Mid-medulla

Question 1

Name this and state its function.

Answer 1

Inferior cerebellar peduncle.

• Posture maintenance and balance.
• integrating proprioceptive sensory input with vestibular motor function.\

Question 2

Name this and state its function.

Answer 2

Dorsal efferent(motor) nucleus of Vagus.

• Provide input afferents pulmonary, digestive and cardiovascular, affecting blood pressure and blood gas levels.

Question 3

Name this and state its function.

Answer 3

Hypoglossal nucleus.

• Somatic efferent, innervating tongue musculature.

Question 4

Name this and state its function.

Answer 4

Hypoglossal nerve.

Question 5

Name this and state its function.[5 marks overall].

Tract involved.

Pathway specific to function.

Answer 5

Medial lemniscus.

• Second order neurons of Dorsal-column medial lemniscus pathway(DCML), of conscious proprioception.
• Spinothalamic information:
  
  • caudal medulla*–>*thalamus*–>*somatosensory cortex.

Question 6

Name this.

Answer 6

Fourth ventricle.

Question 7

Name this and state its function.

Nerves involved.[3 marks].

Answer 7

Medial longitudinal fasciculus.

• Integrating eye movement and the head.
• involves:

oculomotor, trochlear and abducens.

Question 8

Name this and state its function.

Neurotransmitters involved?

Answer 8

Nucleus Tractus solitarius(NTS).

• Generates peristaltic activity of the gastrointestinal tract during swallowing.
• Release of inhibitory(GABA) and excitatory(Glutamate).
  
  • controls motor pattern.

Question 9

Name this and state its function.

Answer 9

Inferior olivary nucleus.

• Fine motor and co-ordination. project to the ICP( to Cerebellar cortex and deep cerebellar nuclei).

Question 10

Name this.

Answer 10

Medial vestibular nuclei.

Question 11

Name this.

Answer 11

Inferior vestibular nucleus.

Question 12

Name this, state its function, divisions and pathway.

Answer 12

Pyramidal tract.

• Composed of :
  
  • ​Corticospinal + Cotricobulbar tracts.
  • Descending tract:
  • Carrying motor fibres from cortex—>spine/brainstem.

Voluntary control.

Question 13

Name this and state its function within its 2 parts.

Answer 13

Olive.

Inferior: integrates motor and sensory function

• Relays between spine and cerebellum.

Superior: sound localisation.

• Sound localisation, and relay between cochlear nuclei and inferior colliculi.

Question 14

Name and state its function in each hemisphere.

Answer 14

Arcuate fibres.

Left hemisphere:

• Language processing.

Right hemisphere:

• visuospatial processing.