Which of the following lists the three neural flexures that form during development?

Which of the following lists the three neural flexures that form during development?

• A. Telencephalic flexure, Diencephalic flexure, Rhombencephalic flexure
• B. Mesencephalic flexure, cervical flexure, pontine flexure
• C. Cervical flexure, Thoracic flexure, Lumbar flexure
• D. Midbrain flexure only

Answer: (B)

Neural tube folding creates bends that allow the growing brain to fit inside the skull and establish proper orientation of its regions. The three flexures that form are the mesencephalic flexure in the midbrain region, the cervical flexure at the junction between the hindbrain and the spinal cord, and the pontine flexure within the hindbrain that helps shape the pons and cerebellum. The mesencephalic flexure marks a bend between the forebrain and midbrain, the cervical flexure lets the spinal cord align beneath the brainstem as growth proceeds, and the pontine flexure arises as the hindbrain expands to form the brainstem structures. Some texts also describe a cephalic (or prosencephalic) flexure at the forebrain–midbrain boundary, but the trio listed here is the commonly cited set of three flexures that form during development.

Neural tube folding creates bends that allow the growing brain to fit inside the skull and establish proper orientation of its regions. The three flexures that form are the mesencephalic flexure in the midbrain region, the cervical flexure at the junction between the hindbrain and the spinal cord, and the pontine flexure within the hindbrain that helps shape the pons and cerebellum. The mesencephalic flexure marks a bend between the forebrain and midbrain, the cervical flexure lets the spinal cord align beneath the brainstem as growth proceeds, and the pontine flexure arises as the hindbrain expands to form the brainstem structures. Some texts also describe a cephalic (or prosencephalic) flexure at the forebrain–midbrain boundary, but the trio listed here is the commonly cited set of three flexures that form during development.