Neuroembryology

I.

(Dr. Abad)

(A)Metencecphalon
- Pons
- Cerebellum

Embryogenesis
Primary Germ Layers
a. Ectoderm
- CNS
- Hair, Nails, Skin
b. Mesoderm
- Circulatory
- Respiratory
- Lungs (epithelial)
- muscle
c. Endoderm
- Digestive system
- Liver
- Pancreas
- Lungs (inner layer)
NeuroEctodermSecondary
Brain
Formation
1. Prosencephalon

(B)Myelencephalon
- Medulla
- Lower 4th ventricle
4. Gyri and Sulci (fissures)
Basal and Alar Plates
A. Basal plates (Ventral)
1. Anterior Horn cells
2. Motor Nuclei of Cranial Nerve

Primary/
Vesicles

(A)Telencenphalon
- Cerebral Cortex
- Amygdala
- Caudate
- Putamen
Neopallium- Intellectual task
Paleopallium- emotions
Archipallium- self preservation,
aggression

(B)Diencephalon
- Thalamus
- Hypothalamus
- Globus pallidus
- Third ventricles
2. Mesencephalon
- Midbrain
- Aqueduct of Sylvius
3. Rhombencephalon

B. Alar Plate (Dorsal)

1. Dorsal sensory horn
2. Sensory nuclei in braistem
3. Cerebellum
4. Inferior olive
5. Quadrigeminal plate (superior
and interior colliculi)
6. Red nucleus
II.

Histogenesis of Neural Tube

Neuroepithelial cells give rise to:
a) Neuroblast- neuron
b) Glioblast- non- neural cell
1. Macroglia
Astrocytes- project foot,
processes to capillaries,
neurons, synapses.
Oligodendrocytesmyelin forming cells.
2. Ependymal cell- lining cell
produce CSF
3. Microglia- phagocytes

III.

Neural tube formation

A. Fusion begins on day 22 at the

lower medulla
B. Fusion begins at the fourth
somite
C. Anterior neuropore closes on day
25
D. Posterior neuropore closes on day
27
E. Neural crest cells give rise to:
1. Dorsal root ganglion
2. Melanocytes
3. Sensory ganglia of cranial
nerves
4. Adrenal medulla
5. Autonomic ganglia
6. Cells of the pia/ arachnoid
7. Schawnn cells
8. Preganglionic symphathetic
neuron
Caudal Neural Tube Formation
(Secondary Neurulation)
A. Forms on day 28-32
B. Forms
sacral/
coccygeal
segments,
filum
terminale,
ventriculus terminals
IV.

Disorder of Primary Neural

Formation
A. Anencephaly
1. Failure
of
anterior
neuropore closure (<24
days)
2. 75% are stillborns
3. Most common in whites,
Irish, females, children
born to either very
young or very young
mothers.
4. Risk
in
subsequent
pregnancies is 5-7 %.

B. Myeloschisis
1. Falure
of
posteriorneuropore closure
2. Malformation of skull
base
3. Most are stillborn
C. Encephalocele
1. Restricted
defect
in
anterior neural tube
closure.
2. 75% occipital
3. 50%
with
hydrocephalus
D. Myelomeningocele
1. Restricted
defect
in
posterior neural tube
closure
2. 80% lumbar
3. 90% hydrocephalus
4. Symptoms
include
motor,
sensory
and
sphincter dysfunction.
E. Arnold Chiari Malformation
1. Type 1
a. Isolated displacement
of
the
cerebellar
tonsils
into
the
cervical canal.

2. Type II
a. Displacement of the
cerebellum
into
cervical canal.
b. Displacement of the
medulla and fourth

c.
d.
e.

f.

ventricle
into
the
cervical canal.
Long, thin medulla
and pons.
Skull base and upper
cervical spine defects.
Hydrocephalus
to
fourth
ventricle
obstruction.
Syringomyelia

3. Type III
a. All the above
encephalocele.

2. Prevention- Folate
V.

Secondary

A. Occult Dysgraphic States

1. Intact dermal layer over lesion
2. 80% overlying dermal lesion
(dimple, hairy tufy, lipoma,
hemangioma)
3. Frequent tethered spinal cord
4. 100% abnormal conus and
filum
5. 90% vertebral defects

plus

B. Caudal Regression Syndrome

1. 20% are infants of diabetic
mothers.
2. Dysgraphic
sacrum
and
coccyx with atrophic muscle
and bone.
3. Symptoms include delayed
sphincter control and walking,
back and leg, pain scoliosis
pes cavus leg asymmetry.

F. Meckels syndrome
1. Associated
with
maternal
hyperthermia or fever
on days 20-26
2. Includes
encephalocele,
mcrocephaly,
micropthalmia, cleft
lip,
polydactyly,
polycystic
kidneys,
and
ambiguous
genitalia.
G. Neural tube defects
1. Causes:
a. Chromosomal
abnormalities
(trisomy 13, 18)
b. Teratogens
(thalidomide,
valproate, phenytoin)
c. Single mutant gene
(Meckles syndrome)
d. Multifactorial

Disorder
of
Neurulation

Dermal Sinus
Subcutaneous Lipoma/ Teratoma
VI.

Disorder of
Development

Prosencephalic

A. Aprosencephalyabsent
telencephalon/ diencephalon.
B. Atelencephalyabsent
telencephalon
but
normal
diencephalon.

VII.
VIII.

X.

A. Secondary to failed or delayed

development of the foramen of
Magendle
B. Cystic dilation of the fourth
ventricle.
C. Cerebellar agenesis
D. Hydrocephalus

XI.

IX.

Dandy Walker Malformation

Organizational
Disorder
malformation of cortex
A. Mental Retardation- decrease
dendritic spines and branching
B. Down syndrome
- Trisomy 21
- Abnormal dendrites and axons
- Amyloids, tangles, plaques
C. Fragile X Syndrome

XII.

XIII.
Primitive Reflexes
XIV.
REFLEXESXV.
XVIII.
XXII.
XXVI.

XXX.

XXXIV.

XXXVIII.
XLII.

XLVI.

DISCRIPTIO
XVI.
N
Suck
XIX.
Pacifier
XX.
Grasp
XXIII.
Holding
XXIV.
Moro
XXVII.
Open
arm,
XXVIII.
hands with head
extension
Tonic neckXXXI.
Turn
head,
XXXII.
ipsi-limb extension
Contra- limb flexion
Landau XXXV.
Limb
XXXVI.
extension-ventral
birth
position
Placing XXXIX.
Knee
flex,
XL.
foot lift on the table
Parachute XLIII.
Limb
XLIV.
extensionprone birth
position
Babinski XLVII.
Great
XLVIII.
to
dorsiflexion

L.
LI.
Normal Developmental Milestone
LII.
MILESTONE
LIII.
LIV.
Smile responsively
LV.
LVI.
Visual tracking to 180%
LVII.
LVIII.
Rolls over, head upright
LIX.
LX.
Reaches for objects
LXI.
LXII.
Sits unsupported
LXIII.
LXIV.
Thumb finger grasp
LXV.
LXVI.
Crawls
LXVII.
LXVIII.
Walks with support
LXIX.
LXX.
Pincer grasp
LXXI.
LXXII.
Walks alone
LXXIII.
LXXIV.
Says words (mama, dada)
LXXV.
LXXVI.
Climbs steps
LXXVII.
LXXVIII.
Pedal tricycle
LXXIX.

LXXX.

LXXXI.

APPEARANC
XVII.
E
32-34 wk XXI.
32- 34 wks XXV.
34 wks
XXIX.

DISAPPEARA
NCE
4 mo
6 mo
3mo

34 wks

6 mo

XXXIII.

mo XXXVII.
after

35 wks
9

mo

XLI.
after
XLV.

Birth

1 mo
2-3 mo
3 mo
3-4 mo
6 mo
8 mo
9 mo
10 mo
12 mo
12-14 mo
13 mo
17 mo
3 yrs

XLIX.

24 mo

6 wk
Persists

10 mo