cranial nerves
NS VII: Brainstem - medulla
NS VIII: Brainstem - pons and midbrain

Acuña | Aguilar | Agustin | Ajero

Cunanan | Custodio | Damasco | Dannug | David | De Guzman JA

Trans Head: Azis

NS V: SPINAL CORD AND SPINAL NERVES
Structures to identify:
CALVARIUM (Skull)
Frontal
Temporal
Sphenoid
Maxilla
Parietal
Occipital
Ethmoid

SUTURES AND LANDMARKS

Sagittal Suture
Lambdoid Suture
Coronal Suture
Inion
Crista galli
Cribriform plate
Sella turcica
Anterior clinoid process
Pterion
Nasion
SPINAL CORD

Spinal cord Conus medullaris Cauda equina Dura mater

SPINAL CORD
SPINAL CORD

Sacral Cervical Lumbar

SPINAL CORD

Cervical
 2
1

5 6
4
SPINAL CORD
6

7
SPINAL CORD
SPINAL CORD
NS VI: BRAINSTEM AND CRANIAL NERVES
Structures to be identify:
CRANIAL NERVES VENTRAL LANDMARKS VENTRAL LANDMARKS (CEREBRUM
Olfactory bulb Hypophysis (Pituitary gland) AFTER TRANSECTION)
Optic nerve Midbrain Tectum of the midbrain
Optic tract Interpeduncular fossa Cerebral aqueduct
Trochlear nerve Middle cerebellar peduncle Basis pedunculi
Abducens nerve Medulla oblongata Red nucleus
Nervus intermedius Olives Brachium of the inferior colliculus
Glossopharyngeal nerve Ventral median sulcus Medial geniculate body
Spinal accessory nerve Mammillary bodies Tegmentum of the midbrain
Olfactory tract Cerebral peduncles Cerebral peduncles
Optic chiasm Basis pontis Substantia nigra
Oculomotor nerve (Medullary) pyramids Brachium of the superior colliculus
Trigeminal nerve Pyramidal decussation Lateral geniculate body
Facial motor nerve Pre-olivary and post-olivary sulci Pulvinar of the thalamus
Vesitbulocochlear nerve
Vagus nerve
Hypoglossal nerve
BRAINSTEM
BRAINSTEM (Anterior Surface)
Mammillary Bodies Interpeduncular Fossa

Pons

Pre olivary sulcus

Olives

Ventral median sulcus (Medullary) pyramids

Post olivary sulcus Pyramidal Decussation

Medulla oblongata
Brainstem (Ventral)
Vestibulocochlear
nerve (CN VIII)

Facial nerve (CN VII) Trigeminal Nerve

(CN V)

Pyramids

Olives
Ventral Median
sulcus
Post-olivary sulcus

Pre-olivary sulcus
NS VI: BRAINSTEM AND CRANIAL NERVES
Structures to be identify:
DORSAL LANDMARKS Dorsal median sulcus
Corpora quadrigemina (superior and Medial eminence
inferior colliculi) Striae medullares
Origin of the trochlear nerve Hypoglossal trigone
Superior medullary velum Foramina of Luschka
Inferior cerebellar peduncle Obex
Inferior medullary velum Tuberculum gracilis
Sulcus limitans Tuberculum cuneatum or Clava
Facial colliculus
Vagal trigone
Area vestibularis
Foramen of Magendie
Fasciculus gracilis
Fasciculus cuneatus
Fourth ventricle and rhomboid fossa
Superior cerebellar peduncle
Restiform body
BRAINSTEM (Posterior View)
BRAINSTEM (Dorsal)
Inferior colliculus

Median sulcus
Vestibular area

Striae medullares
Hypoglossal trigone

Facial colliculus
Obex
BRAINSTEM (Dorsal)
Inferior colliculus

Median sulcus
Vestibular area

Striae medullares
Hypoglossal trigone

Facial colliculus
Obex
CRANIAL NERVES (Anterior Surface)

Please take note of the location of the cranial nerves using the following slides
CRANIAL NERVES (Anterior Surface)
Cranial Nerves (Lateral view)
NS VII: BRAINSTEM - Medulla
Structures to identify:
Important structures according to anatomy dept:
UPPER MEDULLA (at level of inferior olive) Vestibular nuclei
Hypoglossal and vagal trigones
White Matter Tracts Nucleus ambiguus
Substantia Nigra
Pyramidal (corticospinal tract) Inferior olivary nucleus
Red Nucleus
Tectospinal tract Medial accessory olivary nucleus
Iter
Hypoglossal nerve
Cerebral Peduncles
Spinal lemniscus Other Features
Anterior spinocerebellar tract Fourth ventricle
Manual
Spinal tract of CN V Pre-olivary sulcus
CAUDAL MEDULLA
Medial lemniscus Vagal trigone
White Matter Tracts
Medial longitudinal fasciculus Inferior medullary velum
Pyramidal Decussation
Vagus nerve Hypoglossal trigone
Fasciculus Gracilis
Inferior cerebellar peduncle Area vestibularis
Anterior spinocerebellar tract
Posterior spinocerebellar tract
Spinal Tract of CN V
Spinal Accessory Nerve
Gray Matter Nuclei
Hypoglossal nucleus
Gray Matter Nuclei
Nucleus tractus solitarius
Nucleus gracilis
Reticular formation
Spinal Accessory nucleus
Spinal nucleus of CN V
Nucleus cuneatus
Dorsal accessory olivary nucleus
Spinal Nucleus of CN V
Dorsal motor nucleus of CN X
Upper Medulla

1. Hypoglossal trigone

2. Vagal trigone
Upper Medulla
Cerebral Peduncle

Red nucleus Substantia nigra

Cerebral aqueduct
NS VIII: BRAINSTEM - PONS AND MIDBRAIN
Structures to identify:
CAUDAL PONS (at the level of facial
colliculus)
White Matter Tracts Gray Matter Tracts
Pyramidal (corticospinal) tract
Trigeminothalamic tract
Lateral lemniscus
Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
Spinal tract of CN V
Facial nerve
Middle cerebellar peduncle
Mesencephalic root of CN V
Medial lemniscus
Spinal lemniscus Other Features
Tectospinal tract
Anterior spinocerebellar tract
Rubrospinal tract
Abducens nerve
Superior cerebellar peduncle
UPPER PONS
White Matter Tracts
Gray Matter Tracts
Pyramidal (corticospinal) tract
Trapezoid body Superior vestibular nucleus
Trigeminothalamic tract
Vestibular nuclei Main sensory nucleus of CN V
Lateral lemniscus
Motor nucleus of CN VI Motor nucleus of CN V
Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus
Pontine Nuclei Pontine nuclei
Spinal tract of CN V
Superior olivary nucleus
Anterior spinocerebellar tract
Motor nucleus of CN VII Other features
Superior cerebellar peduncle
Spinal nucleus of CN V Fourth ventricle
Medial lemniscus
Reticular Formation Superior Medullary velum
Spinal lemniscus
Tectospinal tract
Rubrospinal tract
Fourth ventricle
Trigeminal nerve
Facial colliculus
Middle cerebellar peduncle
Brainstem
CAUDAL PONS (level of facial colliculus)

Facial colliculus
CAUDAL PONS (level of facial colliculus)
CAUDAL PONS (level of facial colliculus)
UPPER PONS (level of trigeminal nuclei)
UPPER PONS (level of trigeminal nuclei)
UPPER PONS (level of trigeminal nuclei)
UPPER PONS (most rostral part)
PONS
NS VIII: BRAINSTEM - PONS AND MIDBRAIN
Structures to identify:
CAUDAL MIDBRAIN (at the level of
inferior colliculus)
White Matter Tracts
Pyramidal (corticospinal) tract
Occipitotemporopontine tract
Spinal lemniscus
Tectospinal tract
Rubrospinal tract
Anterior spinocerebellar tract
Superior cerebellar peduncle
decussation
Frontopontine tract
Medial lemniscus
Medial longitudinal fasciculus
Trigeminothalamic tract
Lateral lemniscus
UPPER MIDBRAIN (at the level of superior colliculus)
Gray Matter Tracts White Matter Tracts Other features
Trochlear nucleus Pyramidal (corticospinal) tract Iter
Substantia Nigra Occipitotemporopontine tract Cerebral peduncle
Mescencephalic nucleus of Spinal lemniscus Periaqueductal gray
CN V Medial longitudinal fasciculus matter
Nucleus of the inferior Trigeminothalamic tract Superior colliculus
colliculus Rubrospinal tract and decussation
Frontopontine tract
Medial lemniscus
Other Features Spinotectal tract
Iter Tectospinal tract
Cerebral Peduncle Cerebellorubrothalamic tract
Periaqueductal gray matter Oculomotor nerve
Inferior colliculus Gray Matter Nuclei
Edinger-Westphal nucleus
Mesencephalic nucleus of CN V
Substantia nigra
Oculomotor nucleus
Red nucleus
CAUDAL MIDBRAIN (Level of Inferior Colliculus)
 CAUDAL MIDBRAIN (Level of Inferior Colliculus)

TECTUM
- Inferior colliculus
- Mescencephalic nucleus of
Tectum Trigeminal (CN V)

Tegmentum TEGMENTUM
- Trochlear nucleus (CN IV)
- MLF
Basis pendunculi - Superior cerebellar peduncle
decussation
- Reticular formation
- Medial lemniscus
- Spinal lemniscus

BASIS PEDUNCULI
- Substancia nigra
- Pyramidal tract
CAUDAL MIDBRAIN (Level of Inferior Colliculus)
CAUDAL MIDBRAIN (Level of Inferior Colliculus)

Inferior colliculus

Cerebral aqueduct

Red nucleus Substancia nigra

Pathway: Rubrospinal tract Secretion: Dopamine
Pathway: Nigostriatal
pathway

Crus cerebri
Pathway: Corticospinal tract
UPPER MIDBRAIN (level of superior colliculus)

Brainstem Posterior View

Brainstem Posterolateral View

UPPER MIDBRAIN (level of superior colliculus)
Posterior

Anterior
UPPER MIDBRAIN (level of superior colliculus)
Posterior

Anterior
SUMMARY
Brainstem level Surface characteristics

Ventral Dorsal

Medulla Caudal Pyramid Dorsal column nuclei

Middle Pyramid Hypoglossal & vagal nuclei on floor of fourth ventricle

Rostral Pyramid Lateral aperture of fourth ventricle

Pons Caudal Basilar part Abducens and facial nerves in tegmentum

Middle Basilar part Motor trigeminal nucleus

Rostral Basilar part Decussation of trochlear nucleus

Midbrain Caudal Overlapping basilar pons Inferior colliculus

Rostral Cerebral peduncle Superior colliculus & overlapping thalamus