Basal and Degenerative Flashcards
Extrapyramidal system
Anatomically diverse, all connected Basal ganglia - striatum = caudate and putamen nuclei - globus pallidus - medial and lateral Substantia nigra (midbrain) - pars compacta and pars reticulata Subthalamic nucleus
Overview of basal ganglia
Part of extra-pyramidal system
- initiation and planning of movement (prior to movement)
- posture, muscle tone
- many other functions
Regulates cortex - topographic input and output via cortex
- cortical feedback loops regulated by dopamine
Striatum anatomy
Caudate nucleus - follows lateral wall of lateral ventricle
- long body and tail curve into cortex
Putamen - anterior to thalamus, inf to internal capsule
- merges with caudate anteriorly = nucleus accumbens
Globus pallidus - medial to putamen
+ putamen = “lentiform nucleus” - useless term
Claustrum
Grey matter between putamen and insular cortex
Unknown function?
- reciprocal connections to all sensory cortices
-> rhythmic cortical activity?
Connections of basal ganglia
Feeback loop! Cortex -> ganglia -> thalamus -> cortex
Input:
- all areas of cortex (except primary visual, auditory)
- substantia nigra pars compacta -> dopamine
Output:
- substantia nigra pars reticulata
- external globus pallidus -> subthalamic nuclei ->
-> internal globus pallidus -> ventroantero (VA)/ventrolateral (VL) nuclei of thalamus -> cortex (mostly premotor)
Direct pathway
Dysinhibition -> inhibition of tonically active -> facilitation
Direct pathway -> facilitates movement
- cortex -excites> medium spiny neurons of striatum
- tonically inhibit> internal globus pallidus -inhibit> VA/VL
- > dysinhibition of thalamus, cortex -> movement
- dopamine via D1 -> spiny neurons -> facilitates movement
Basal ganglia subcircuits
Segregated pathways to/from regions of motor, premotor, supplementary
-> map onto putamen, globus pallidus, subthalamic, VA/VL
-> feedback onto same cortical area
Body -> putamen -> lateral globus pallidus -> VA/VL
Convergence
Every cortical area projects except primary visual, auditory
- prefrontal dorsolateral loop -> executive fx
- prefrontal orbital/medial loop = limbic -> emotions, mood
Convergence -> fewer neurons
cortex -> striatum (75 million) > globus pallidus (700K)
- spiny neurons = integrate, very long dendrite with many spines
Basal ganglia function
Indirect pathway -> tonic inhibition
Direct -> selects and excites movements
- superimposed on indirect (center-surround)
Abnormalities - too much, too little, random
Striasomes
Patches of regulatory interneurons - distinct neurotransmitter
- Ach
- enkephalin
Ventral striatal system
aka limbic system
Limbic cortex -> ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens) ->
-> ventral pallidum -> mediodorsal nucleus -> cortex
Dopamine from ventral tegmental area -> D3, D4
- mesolimbic dopamine reward system (DA from ventral tegmental -> nucleus accumbens)
Ventral striatum/accumbens = anterior, ventral junction of putamen and caudate
Ventral pallidum = ventral to globus (across ant commissure)
Indirect pathway
Indirect pathway -> inhibits movement
- cortex -excites> striatum -tonically inhibit> external globus pallidus -inhibit> subthalamic nuclei -excites> internal globus pallidus -inhibit VA/VL
- > net inhibition of VA/VL, cortex
- dopamine via D2 -> decreases inhibition -> facilitates movement
Oculomotor pathway
Eye cortex -> caudate -> globus pallidus -> VA, mediodorsal
second pathway -> substantia nigra pars reticulata -> superior colliculus
Prefrontal (dorsolateral) pathway
Executive function
Prefrontal dorsolateral cortex -> anterior caudate
-> internal globus pallidus and substantia nigra pars reticulata
-> VA, mediodorsal
Hyperkinesia syndromes
aka Dyskinesia
Chorea-athetosis - usually together, pt’s pretend purposeful movement
- chorea - quick, irregular, proximal, “dancing”
- athetosis - smooth, writhing, distal
Dystonia - twisting of neck, trunk
Ballismus - violent, proximal, throwing or flinging - can be hemi
Tics - fleeting, usually repetitive/stereotyped
Tremor - resting vs action