Basal Ganglia Flashcards
What is basal ganglia made up of
Caudate nucleus Putamen Globus pallidus (external/internal) Substantia nigra (SNc/SNr--> compact/recticular) Subthalamic Nucleus
What makes up the corpus striatum
Caudate nucleus and globus pallidus
what makes up the straitum
caudate nucleus and putamen
what makes up the lentiform nucleus
Putamen and globus pallidus
what are the segments of the globus pallidus
internal and external/medial and lateral segment
What are the parts of substantia nigra
Pars compacta–> contains dopaminergic neurons that contain melanin
Pars reticularis: contains gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic neurons
Where is the substantia nigra located
midbrain
Why is substantia nigra black
It releases dopamine, and a by product of dopamine in a healthy brain is melanin
What kind of dendrites do cells in the striatum have
Cells have ‘shiny dendrites’
What info does striatum recieve
recieves cortical afferents
mainly from M1 and S1 and projects efferents to GPi/SNr
Where does the globus pallidus lie
between putament and internal capsule (medial)
What are the 2 nuclei of globus pallidus
- Lateral/external–> GPl/GPe
- Medial/Internal–> GPm/GPi
What does the GPi do
gathers many bits of information including movement-related activity from the striatum
What does the GPe do
Integrates info from GPi
GPm/GPi are functionally identical to what
SNR
what are most neurons in GP immunoreactive to
GABA–> therefore probably not NT
Where is the substantia nigra located
midbrain
What are the 2 sub-nuclei of SN
- Substantia nigra reticular part–> SNr
- Substantia nigra compact part–> SNc
What do neurons in SNc produce
Dopamine
-carried to striatum and used there as a NT
Where do neurons in GPi/SNr project to
thalamus
superior colliculus
reticular formation of brainstem
Where is the subthalamic nucleus located
lies just medial to internal capsule and ventral lateral to thalamus
what are cells in subthalamic nucleus immunoreactive to
glutamate and may use it as a transmitter
What side does the basal ganglia circuitry occur
ipsilateral side of the brain–> hence basal ganglia affects function mediated by the ipsilateral motor cortex
what side does movement from circuitry occur on
Output/movements affected on contralateral side
Corticospinal tract crosses at medualla oblongata
Describe the connections of the basal ganglia
Fibres from cerebral cortex to striatum
- striatum sends fibres to GP or to STN then to GP
- GP sends fibres to ventral thalamus
- thalamus sends fibres back to the principle motor areas of cerebral cortex
what is disinhibition
a decrease in inhibition
decreasing inhibition–> possibility of more excitation
What is the main purpose of direct pathway
increases motor activity
What is the main purpose of indirect pathway
decreases motor activity