Basal Ganglia

Question 1

Signs and symptoms associated with lesions to basal ganglia

Answer 1

Akinesia, bradykinesia, rigidity, abnormal postural adjustments, dyskinesia

Question 2

Types of dyskinesia

Answer 2

Tremor
Correa
Hemiballismus
Athetosis
Dystonia
Myoclonus
Tics

Question 3

Akinesia

Answer 3

Hesitancy in initiating a movement

Question 4

Bradykinesia

Answer 4

Slow less with which the movement is executed

Question 5

Rigidity

Answer 5

Tone in all muscles acting on a joint is increased
Not velocity dependent
Lead pipe or cogwheel

Question 6

Tremors

Answer 6

Rhythmic, involuntary oscillatory movements at rest

Question 7

Chorea

Answer 7

Rapid, irregular muscle jerks that occur involuntarily and unpredictably

Question 8

Hemiballosmus

Answer 8

Violent, flailing movements on one side

Question 9

Athetosis

Answer 9

Abnormally slow, sinuous, writhing

Question 10

Dystonia

Answer 10

Persistent posture of a body part

Question 11

Myoclonus

Answer 11

Sudden, rapid, twitch like contractions

Question 12

Tic

Answer 12

Sudden, recurrent, coordinated abnormal movements (verbal, motor)

Question 13

Hyperkinetic disorders

Answer 13

Impairment to excitatory effect exhibited by STN

Question 14

Hypokinetic disorders

Answer 14

Increase inhibition of thalamus

Can be by decrease of dopamine in striatum

Question 15

What is Parkinson’s Disease?

Answer 15

Degeneration of the dopamine neurons in the SN resulting in an increase in the output of the BG to the thalamus leading to tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia

Question 16

Parkinson Disease Symptoms

Answer 16

• resting tremor
• rigidity
• akinesia
• bradykinesia
• makes facial expression
• ambulation- stooped/flexed posture, shuffling, lack of arm swing, may festinate

Question 17

Huntingtons disease

Answer 17

Degeneration of striata neurons
Inherited
Progressive

Question 18

Causes of Huntington Disease

Answer 18

Loss of specific sets of cholinergic and GABAergic neurons in the striatum
Inherited
Cognitive dysfunction and eventual dementia may be due to cortical neuron damage or cognitive portions of BG

Question 19

Symptoms of huntingtons disease

Answer 19

• first signs can be absent mindedness, irritability, depression
• uncontrolled movements gradually increase until the person is confined to bed or wheelchair
• speech is slurred at first then incomprehensible then stops
• cognitive functions deteriorate and eventually the ability to reason disappears