Basal Ganglia Flashcards
What basal ganglia is involved in eye movements and cognition?
Caudate nucleus
What nuclei is the lenticular nucleus composed of?
Putamen
Globus Pallidus
The pars compacta and pars reticulata comprise what structure?
Substantia nigra
What structures comprise the striatum?
Caudate nucleus
Putamen
What structures comprise the corpus striatum?
Caudate
Putamen
Globus pallidus
What is the embryological origin of the subthalamic nucleus?
Diencephalon
What basal ganglia provide input?
Striatal complex:
Caudate nucleus
Putamen
Nucleus accumbens
What basal ganglia provide output?
Pallidal complex:
Globus pallidus
Substantia innominata
What sublenticular tract goes under the posterior limb of the internal capsule?
Ansa lenticularis
What output tract passes through the posterior limb of the internal capsule?
Lenticular fasciculus
What tracts feed into the thalamic fasciculus?
Lenticular Fasciculus
Ansa lenticularis
What part of the brainstem is the substantia nigra located in?
Midbrain
What part of the substantia nigra provides input information?
Pars compacta
What part of the thalamus receive input information? Output information?
Input: Internal medullary lamina
Output: VL and VA nuclei
What is the function of the indirect pathway of signaling through the basal ganglia?
Prevent extraneous movements while carrying out an action
What is the role of the skeletomotor loop?
Control of facial, limb, and trunk musculature
What is the role of the oculomotor loop?
Control of saccadic eye movements
What is the role of the associative loop?
Role in cognition and executive behavioral functions
What is the role of the limbic loop?
Motivational regulation of behavior and emotions
What receives the input for the oculomotor and associative loops?
Oculomotor - caudate body
Associative - Caudate head
What receives the input for the skeletomotor loop?
Putamen
What receives the input from the limbic lobe?
Ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens)
What provides the output for the limbic loop?
Ventral pallidum (substantia innominata)
Globus pallidus internus and SNr
What is the role of basal ganglia in Parkinson’s Disease?
Neurons from substantia nigra do not release enough dopamine onto basal ganglia
What disease is the hypokinetic gait characteristic of?
Parkinson’s disease
Patient appears with a mask-like expression, pill rolling tremor in the hands, and a flexed trunk. Upon gait examination, patient appears to shuffle when turning. What disease process is this?
Parkinson’s Disease
Common causes of hypokinetic/Parkinsonian syndrome
Encephalitis lethargica
Head trauma
MPTP - designer drug
Carbon monoxide/manganese poisoning
Neuroleptics (DA-blockers)
Wilson’s disease (copper buildup in body)
Degeneration of what basal ganglia results in Huntington’s disease? What NT is affected?
Caudate and putamen => decreased GABA release => Hyperkinesia
What drug can be used to treat Huntington’s disease?
Tetrabenazine (serotonin antagonist)
Sydenham chorea can be caused by what? What population is it normally seen in?
Strep throat
Seen in children
A patient with whole body spontaneous, rapid, jerky, involuntary movements can be said to have what?
Chorea
A patient with a writing, snake-like movement complains he is unable to sustain himself in one position. What is the name for these movements?
Athetosis
Ballismus is a result of a lesion in what basal ganglia? How does this present?
Contralateral Subthalamic nucleus
Flailing, flinging movement of the whole extremity
Peristence or fixing of posture at the extreme of an athetoid movement is called what?
Dystonia
