| PRRF | paramedian pontine reticular formation |
|---|---|
| MRF | Markov random field; medical record file; melanocyte-[stimulating hormone]-releasing factor; mesence... |
| DCN | data collection network; deep cerebral nucleus; delayed conditioned necrosis; depressed, cognitively... |
| VPN | ventral pontine nucleus |
| LRN | lateral reticular nucleus |
| basilar pontine sulcus | A median groove on the ventral surface of the pons varolii in which lies the basilar artery. Synonym: sulcus basilaris pontis, basilar sulcus. (05 Mar 2000) |
|---|---|
| central pontine myelinolysis | <neurology> A condition characterised by damage to the myelin (sheath) layer of nerve cells in the pons (brainstem). The destruction of myelin inhibits the conduction of a nerve impulse along a nerve cell. The most common cause for exacerbating this condition is a rapid correction of hyponatraemia (low blood sodium level). Some conditions such as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and alcoholism can predispose to loss of myelin. Symptoms can include weakness, double vision, muscle spasms, speech difficulty, delirium, sleepiness, hallucinations, tremors and uncontrolled eye movements. An MRI scan of the brain can demonstrate the abnormality. A more slow controlled correction of serum sodium levels is necessary in these patients. There is no definitive treatment for the underlying disorder. (12 Jan 1998) |
| myelinolysis, central pontine | A form of massive demyelination of the pons occurring in malnutrition and alcoholism. The remarkable unsystematic dissolution of the sheaths of medullated fibres is its most certain feature. The lesion varies from only a few millimeters in diameter to almost the entire pons. The basic pathology is the destruction of the medullated sheaths throughout the lesions with relative sparing of the axis cylinders and intactness of the nerve cells of the pontine nuclei. Pathologically it is easily differentiated from infarction and the inflammatory demyelinations of multiple sclerosis and postinfectious encephalomyelitis. There does not appear to be a genetic, sex, or age factor. It is often, however, associated with some other serious disease, particularly chronic alcoholism. (adams & victor, principles of neurology, 2d ed, p720) (12 Dec 1998) |
| pontine angle | <anatomy, oncology> The angle between the cerebellum and the pons, a common site for the growth of acoustic neuromas. (16 Dec 1997) |
| pontine angle tumour | A tumour in the angle formed by the cerebellum and the lateral pons, often refers to an acoustic schwannoma. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine arteries | Several small branches of the basilar artery distributed to the pons. Synonym: arteriae pontis, rami ad pontem. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine cistern | An upward continuation of the subarachnoid space of the spinal cord, continuous about the medulla with the cerebellomedullary cisternl; may be divided into inferior (containing roots of C.N. 9-12) and superior (containing root of C.N. 5, 7, 8) parts. Synonym: cisterna pontis. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine flexure | The dorsally concave curvature of the rhombencephalon in the embryo; appearance indicates division of rhombencephalon into myelencephalon and metencephalon. Synonym: basicranial flexure, transverse rhombencephalic flexure. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine gray matter | The massive gray matter filling the basilar pons. The nuclei are of fairly homogeneous architecture and project to the cortex of the contralateral cerebellar hemisphere by way of the middle cerebellar peduncle. Their main afferents come from the entire extent of the cerebral neocortex by way of the longitudinal pontine bundles (corticopontine fibres); thus, the pontine nuclei form a major way-station in the impulse conduction from the cerebral cortex of one hemisphere to the posterior lobe of the opposite cerebellum. Synonym: nuclei pontis, pontine gray matter. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine haemorrhage | Haemorrhage occurring in the substance of the pons, typically in hypertensive patients. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine nuclei | The massive gray matter filling the basilar pons. The nuclei are of fairly homogeneous architecture and project to the cortex of the contralateral cerebellar hemisphere by way of the middle cerebellar peduncle. Their main afferents come from the entire extent of the cerebral neocortex by way of the longitudinal pontine bundles (corticopontine fibres); thus, the pontine nuclei form a major way-station in the impulse conduction from the cerebral cortex of one hemisphere to the posterior lobe of the opposite cerebellum. Synonym: nuclei pontis, pontine gray matter. (05 Mar 2000) |
| pontine veins | Several veins running transversely on the pons to join the petrosal vein. Synonym: venae pontis, veins of pons. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oblique pontine fasciculus | A bundle of fibres in the ventral surface of the pons running from the anterior mesial portion outward and backward. Synonym: fasciculus obliquus pontis, oblique bundle of pons. (05 Mar 2000) |
| transverse pontine fibres | Fibres arising from the pontine nuclei, decussate and pass into the cerebellum as the middle cerebellar peduncles. Synonym: fibrae pontis transversae. (05 Mar 2000) |
| longitudinal pontine bundles | The massive bundles of corticofugal fibres passing longitudinally through the ventral part of pons; they are composed of corticopontine, corticobulbar, and corticospinal fibres. Synonym: fasciculi longitudinales pontis, longitudinal pontine bundles. (05 Mar 2000) |