4: Anatomy - Basal ganglia and cerebellum

Question 1

What are the three lobes of the cerebellum?

Answer 1

Anterior lobe

Posterior lobe

Flocculonodular lobe

Question 2

What separates the anterior lobe of the cerebellum from the posterior lobe (but in reality can’t be seen)?

Answer 2

Primary fissure

Question 3

In which cranial fossa is the cerebellum found?

Which sheet of dura sits on top of it?

Answer 3

Posterior cranial fossa

Tentorium cerebelli

Question 4

Which structures anchor the cerebellum to the midbrain?

Answer 4

Peduncles

(superior, middle and inferior)

Question 5

Which structure runs down the middle of the cerebellum and is associated with posture and movement?

Answer 5

Vermis (superior and inferior)

Question 6

What is the name of the big core of white matter found within the cerebellum?

Answer 6

Arbor vitae

Question 7

The cerebellar cortex has three ___ of cells.

Answer 7

layers

Question 8

What are the three layers of cerebellar cells?

Answer 8

Molecular layer on the outside

Purkinje layer in the middle

Granule layer on the inside

Question 9

Arrange into the correct order from inside to outside:

Granular cell layer

Molecular layer

Purkinje cell layer

Answer 9

From inside to outside:

granular cell layer

Purkinje cell layer

molecular layer

Question 10

From which layers of the cerebellum are:

a) afferent signals received
b) motor signals sent?

Answer 10

a) Granular cell layer

b) Purkinje cell layer

Question 11

What is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 11

Receives sensory signals (from everywhere including the brain) and relays them to the THALAMUS

=> COORDINATION OF BODY MOVEMENTS

see cerebellum think coordination

Question 12

The cerebellum regulates ___ movement.

Answer 12

voluntary

Question 13

What is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 13

Receives SENSORY INFORMATION from the ascending pathways and relays them to the cerebral cortex

Question 14

The cerebellum is made up of two ___.

Answer 14

hemispheres

Question 15

Each cerebral hemisphere controls the (ipsilateral / contralateral) side of the body.

Answer 15

ipsilateral

fibres DON’T cross over

Question 16

What happens if you have midline cerebellar lesion?

Answer 16

Loss of postural control

Think of it as affecting your midline postural muscles like (back, gluteals etc.)

Question 17

What happens if you have a unilateral cerebellar lesion?

Answer 17

Loss of coordination in the limbs on that side

Question 18

What happens if you have a bilateral cerebellar lesion?

Answer 18

Loss of coordination of limbs on both sides

Dysarthria - slurred speech

Cerebellar ataxia - staggering, wide-based gait

Question 19

What happens if you have a

a) bilateral
b) midline
c) unilateral

cerebellar lesion?

Answer 19

a) Loss of coordination in limbs on both sides, slurred speech

b) Intact limb coordination, loss of postural control

c) Loss of coordination in limbs on one side

Question 20

What causes short-term bilateral cerebellar dysfunction?

What are the symptoms?

Answer 20

Alcohol excess

Loss of coordination in limbs on both sides, slurred speech

Question 21

What is a ganglion?

Answer 21

Mass of neuron bodies found in the PNS

Question 22

Why is basal ganglion a misnomer?

Answer 22

Basal ganglia are found at the base of the cerebral hemispheres, which is in the CNS

So should really be called ‘basal nuclei’

Question 23

What is the function of the basal ganglia?

Answer 23

Act on thalamus to:

Regulate voluntary movement

Inhibit unwanted movements

Question 24

What are the names of the five basal ganglia?

Answer 24

Caudate nucleus

Putamen

Globus pallidus

Substantia nigra

Subthalamic nucleus

Question 25

The basal ganglia are found in the ___ of cerebral hemispheres.

Answer 25

bases

i.e looking down from above

Question 26

On this diagram, label three basal ganglia.

Answer 26

Question 27

Where is the substantia nigra found?

Answer 27

Cerebellum

Question 28

Where is the subthalamic nucleus found?

Answer 28

Under the thalamus

Question 29

What names are given to the following groups of basal ganglia?

1) Putamen + Caudate nucleus
2) Putamen + Globus pallidus
3) Putamen + Caudate nucleus + Globus pallidus

Answer 29

1) Striatum

2) Lenticular nucleus

3) Corpus striatum

Question 30

What colour is the substantia nigra?

Answer 30

Black

Question 31

Which basal ganglion degenerates in Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 31

Substantia nigra

Question 32

Which disease occurs if the substantia nigra degenerates?

Answer 32

Parkinson’s disease

Question 33

The basal ganglia act on the thalamus to amplify or inhibit conscious movements, posture etc.

How do they a) enhance and b) inhibit desired and unwanted movements?

Answer 33

a) Direct pathway

b) Indirect pathway

Question 34

Which two neurological diseases are associated with degeneration of the basal ganglia?

Answer 34

Parkinson’s disease

Huntington’s disease

Question 35

Is Huntington’s disease autosomal dominant or recessive?

Answer 35

Autosomal dominant