The Brain:

Blood Supply and Major Tracts

Dr Quentin Fogg PhD FRCPS(Glasg)

Greg Dunn and Brian Edwards (2016) Self Reflected. Gold leaf micro-etching gregadunn.com clarityresourcecenter.com
England and Wakely (1991)
England and Wakely (1991)
The Rhoton Collection
Thieme Atlas of Anatomy
 Superior
cerebellar
artery

Posterior inferior
cerebellar artery

Thieme Atlas of Anatomy

 1

Basilar
artery

3 Thieme Atlas of Anatomy

Ascending fasciculus Descending
fasciculus gracilis
cuneatus

sacral/
coccygeal

cervical

sacral/
coccygeal
spinocerebellar
tracts
cervical
cervical
sacral/
coccygeal

corticospinal
spinothalamic tracts
tracts (pyramidal)

extra-pyramidal
tracts
ascending (afferent)
descending (efferent)
England and Wakely (1991)

Pain & Temperature

trigeminothalamic (green) = pain

and temperature from face

spinothalamic (red) = pain and

temperature from body

RIGHT LEFT
England and Wakely (1991)

Simple (Crude) Touch &

Pressure

trigeminothalamic (green) = simple

touch and pressure from face

spinothalamic (red) = simple touch

and pressure from body

RIGHT LEFT
England and Wakely (1991)

Fine Touch & Conscious

Proprioception
trigeminothalamic (green) sensory
nucleus of V = fine touch from head

trigeminothalamic (grey) via

mesencephalic nucleus = conscious
proprioception from head

fasciculus cuneatus (orange) via nucleus

fasciculus → contralateral medial lemniscus =
fine touch and conscious proprioception from
cervical and upper thoracic regions

fasciculus gracilis (red) via nucleus

gracilis → contralateral medial lemniscus
= fine touch and conscious proprioception
from lower thoracic and lumbar regions

RIGHT LEFT
England and Wakely (1991)

Vision
• nasal retinal input → contralateral optic tract
• temporal retinal input → ipsilateral optic tract
• 90% optic tract synapses in lateral geniculate
body
• 10% synapse in superior colliculi (and related
areas)
England and Wakely (1991)

Hearing
• each auditory cortex
receives impulses from
both ears
• both ears can hear after
unilateral auditory cortex
damage

superior olivary
nucleus

RIGHT LEFT
England and Wakely (1991)
Motor Pathways
• pyramidal tracts
• upper motor neurons
• corticobulbar = CN motor nuclei =
• corticospinal = rest of body

• lower motor neurons

• start in CN nuclei or spinal cord and
become “peripheral”

RIGHT LEFT
England and Wakely (1991)

Extra-Pyramidal Tracts
• do NOT pass through pyramid of medulla
oblongata
• synpase with lower motor neurons
• automatic movements
• group control
• cerebellar connections

• rubrospinal tract = flexor tone

(stops mid-thoracic)
• tectospinal tract = reflex head
movements in response to sight and
sound (stops cervical and upper
thoracic)
• vestibulospinal tract = posture and
balance
• reticulospinal tract = automatic
movements when walking

RIGHT LEFT
England and Wakely (1991)
Parkinson’s Disease

• substantia nigra
• produces dopamine
• needed for motor instructions
• when unable to create enough:
• decreased ability to both instruct and
inhibit movement
Thieme Atlas of Anatomy

Epilepsy
• Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
• reduction and hardening (sclerosis) of
hippocampus
• most common finding on autopsy
• maybe not the direct cause of
symptoms (??)
England and Wakely (1991)

Body Clock
• the “body clock” is maintained by
two key structures
• pineal gland (of epithalamus)
• produces melatonin

• suprachiasmatic nucleus (of

hypothalamus)
• receives light information from the
retina
 Intended Learning Outcomes
 Now you should be able to:

 Describe the distribution of blood supply through the brain

 Describe the major tracts of the spinal cord

 Describe the specific tracts utilised for conveying sensations and instructions
(motor pathways)

 Describe the structures involved in common neurologic disorders

 Draw neuroanatomical relationships!