Anatomy of formatio reticularis

RF consists of widely spaced neurons loosely arranged

into nuclear groups throughout entirely BS tegmentum.
Fills the space not occupied by CN nuclei,
supplementary sensory and motor nuclei, named long
and short tract.
Caudal limit : medullo-cervical junction
Rostral limit : midbrain-diencephalic junction
Huge dendritic tree -> reticular appearance
Heterogenous connections of any single part of the CNS,
influence all mental, motor, and sensory functions

Classification of RF nuclei
Raphe nuclei

1.

Extent the entire length of the median plane of BS

Medial (central) gigantocellular nuclei

2.

Extent through the pontomedullary tegmentum, lateral to Raphe

nuclei

They contain the conspicuous gigantocellular neuron (magnocellular

group)

Lateral parvicellular (small celled) nuclei

3.

Extent from medullo-cervical junction to midbrain

Cerebellar RF nuclei

4.

Mainly connect with Cerebellum

Afferent of RF

Spinal cord

Tract spinoreticularis

Tract spinothalamicus

BS

Collaterals from sensory nuclei of the CN (CN V,VIII,Nuc. Solitarius)

Tract tectoreticularis

Tract reticulo-reticularis

Cerbellum

Forebrain

Limbic system

Basal ganglia

Cerebral cortex

Efferent of RF

RF efferents reach all parts of CNS, from

Spinal cord through Cerebral cortex

Spesific efferent :

Tract reticulospinal

Tract reticulobulbar

Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS)

1.

Rostral half of RF projects to forebrain by an ARAS

2.

Destruction of the rostral pontine tegmentum

3.

Causes transitory loss of consciousness

Destruction of the midbrain RF

Permamnently abolish consciousness

Caudal halh of RF maintains breathing, blood pressure, others reflex

Conscious waking state requires 3 neuronal pools &

interconnection : Rostral RF, Thalamus, Cerebral cortex

Function of formatio reticularis

Mental state : consciousness, attention span, alerting responses, sleepwake cycle. RF is active during sleep and wake.
Homeostasis and neurovegetative reflexes

RF mediates reflexes that control the activity of viscera and glands

in the interest of homeostasis.
In concert with forebrain, RF centers control breathing, pulse,
blood pressure, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, electrolyte balance,
pupillary size, ocular movement
Tract.reticulospinal controls blood pressure
Mediates reflex : coughing, sneezing, swallowing, vomiting,
hiccuping, gagging, chewing, sucking, feeding

Somatomotor & sensorimotor reflex

Postural reflex, extensor/flexor muscle tone, vestibular reflex

Cranial nerve nuclei

Supplementary motor
nuclei :
MO : Inferior
olivary nuclei
Pons : Nuclei of
pontine
Mid : Red
nucleus ,
Substantia nigra
Neuronal
arrangement
Pathways
Long sensory
tracts
Profuse short &
long, asc & desc
FLM
Cerebellar eff &
aff

Cross section of tegmentum

Cranial nerve nuclei

Supplementary motor nuclei :
MO : Inferior olivary nuclei
Pons : Nuclei of pontine
Mid : Red nucleus , Substantia nigra
Neuronal arrangement
Pathways
Long sensory tracts
Profuse short & long, asc & desc
FLM
Cerebellar eff & aff
Central tegmental tract
Hypothalamic

Cross section of medulla oblongata

Composition of Basis BS

Basis transmits deacending cortical efferent, consist

of
Cortico-pontine Tractus
Pyramidals tracts
Cortico-bulbar Trac
Cortico-spinal Tract
Difference in the basis of Mid, Pons, MO
Mid : conveys cortico-bulbar /spinal /pontine
tracts
Pons : largest basis, Nuclei pontine
MO : smallest

 Cerebellum
Triad
Three pedunculi
Three layers of cortex cerebellum
Three lobus
Three phylogenetic
Three hemisphere
Three nuclei
Three fibers

cerebellum
Situated :
behind the pons varolii
immediatelly below the the posterior
portion of the cerebrum
occupying the posterior cranial fossa

 Function of cerebellum
coordination of :
voluntary muscular movement
posture
balance /equilibrium

The overall structure of the

cerebellum is similar to that
of the cerebrum
in the sense that
superficial cellular
layers form a cortex, which
covers several
deep nuclei embedded in
the white substance.

Damage to the cerebellum

causes disturbances of motor
function without voluntary
paralysis.
The cerebellum consists of
Three lobes
Three layers of the cortex
Three nuclei give the
output fibers
Three pairs of cerebellar
peduncles

Inferior cerebellar peduncle

Chiefly input fibers
Consists of restiform body and juxtarestiform body
Middle cerebellar peduncle / Brachium
pontis
Largest
Entirely input
Connect basis pontis to the
cerebellum
Superior cerebellar peduncle / Brachium
conjunctivum
Connects Midbrain to the
cerebellum
Mostly output fibers

Receives information from many

sources, skin, joints, muscles,
vestibular and auditory apparatus and
the eye.
The output send to the motor cortical
area and the RF of the brain stem
The output send to the motor cortical
area and the RF of the brain stem

Cortical layer
Molecular layer
Interneuron : Basket
and stellate
neuron
Layer of Purkinje cells
A single row of
bodies of
Purkinje cells
Principal cells
Granular layer
Granule cells,
Golgi cells.

The five major cell

types of the
cerebellar cortex :
Granular cells
Golgi cells
Purkinje cells
Basket cells
Stellate cells
The cells are
arranged in a
trilaminar pattern

Afferent fibers
Efferent fibers
Unconscious activity
Ipsilateral
representation of the
body part

 Four pairs nuclei embedded deep in the

cerebellar white matter :
Fastigial
Interposed
Globose
Emboliform

Dentata

Posterior lobe of cerebellum circuitry

Flocconodular circuity

Anterior lobe cerebellum circuitry

Posterior lobe cerebellum syndrome

Neo-cerebellar lobe syndrome, resulting from

accidents, trauma, tumor, degeneration
diseases, is manifested by :

Ataxia ( loss of coordination of voluntary

movements )
Decreased muscle tone
Rate, range, and force of movements are abnormal
( intention tremor )
Dysmetria
Dysdiadochokinesia ( as repetitive hand pronation
supination )

Spinal cord 1
Occupies the upper two-thirds of the vertebral
canal
Conductor of impulses between the brain and
the peripheral nerves
Ascending pathways carry impulses to the brain
from all parts of the body except the head
Descending pathways
Contains a wealth of intrinsic neuronal circuits
subserving a multitude of spinal reflexes

Spinal cord 2
Almost 50 cm long cylindrical part of CNS
Diameter : 1 1.5 cm
31 pairs of spinal nerve, distribute sensory and
motor fibers to all parts of the body.
Enlargement : cervical & lumbal-sacral
enlargement
Cross section :
Gray and White substance.
Fissura
Central canal

Spinal cord 3

Functions
Breathing
Digestion and elimination
Blood pressure and pulse
Sweating and other glands secretions
Piloerection
Penile / clitoral erection

 Spinal cord segment T 1 at level spinous

process of the vertebrae C6
spinal cord segment L1 at level spinous process
of the vertebraeT10
spinal cord segment S1 at level spinous process
of vertebrae T12
termination of conus medullaris discus
interveteb.,L1-L2
Termination of sbarachnoid space at S2 or S3
termination of filum terminale on the coccyx.

 Spinal cord :
extends from the level of the foramen magnum to the
body of the 1st or 2nd lumbal vertebra and length of 43
cm.
Its has five levels ( cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral and
coccygeal ) with a total of 31 to 32 pairs of spinal nerves.
Transversal section :
*gray matter : is H shape : dorsal horns, ventral horns,
lateral horns. In central : central canal.
*white matter.: has collumna / funiculi : dorsal, lateral
and dorsal.

White matter

Column
Anterior funiculus
Lateral funiculus
Posterior funiculus

The fibers in the column consist of

Descendens Tracts
Ascendens Tracts

Gray matter

H`shape, with central canal

Anterior horn (motoric neuron )
Lateral horn ( Preganglionic Neuron)
Posterior horn (sensoric neuron )

Rexeds Laminae ( I,II X )

 Descending pathways of the spinal white matter

A. corticospinal tract
B. corticobulbair tract.
C. coticopontine tract
Upper motorneuron and lower motorneuro lesions .
Indirect pathway :
Tectospinalis
Rubrospinal
vestibulospinal
Reticulospinal
FLM

Ascenden sensory pathway

Divided into three groups
Pathways for pain & temperature
Pathways for tactile information, vibration,
position sense ( static posistion sense and
kinesthesia )
Pathways for somatosensory impulse to
the cerebellum ( Spino-cerebellar tract,
cuneo cerebellar tract )

Descending pathways

Cortico-spinal tract *
Vestibulo-spinal tract
Tecto-spinal tract
Rubro-spinal tract
Reticulo-spinal tract
Medial longitudinal fasciculus ( mixed )

 Meningen :
dura mater, epidural , subdural
arachnoidea mater /membran and subarachnoid
spaces /spatium
pia mater
dural compartment of the skull :
1. the cerebral falx,
2. cerebellar tentorium supratentorial space contains
cerebrum , infratentorial space or posterior fossa
contains brainstem and cerebellum.
3. The cerebellar falx.separated cerebelli hemisphere
left and right

Meningen

Protective structure vertebral column, meningen,

epidural adipose csf

Cerebrospinal
fluids

Vascular supply of the CNS

Internal carotid system

Anterior

cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery
Anterior communicating artery

Vertebrobasilar system
Left & right vertebral artery merge on the anterior aspect of
the caudal pons to from the basilar artery.
Branches :

Anterior inferior cerebellar arteries

Pontine arteries
Superior cerebellar arteries

To the cerebral hemispheres

Internal carotid system

Anterior cerebral artery

Middle cerebral artery

Vertebrobasilar

system

Posterior cerebral arteries

To the deep of the brain

Internal carotid artery

Anterior cerebral arteries
Middle cerebral arteries

Basilar artery

Posterior cerebral arteries

Posterior communicating arteries
Thalamic arteries

 To the

Cerebellum
Vertebrobasilar system
Posterior inferior cerebellar arteries
Anterior inferior cerebellar arteries
Superiorr cerebellar arteries

To the

Brain stem

Vertebral
Bulbar

Anterior

arteries

arteries

spinal arteries
Posterior inferior cerebellar arteries

 To the

pons
Anterior inferior cerebellar arteries
Pontine arteries
Superiorr cerebellar arteries

To the

midbrain

Superior

cerebellar arteries
Posterior cerebral arteries
Posterior communicating arteries

 Through carotid canal

Major branches :

Opthalmic branch
Anterior communicating branch
Anterior cerebral artery
Middle cerebral artery

 Through foramen magnum

Branches of vertebral artery :

Anterior spinal
Posterior inferior cereballar arteries
Posterior spinal

Branches of basilar artery

Anterior inferior cerebellar arteries

Labyrinthine
Pontine arteries
Superior cerebellar arteries
Posterior cerebellar arteries (terminal branch)
Posterior communicating branches

The serebral arterial circle is an important anastomosis at

the base of the brain between the four arteries
( vertebrals and internal carotids )
Structure :

Anterior cerebral arteries

Anterior communicating arteries
Posterior communicating arteries
Posterior cerebral arteries
Internal carotid arteries

Function

Connection between carotid and vertebral arteries

Blood
supply of
spinal cord
and BS

 The large channels draining the superficial

and deep cerebral veins are form within
the dura mater
The dural sinuses drain into internal
jugular vein or into emissary veins

 Structures :

Great veins of galen

Straight sinus
Left & right transverse sinus
Sigmoid sinus Inferior sagittal sinus
Superior sagittal sinus
Confluens
Occipital sinus

Superior petrosal sinus

Inferior petrosal sinus
Cavernosus sinus
Intercavernosus sinus

 references
1. Stephen G Waxman Clinical
Neuroanatomy Mc Graw Hill 2003
2 Richard S Schnell Clinical Neuroanatomy
PG Asian Edition 1984
3 Ernest W April Neuroanatomy
John
Willey & Sons 1976