Brainstem

Brainstem Stroke

• Knowing what we now know about spinal cord injuries, let’s imagine that our new patient has

actually had a rare brainstem stroke

• Because a lesion has occurred in a more caudal (or superior) location, we can imagine that damage

might be even greater compared to a spinal cord injury

• As we will learn though, the brainstem also houses structures necessary for important involuntary

functions

The Brainstem

• A required stop when transmitting signals

between the cerebrum and the spinal cord

• Located

• Inferior to the cerebrum

• Rostral to the spinal cord

• Anterior to the cerebellum

View of Ventral Brainstem and Cerebrum

• Although the structures of the brainstem look very

different, they transition into one another

• Can create difficulty in talking about structures independently

• Cranial nerves are also visible

Medulla

Importance:

• Critical center for cranial nerve

functions associated with:

• Sensory for hearing and balance (CN VIII)

• Swallowing and voice production (CN IX and CN X)

• Movement of the head (CN XI)

• Movement of the tongue (CN XII)

Nucleus is in the medulla